Your Official Turf Laying Guide For That Great Lawn!
Laying purpose-grown cultivated turf will enable you to enjoy a
fine lawn of instant beauty and maturity without the
inconvenience, wastage or delays associated with seeding.
To ensure that the turf you buy and lay is of the highest
quality, always insist on lawn turf produced by a member of the
Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA)
which has a quality assurance policy.
To help ensure optimum results and a quality finish to your new
lawn, the TGA recommends that you follow the guidelines given
within this leaflet.
Please remember that turf consists of a mass of living,
breathing plants. Applying appropriate care and attention to
your new lawn will enable it to grow to its full potential and
provide you with many years of enjoyment.
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Proper ground preparation is essential
for the establishment and future well-being of your new lawn.
Inadequately prepared ground will never produce the best
results. |
Existing turf should be removed by
slicing beneath the grass with a spade. For larger areas,
consider hiring in a purpose-designed turf cutter. Your local
TGA turf supplier should be able to help. |
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The soil needs to be turned over
thoroughly to a depth of 15 cm using a spade or a powered
cultivator.
Clear the area of stones, weeds, old
turf and other debris.
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The ground should be raked to produce a
smooth, level surface. Lightly roll or tread the surface by foot
to reveal any soft patches which can then be raked level. This
process should continue until the whole area is evenly firm and
level. |
The surface should be firm but not
compacted. You are now ready to lay turf.
Measure the proposed lawn area
accurately in square metres or square yards.
Turf is supplied in compact rolls for easy handling and laying.
As turf is generally harvested to order, it is recommended that
you give your TGA turf supplier as much notice as possible of
the required delivery date.
Provide your supplier with the area of
turf required, the delivery address, contact name, telephone
number and required delivery date.
Turf must be laid as soon as possible,
ideally within 24 hours of delivery. In hot weather, keep
delivered turf in the shade. It is advisable to prepare the
ground in advance of the turf arriving to avoid hold-ups due to
bad weather.
Never walk directly on the prepared soil
or newly-laid turf. Use boards or planks to work from and walk
on.
Start by unrolling one strip of turf around the perimeter of the
lawn. Avoid using small pieces at the edges as these can dry out
and perish. Ensure that the underside of the new turf has full
contact with the soil below. |
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Lay the
next strip across the longest straight run and continue to
work across the lawn, strip by strip, producing a pattern
similar to brickwork. |
Butt adjoining edges and ends against
each other, but avoid stretching the turf.
Overlapping pieces and ends of rows should be cut off neatly
with a sharp knife or halfmoon lawn edger.
Between March and October, newly-laid
turf should be watered thoroughly within half an hour of
installation.
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This
watering should be repeated at least once a day until the
roots are established. As a guide, at least two hours per
day of constant watering is essential across the complete
lawn area. The hotter, drier and windier the weather, the
more water will be needed. |
Water immediately and profusely on any sign of the
turf drying out eg gaps, lifting, browning or curling.
As a rule of thumb, a balanced
fertiliser containing similar levels of Nitrogen (N), Phosphate
(P) and Potash (K) should be applied every four to six weeks
during the growing season.
Always follow the manufacturer's
recommendations with regard to the quantity, timing and method
of applications. A policy of "little but often" will help
maintain your lawn in peak condition.
Resist the temptation to make the
initial cut until your new lawn has rooted. This can be checked
easily by lifting a corner to see if the roots are attached to
the soil below.
For the first mowings, set the lawn
mower to its highest setting to avoid stressing the grass. Mow
regularly, each time removing no more than one-third of the
grass height.
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When the
lawn is fully established, the height of cut can be reduced
gradually to an optimum height of between 15mm and 35mm.
Take care to avoid scalping. |
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We have prepared a video that
demonstrates how to lay turf that can be downloaded for free by
clicking here.
Only a TGA member can provide you with a certificate of turf
characteristics which details the purity, quality and physical
attributes of the turf you will be receiving.
Next time you order cultivated lawn turf, ask your
supplier about TGA Certified turf.
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All TGA
members have to adhere to a professional code of conduct
which ensures that you, the customer, receive high quality
turf and a first-class service. Every TGA member is a
producer of quality cultivated turf.
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If you are ever in doubt about the turf
you are buying, ask to see a sample before placing the order.
