Preparation is incredible important and determines the success of your lawn for the most part. The better you prepare, the less maintenance your lawn will need.
1. Clean up.
- Kill off any existing lawn and weeds.
- Remove any dead material from the current lawn area.
- Simply raking it up can do the job.
2. Turn over and aerate.
- Turn over existing soil to decompact and aerate.
- Best done by hiring a rotary hoe or larger machinery like a skid steer.
3. Improve the soil.
- In most cases you need to import soil to improve your soil.
- Get it neat, but not perfect as turf is never totally uniform. Better to correct afterwards.
- Keep in mind drainage and water flow.
4. Installing your new lawn.
- Make sure to install the turf the day you get it delivered. Turf can begin to compost after 8 hours in the heat of summer.
- Start from the furthest point of entry and work your way back, you don’t want to be constantly walking over freshly laid turf.
- Use full slabs or keep big pieces around the edge.
- Stagger your joints as it will establish better together and prevent erosions on slopes.
- Don’t patch up larger areas with small pieces, they will dry out to quickly.
5. Water and feed.
- Most important thing is to get water on it straight away.
- Irrigate deeply, at least 40 mins after initial installation.
- New turf needs water to establish, on hot days up to 8 times a day.
- Water.
- Water.
6. Caring for a new lawn.
- After 2-3 weeks in growing season, the new lawn should be ready for a mow. Check if it is ready by ensuring none of the slabs can be pulled up.
- First mow should always be on a high setting to not scalp or rip out the newly laid lawn.
- After 2 or 3 mows, give the lawn a fertilise and water in after application (this should be around 5-6 weeks stage).
- If there are any large gaps between slabs or parts are struggling, do a light top dressing with Rocket Top dressing or beach sand.
- Edges can dry out, do not panic.
