Spring is now here, and it is a great time to look at installing your new lawn! Temperatures are starting to warm back up but without the hot temperatures from summer. In this blog, we are going to look at our top tips for installing your new lawn to help make the process as seamless as possible.
How Do I Prepare the Ground For My New Lawn?
When installing new turf, it is important to ensure you have removed all the current lawn and weeds. If this is done correctly, it will help prevent them from growing back through your new lawn. After your old turf has been treated and removed, bringing in a quality soil base will help ensure your lawn will be able to grow and establish its roots down into the profile well.
Our top tips for ground preparation:
- Remove all existing grass and weeds with a non-selective herbicide like RoundUp or Zero. You may need 2-3 applications around 7-10 days apart to ensure all plant material is removed. More invasive varieties like Kikuyu or Couch may require more repeated applications for removal.
- Use a good quality soil base (an 80% and 20% loam or a turf underlay mixture is preferred) of at least 80-100mm.
How Do I Install My New Lawn?
When installing your new lawn, it is best to ensure you don’t leave the turf sitting on the pallet for too long, especially if it is a hot day. When laying out your turf, work from the furthest part of your yard and work your way back, laying in a brickwork pattern. Once installed, ensure you give your lawn a good water to stop the roots from drying out.
Our top tips for installing your new lawn:
- Install your lawn the same day you receive it.
- Do not water your lawn when it is on the pallet, as it can cause it to burn.
- Start laying your turf in the furthest away point from your exit and work your way back.
- Lay your new lawn in a brickwork pattern and butt up the edges together.
- Install your new lawn across slopes rather than down.
- If you need to cut the turf to fit around any trees or corners, use either a sharp knife, spade, or garden shears.
- It is best to use large pieces of turf to fill in gaps rather than several smaller pieces where possible. Smaller pieces will be more susceptible to drying out.
- After your lawn is installed, give it a good water. If installing your lawn over a large area, water the finished sections while you work to prevent turf from drying out.
- You can give your new lawn a light roll once installed; however this is not necessary.
How Do I Care For My New Lawn?
Now that the hard work is done, there are a few extra steps you can do to ensure your lawn has the best chance to thrive well into the future. Keep foot traffic off the area and ensure you keep up with regular watering. This will help ensure your lawns roots are able to grow deeply into the profile.
Our top tips for caring for your new lawn:
- Irrigate your lawn regularly enough so that your lawn does not dry out. New lawns must not be allowed to dry out in the first six weeks post-installation. If you are away from home, sprinklers and tap times should be used. Your local turf suppliers should be able to provide you with a guide on how regularly you should be watering. The amount you need to water will also be dependent on the time of year. Please have a look at the below table as a guide on when to water.
- When watering your lawn, apply a minimum of 3mm. Use a rain gauge or catch cups to check how long this will be with your irrigation method.
- Foot traffic (including your pets) should be kept to a minimum until the lawn has fully established and has been mown 3-4 times.
- Depending on the time of year and variety, your lawn will vary in the time it takes to establish. It is best to walk out every 3-4 days post-installation and pull up the corners of the roll/slab gently. If they have established into the soil, it is time to mow. For a fast-growing grass like TifTuf this may occur after 5-6 days.
- When giving you lawn its first mow, mow on a high setting to be sure not to scalp the lawn.
- Fertilise your lawn once it has been down for 5-6 weeks. For fertilising, we recommend using our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser and water it in well after application.
Please note: it is normal for the corners of the turf rolls/slabs to dry out in the first few weeks after installation.
Turf Installation & Initial Care – Best Practice Guidelines
