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Turfed Lawns by Turfland Preparing the soil The quality of your soil determines the future health of the grass plants in your lawn. It is the soil that provides oxygen, nutrients and moisture to the plants. Heavy, compacted soils will inhibit root development as the roots need the air spaces found in light loam in which to establish. It follows therefore, that the soil is the foundation of a good quality lawn. Other requirements, such as supplementary nutrients, water and protection from disease can be carried out after the lawn has become established. However, these requirements will be far less if the basic growing medium is of the correct consistency and quality. Never purchase top soil unless the supplier is prepared to reveal the details of its source. Some suppliers provide soils derived from river dredgings. This is completely unsuitable as it often contains silt soils contaminated with poisonous metals. Better to source a good organic loam or sand soil, preferably with a pH level of between 6 and 7. You should only need to import top soil if your existing soil is of poor quality or you need to build up the levels. An important point to remember is not to spread new soil onto a compacted soil base. The different drainage rates between the two levels will cause untold problems. The base soil should always be well rotavated to allow a gradual blending of soils and time should be allowed for settling. This process can be helped by rolling or heeling the area. It is worth spending the time on soil preparation because you cannot go back to it once your turf has established. Taking that little extra time at this stage can save hours to weeks of work in renovation later. 1. Always dig over, or preferably, deep rotavate the area to be turfed. If the top soil is not the best quality, or of insufficient volume, source a good supplier and add to the existing. It is best to use screened loam as it will not contain root weeds such as couch or nettles; also there will be no stones or clods which will make the job a lot easier. 2. Slight undulations are not really a problem provided they are gradual and allow for smooth passage of the mower. A bumpy foundation will cause scalping by the mower and the effect is not only unsightly, it can cause stress in the plants that are cut too low. 3. It is important that the prepared sight is free from weeds, seeds, stones, clods or any other debris. Hard, lumpy objects can prevent simultaneous rooting and it is most important that the grass takes evenly, as stressed plants can be overtaken by weeds or weed grasses or even die completely if deprived of contact with the base soil. 4. Once you have created a smooth, consolidated surface to the desired contours, we would recommend application of a pre-turfing fertiliser, i.e. Bonemeal (about 1oz per square metre of area). When this is done, you are ready to take delivery of your turf rolls. Each roll should be strong enough to support its own weight. It will contain mature grass plants, root fibre and just enough soil to maintain the plant during establishment. A thin cut, healthy turf will knit with the new soil much quicker than thick cut turf. It will also be much easier to handle. In hot weather, the turf should be laid and watered within 24 hours of harvesting.
When the first row is laid, place the scaffold plank on top. This will do three jobs: 1. Act as a straight edge for your next row. 2. Avoid indentations made by walking on the newly laid turf. 3. Evenly distribute the compression weight for good soil to turf contact. Rake the next area to receive turf, using the same pressure and direction on the rake. When starting the next row, start half a turf in, staggering the joints to prevent long gaps if shrinking occurs. When the line is complete, move the plank onto it and carry on in this way until the lawn is complete. Start watering as soon as possible, preferably within an hour of laying. In dry conditions, water morning and evening until the turf is well rooted and thereafter as grass indicates requirement. We hope your new lawn will give you many years of pleasure.
This is the medium that provides the plant nutrients. It is essential that this is a good organic loam. The pH level is also very important. With the wrong level, the plants are unable to utilise the nutrients. The ideal pH level for fine turf is 6 to 7. Natural soil contains organic material, minerals, soil moisture and soil air. The mineral nutrients dissolve in soil moisture and are absorbed by the roots. Soil air is necessary for roots to breathe and affects chemical and biological processes in the soil. Water The most important watering is that carried out as soon as the turf is laid. One hour of watering at that time is equivalent to six hours watering later on. Special attention should be paid to the turf edges, as these are the areas that dry out the most, due to air getting underneath. This drying out can also cause the soil to shrink, preventing root to soil contact. A light roller after 7 to 10 days can help if this has occurred. Obviously natural rainfall is by far the best form of watering, as the grass and water temperatures are compatible. Cold mains water on a hot surface can cause shock and stress to the plants, so the best time to water in dry conditions is at the cooler morning or evening time of the day. Over-watering is just as damaging as underwatering, as this causes waterlogging and soil shrinkage. A slight deficiency is not always a bad thing, as it allows air into the soil and encourages the roots to go deeper, which is highly desirable. Fertiliser If you applied pre-turfing fertiliser during preparation prior to laying, your turf will have received all the fertiliser necessary to maintain healthy growth for at least two months after harvesting (depending on soil type). When applying chemical nutrients, great care should be taken and the manufacturers’ recommendations must be followed to the letter. Over application of any chemical treatment can cause the plants to die. Simplicity is the key. Grass plants need a nitrogen rich fertiliser during the spring/summer growing season and phosphorus to encourage root growth during late autumn and winter. Fertiliser should be applied every 8 to 10 weeks throughout the growing season.
7 to 10 days after laying turf in spring and summer, the grass should be well enough established to commence mowing. A good way to check is to see if it is possible to turn back a corner of the turf. If it is well anchored by root, it is alright to start mowing. For the first cut, make sure that the mower is set at a height to just top the grass. A good rule of thumb is to never remove more than 25% of the total plant. This prevents stress to the plant and if not using a grass box, will reduce the quantity of unsightly and damaging clippings. For the best results, mow at least twice weekly during the late spring, once a week during summer (if dry) and early autumn and approximately every 10 days in mid to late autumn. Obviously this must be flexible to suit our varied weather conditions. Make sure your mower is maintained and sharp, as badly maintained mowers can damage grass. Dogs For many years, bitches have taken the blame for destroying areas of lawn with their urine. Dog urine in concentration will also kill grass. There is really no cure other than prevention. Disease The most common disease affecting grass is Fusarium patch disease. This disease can cause tremendous damage if not tackled immediately with a suitable fungicide, a treatment which may have to be repeated more than once. Serious trouble with disease is usually only encountered when maintenance is not of the best, e.g. to much of the wrong fertiliser at the wrong time. Where fungicidal treatment of disease is considered necessary, it is important to remember infection is occurring on the roots of the grass so that penetration of the fungicide into the root zone is essential. Weeds The best weed treatment is prevention. This can be achieved by maintaining your lawn in good condition. Grass is a very competitive plant and if it is in a healthy state, weeds will find it hard to become established in a dense sward. However, weeds are also competitive and therefore capable of becoming established rapidly if damage or stress presents the opportunity. There are almost as many products for treating weeds as there are weed species. Basically, it is a matter of identifying the weeds and obtaining the appropriate product. As with fertiliser application, it is essential to follow the manufacturers’ recommendations.
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