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Recent Entries to this Blog How to lay turf and sow a new lawn
Posted: 23 Sep 2009

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How to lay turf and sow a new lawn

Category: Helpful Hints and How To's | Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 2:49 pm

Sow in September for the perfect lawn.

If your lawn has taken a bit of a battering over the last few months now is the perfect time to do something about it. Whether you are thinking of re-sowing or laying turf the end of September provides just the right climate.

Firstly make sure you give yourself enough time laying turf or re-sowing your lawn is a job worth taking time over, especially if you want good results.

How to lay turf!

Laying Turf can be hard work however it is also a relatively simple operation. Having cleared any existing grass, remove any large stones, weeds and debris.

Rotavate the whole area, rake and remove any weeds, stones etc that may have surfaced during this process.

Level out the ground by moving the soil about where necessary and rake smooth.

Firm the soil down (you can achieve this by shuffling over the ground with both feet) make sure the whole area is compacted in this way.

At this point you can apply a fertiliser if you wish. Make sure you rake the fertiliser well into the soil, water well and leave overnight before laying the turves.

Lay the turves (green side up!) make sure you are careful not to stretch the turves and that you stagger the joints. For best results lay the turves the day they are lifted however, they can be left for 2-3 three days if rolled up.

Firm the turves down and give a really good soak.

Stay off the grass for at least 2 weeks, longer if possible and be sure to provide plenty of water during any dry spells and there you have it a beautifully laid lawn for you and your family to enjoy.

Sowing a new lawn.

Firstly chop your existing lawn into manageable strips using an edging tool. Try to make these strips the same width as the tool you will use to lift the turf in the next step. (This is usually a turfing iron)

Firmly push the turfing iron in to lift the turf. Make sure you remove the existing turf and stack it upside down.

Lightly rotivate the soil being careful not to go to deep, remember it is the good topsoil that you are trying to loosen.

Ensure that you have at least 6 inches of good topsoil to seed.
Rake and then walk over the soil to create a level surface. You may need to repeat this a few times to ensure that the surface is level and ready for sowing.

Most lawn seed mixes will give you an indication of how much seed you will need to cover a specified area (usually per metre square). So using string, divide your garden into metre squares. Then apply the seed mix as recommended.

To help prevent birds from eating the seeds before they germinate lightly rake the area to mix some of the seeds with into soil.

Don't Panic!


Ok so you've picked up this article and need to re-sow your lawn but its not September. Turf can be laid at any time of the year our quick guide below tells you what to look out for.

Winter - Avoid frosty days, in fact you probably won't be able to get it delivered then, as turf merchants won't lift it. Also growth is very slow at this time of year so you'll need to stay off your lawn for longer than the usual 2 weeks. The length of time will depend on the weather. If the temperature is below 5 degrees C there will be no growth and those days won't count. To be on the safe side you should probably leave it for at least 2 months.

Spring - Ideal time, early spring is better than late spring. Keep an eye out for dry periods and be sure to water when needed.

Summer - Best avoided if possible. Dry periods spell problems or a lot of effort coupled with a high water bill. Also high temperatures will prevent the grass from growing and mean you'll have to stay off it for longer.

Autumn - Best of all! Cooler days but not too cool means the grass grows well, it is usually quite damp so you'll need to water the turf less and the new turf is less likely to be walked on.

moderator's note: removed website links, see point 1.1 of usage rules



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