PAYNE'S TURF LAYING GUIDE

Step by Step Guide to Turfing a New Lawn

The following information is designed to help customers when preparing for a new lawn. Cultivated turf allows you to enjoy a lawn of instant beauty and maturity without the inconvenience and time consuming problems of seeding.

To ensure you get turf of the highest quality you should purchase it from a member of the Turf Growers Association which will have a quality assurance guarantee. To ensure the best results and quality finish to your new lawn the following steps should be carried out.

Please remember that turf is a mass of living plants and a certain amount of care and maintenance will be required to ensure it grows to its full potential.

Preparation

Ground preparation is vital to the future of your new lawn. Inadequately prepared and unfertilised ground will never give satisfactory results. Existing turf should be moved by cutting under the grass with a shovel (as shown below left).

The soil needs to be turned over to a depth of 15cm. This can be achieved by either digging over the area or by using a rotovator (as shown right). You must ensure that the area is free of any debris, stones, weeds or old turf.

Fertilizer

A pre-turfing fertilizer should be applied and raked into the soil. The manufacturer's application rate should be followed to ensure the best results.

Raking

The ground should be raked over to produce a smooth surface. At this stage the ground may be lightly rolled or firmed by foot to reveal any soft areas which can then be raked level. This process should be carried out until the ground is evenly firm and smooth. A wide rake makes levelling easier. The ground should be firm but not compact.

The lawn is now ready to turf!

Ordering

Measure your proposed lawn area accurately in square metres. Turf is supplied in rolls for easy laying. As turf is generally cut to order it is advisable to contact a supplier giving as much notice as possible. Turf should be laid within 24 hours of delivery, therefore the preparation work should be carried out in advance of delivery.

• ALL Payne's Turf Deliveries include Piggy-Back fork lift unloading FREE OF CHARGE!
• Our Turf is supplied in lightweight easy to lay rolls
• 1 square metre rolls size 61 cm x 164 cm (24" x 64")

Laying Turf

Start by laying one strip of turf around the outside of the lawn. Avoid using small strips at the edges as these may dry out and perish. Turf can be shaped to follow gently curved borders. Lay the first row along the longest straight line and work across the lawn staggering the joints in each row - as in brickwork.

Butt and push the edges and ends against each other but do not stretch the turf. Use a sharp knife or half moon spade to cut the end of a row. Avoid walking on newly laid turf, place board down for walking on or walking along. Ensure that the turf has full contact with the soil.

Watering Turf

Newly laid turf must be watered within half an hour of installation. Give the turf a really good soaking and check that the water has seeped through the turf and into the soil below (turn up a corner to check this has happened). This watering must be repeated until the turf has established. Weather conditions will dictate the frequency of watering required.

Ensure that your new lawn has enough moisture to survive hot, dry or windy weather. If laid during a hot, dry period, watering should be repeated at least three times each day, otherwise twice daily should be sufficient. If there are any signs of turf drying out water it immediately.

Mowing

It is recommended that you do not mow your new turf until it has rooted. This can be easily checked by lifting up a corner of turf to see if the roots have attached to the soil. Your lawn mower should be set to the highest setting, it is important that the lawn is not scalped during early mowings. Mow your new lawn often, each time removing no more than one third of the grass height. Once established the grass height can be reduced gradually to your ideal level. Optimum heights are between 15mm and 35mm.

Lawn Feeding

Feeding in the first 8 weeks will not be necessary as a pre-turf fertilizer has been applied. There are many lawn feeds available and you should get a recommendation from your turf supplier. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.

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