Whenever you want a terrific-wanting lawn quickly, laying turf is the solution to go. You can buy lawn turf by the roll, already growing and rooted into a thin layer of soil, and laying turf is easier than you’d think. Plus, whereas seed-sown lawns want very light use for a number of months after sowing, lawns made by laying turf can be used after only a few weeks, making them ultimate for families with active children. Learn our guide on one of the best ways to lay turf to get your backyard inexperienced in no time.
When is the best time to lay lawn turf?
The best time for laying turf within the backyard is mid-autumn, when the soil remains to be heat from the summer time, but the weather is cool and wet. Nonetheless, you may lay turf nearly any time in the course of the 12 months, offered the ground isn’t waterlogged or frozen. When laying turf in spring or summer, you’ll must water it recurrently, particularly during dry spells.
Laying the turf itself is relatively fast, however it’s worth spending time preparing your soil beforehand. If possible, give your self a few weeks to prepare the world on your lawn before you lay turf. The more effort you place into preparation, the higher the end end result might be.
Your important turf laying equipment
To put turf successfully, you will need the next equipment:
- Wheelbarrow - Rake - Spade or fork - Lengthy knife - Boards or scaffold planks Contact weedkiller - Water provide or garden hose, ideally with a sprinkler attachment - Topsoil or soil improver - Turf
If you’re getting ready a large space, you may have to use a rotavator to dig it over and a turf cutter to remove previous turf.
How to prepare soil for laying turf
Begin preparing the realm a number of weeks before you plan to put turf. The goal is to create a stage surface with a gentle, crumbly soil texture and a layer of 100-150mm (4-6in) of excellent topsoil.
If your soil is already in good situation, for example if you’re turfing over a border that has had compost recurrently added to the soil, then you definitely merely need to spread adequate new topsoil to the depth wanted, then rake and stage it.
When working with Pose De Tourbe , such as when changing an previous, drained lawn, it’s finest to dig soil improver into the soil as an alternative, to enhance its construction and drainage. As a tough rule of thumb, use one 50-litre bag of soil improver per square metre of soil. Heavy clay soils will want extra soil improver than gentle sandy soils.
Getting ready your soil: A step-by-step information
Step 1: Strip off old turf. To strip small areas, slide the blade of a spade beneath the roots of the grass and take away the turf in sections. This can be onerous work, so for clearing large areas, use a turf cutter as an alternative. If in case you have house in your garden, pile up the discarded sections of outdated turf, grass sides collectively, and go away them to interrupt down over a number of months - they make excellent compost.
Step 2: Clear all weeds, both by hand weeding or by using a contact weedkiller like Roundup Velocity Ultra or a special lawn weedkiller. As with all chemical product, at all times read the instructions earlier than using. Don’t use a residual weedkiller, as these can keep within the soil for a number of weeks and can stop the new turf rooting.
Step 3: Dig the soil over to a depth of 20-25cm (8-10in). Break up clods and take away all stones and other debris.
Step 4: If adding topsoil, rake the soil to degree it, then spread the topsoil to a depth of 100-150mm (4-6in) and rake stage once more, prepared for turf laying.
Step 5: If using soil improver, dig it in and go away it to settle for no less than a week or two after digging. After the soil has settled, weed again to clear any new weeds which have appeared. Tread gently over the whole area to firm the soil, then rake in different directions to provide a level floor with a mild, crumbly texture. Chances are you'll have to repeat the treading and raking course of a number of instances to get a good degree floor. Lastly rake in a common-function fertiliser at 70g/sqm, prepared for turf laying.
How to put turf
Step 1: Ideally, lay your turf within 24 hours of delivery. If you need to store turf for a day or two, keep it someplace cool, unroll it to cease the grass discolouring and don’t let it dry out.
Step 2: Start by laying a row of turf alongside one edge of the area, then work outwards. When laying turf, work going through the un-turfed space, to avoid making dips in the ready soil floor. Put boards down on new-laid turf to create a walkway to work off.
Step 3: Lay the turf sections in a staggered pattern, as if laying bricks for a wall.
Step 4: Be sure the turf edges are carefully butted together with no gaps between them. Use the knife to chop off excess items of turf.
Step 5: Water the completed lawn completely.
Turf aftercare to look after your lawn
Avoid walking in your new lawn for 2 to 3 weeks while it's settling in.
It’s very important that the turf doesn’t dry out while it is rooting through into the soil, so water each day for the first two weeks if the weather is dry. Verify that the water is getting through to the soil by lifting up a corner of the turf. As soon as the lawn has established and the turf can’t be lifted, water the lawn as soon as per week during dry periods in summer time.
How To Lay The Proper Lawn Turf
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