All year round!

 

Believe it or not, turf can be laid all year round, even in the winter. In fact laying during the winter can have its advantages as there are no prolonged periods of hot and dry weather which require extra watering and maintenance. The turf will last longer in the roll during the damp cold months, even up to 3 days, however we always say that the sooner you can lay it, the better. It is however not advised to lay turf on frozen soil, as they newly laid turf will act as an insulator, and prevent the root system being able to penetrate.

 

Before your turf can be laid, there are some important basic steps to follow:

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Rule 1 - Do not order your turf until the preparation stage has been fully completed!

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Preparation Stage

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You need to ensure that that the ground on which the turf is to be laid is correctly prepared.  There needs to be a decent quantity of good quality soil to the lay the turf on - we recommend 150mm minimum, turned over with spade or rotavator and raked out to a level surface. Once this has been laid it is a good idea to either roll, or walk over the soil and tread it in - this tightens the soil up so that your newly laid turf doesn't sink into the soft soil beneath.  It is a good idea to give the ground a water prior to the turf being laid, as this will help with the moisture content and further allow the soil to settle. You must ensure that the soil is free of stones (our topsoil is), and it then needs to be raked smooth so that the top is slightly loosened. This can be tedious however it is key to give the root structure of the new lawn a chance to burrow into your newly prepared subsoil.

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Laying Stage

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All of our turf is freshly cut and delivered within 24 hours of harvest. It must be laid immediately upon delivery, or at the very latest, 12 hours after this. This is why it should only be ordered when its ready to be laid. The rolls should ideally be stored in a shaded area - do not wet or cover the rolled up turf, as this will make it sweat and rapidly increase deterioration.

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Roll out the turf starting from one edge of the lawn. It is a very good idea to place a scaffold board (or similar) on the freshly laid rolls in order to lay the next rolls - this spreads your body weight and prevents the turf from being damaged as you are laying your new lawn. It is best to stagger the joints - similar to that of a brickwork pattern. Keep the edges as tight together as possible - but any open edges can be filled with loose soil later. Handle the turf carefully and avoid ripping or tearing where possible.

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Directly After Laying

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Now that your new lawn is laid, it is imperative that it is well watered in with a sprinkler, otherwise your hard work will be wasted as the turf will not take! A sprinkler is the best method as it gives an even water pattern which will gently soak through. It needs to be well watered (but not flooded!) for several days after being laid. You can monitor whether the moisture is getting through to the subsoil by gently peeling up a corner of the turf and seeing if its damp underneath. You will also be able to see when the new roots are burrowing into the soil beneath. Use common sense - on the hot days its likely to need more water than usual.

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The turf will need watering until the root system has become fully established which can take several weeks in some instances - never let the turf dry out.

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When the lawn is starting to take (within 7-10 days in Spring & Summer), it can be cut - but make sure it is a gentle cut. Ensure that you fully raise the height of the mower and use a grass collector box also. Don't let the grass grow too long before its mowed. It is best to only take a small amount off first, then gradually a bit more in order to tighten down the grass. Never remove more than one third of the total length of the grass.

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After a few weeks it is not uncommon to see toadstools popping up through the lawn - this is nothing to worry about and is a result of dormant fungal spores within any kind of soil. When they are disturbed, combined with the damp and humid conditions which arise from watering the turf, they can sometimes appear. There is no need to remove them, they will disappear after a few cuts and sort themselves out without any lasting damage.

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After Care

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In order to keep your lawn looking its best you need to maintain it. We take great care and pride in ensuring that when the turf is delivered it is absolutely perfect. Our turf is relatively low maintenance, however it is very good practice to weed and feed it throughout the year with fertiliser from your local garden centre.

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We hope that you have found our guide useful.

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