How to prepare and lay your new lawn.
How to prepare and lay your new lawn.
Preparation is incredibly important and determines the success of your lawn for the most part. The better you prepare, the more low maintenance your lawn will be.
1. Clean up.
- Kill off any existing lawn and weeds.
- Remove any dead material from the current lawn area.
- Simply raking it up can do the job.
2. Turn over and aerate.
- Turn over existing soil to decompact and aerate.
- Best done by hiring a rotary hoe or larger machinery like a skid steer.
3. Improve the soil.
- In most cases you need to import soil to improve your soil.
- Get it neat, but not perfect as turf is never totally uniform. Better to correct afterwards.
- Keep in mind drainage and water flow.
- Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo = Lush Lawn Underlay.
- Tif Tuf = Oakhampton soil.
- Zoysia = Oakhampton soil with some cow manure mixed in.
4. Installing your new lawn.
- Make sure to install the turf the day you get it delivered. Turf can begin to compost after 8 hours in the heat of summer.
- Start from the furthest point of entry and work your way back, you don't want to be constantly walking over freshly laid turf.
- Use full slabs or keep big pieces around the edge.
- Stagger your joints as it will establish better together and prevent erosions on slopes.
- Don't patch up larger areas with small pieces, they will dry out to quickly.
5. Water and feed.
- Most important thing is to get water on it straight away.
- Irrigate deeply, at least 40 mins after initial installation.
- New turf needs water to establish, on hot days up to 8 times a day.
- Starter fertiliser, we recommend Lawn Launcher.
- Water.
- Water.
- Water.
6. Caring for a new lawn.
- After 2-3 weeks in growing season, the new lawn should be ready for a mow. Check if it is ready by ensuring none of the slabs can be pulled up.
- First mow should always be on a high setting to not scalp or rip out the newly laid lawn.
- After 2 or 3 mows, give the lawn a fertilise and water in after application (this should be around 5-6 weeks stage).
- If there are any large gaps between slabs or parts are struggling, do a light top dressing with Rocket Topdress or beach sand.
- Edges can dry out, do not panic.
Read LSA's guidelines for laying turf.
Choose the right turf for your garden.
Send us an email.
Ready to order your new turf?
Give us a call or come in to store and we will help you.
Call 4954 6999 or 4362 2822.
Lee Rowans Gardenworld is a member of LSA and are experts on turfs and how to take care of your lawn.