DIY Series: How To Lay Turf
If you fancy a new challenge for the upcoming summertime, then why not give your garden a makeover and lay your own turf! You can impress guests with your new and improved garden at the annual BBQ get together, avoid paying any large gardener’s fees and learn a new trade, just by following our easy step-by-step guide.
2 minute read
What you will need:
- Gardening fork
- Rake
- Fertiliser
- Turf
- Half-moon cutting tool
- Straight edged board
Step 1: First of all, you want to make sure your soil is prepped for the turf, so start by removing any weeds, old grass, stones and rocks. You want to have a nice flat surface to lay your turf onto. Apply pressure to flatten any lumps and fill any holes so the surface is level.
Step 2: Use a rake to level the soil and leave a smooth finish. It’s a good idea to make the ground firm before you continue, so walking over it with your weight in your heels will compress the earth and make it more compact. Once you are satisfied, go over it with a sprinkling of fertiliser, using your rake to blend this into the ground.
Step 3: You are now ready to lay the first row of turf. Going along the first edge of your garden, you want to slowly unroll the turf to ensure it isn’t damaged during the process. Gently unroll each piece, ensuring that there are no gaps between them and allow it to make good contact with the soil; you can use the back of your fork for this task.
Step 4: Continue with the next rows, making sure they join up nicely with one another, but avoid walking on new turf. It is important to use wide planks of wood to distribute your weight as you work, or you might end up with a very uneven surface. As you work, it is recommended that you overlay your turf so that it overlaps the actual dimensions of your garden and closes up any gaps, creating a good distribution of grass. This will be trimmed down to size once complete using your straight edged board and half-moon cutter.
Step 5: Finally, once you have laid your turf and cut the overhanging edges, you need to water it copiously, so it can settle into the ground. You can lift the corner of the turf to see if the water has soaked through, as a light sprinkling may do more harm than good. You might consider using a sprinkler for this task, but be careful because overwatering will cause the turf to rot.
Step 6: After the first day, ensure you water the turf on a daily basis, particularly if the weather is hot. Left unwatered, turf can shrink in heat and leave unsightly gaps, undoing all your hard work. Avoid walking on your turf as much as possible and don’t be tempted to mow it until it’s between 2.5 and 5cm tall.
And there you have it. Simple, quick and with a lasting impression! Before long, you’ll have everyone asking you for tips on creating the perfect lawn.
*How To articles are intended as advice only. Please refer to your completion documents for specific information on lease and covenant restrictions and maintenance of your home.*
