How to Get the Best Possible Results With Your New Lawn.
Set your new lawn up to succeed before you even lay it! Preparing the site before the new turf is installed is essential in its overall lifelong performance. Read below to see what you need to do to prep your site.
Lawn Preparation: Step-By-Step
- All existing lawns and weeds need to be sprayed with Roundup 14 days before laying your new lawn.
- Excavation is needed if the existing ground is compacted and the levels are too high against paths and driveways. The level should be 20mm to 30mm below any path.
- Soil quality. Your local nursery will be able to give you advice. If it is of poor quality (clay based or too sandy) this can be rectified by purchasing a good quality top soil from your local nursery. Quantity of soil required for every 100 sq metres is between 5 and 10 tonnes, which will give you a depth of 25mm to 50mm.
- Spread the top soil out evenly using a rake or a piece of timber. Making the surface, to be turfed, as flat as possible will give a better result.
- If the top soil doesn’t have any fertilizers mixed in then add, at the recommended rate, fertiliser/lawn food to the area to get the best possible results.
- If your soil is of good quality, this should be sprayed with Roundup and left for the 14 days, as above. The area needs to be worked over to a depth of 100 – 200mm (hire a cultivator or a rotary hoe for larger areas).
- For best results the turf should be clayed on the day it is delivered.
- Water within 30 minutes of laying. Turf requires immediate soil contact and moisture to thrive.
How to Measure Your Site
Measure the length and width in metres and multiply the two measurements.
If you have an irregular shape, draw a plan and draw rectangles over the area and add up the total in square metres.
Learn more about laying your turf, turf maintenance, watering, fertilising, insect and weed prevention, turf diseases or visit our lawn care store.
