If you want to create a brand new garden for your home, turf establishing is the way to go.
Grass seeds and seedlings which take a long time to grow. On the other hand, turf is made of full-grown grass sold in slabs or rolls. Not only can you lay this in your garden any time of the year, but it also spruces up your lawn almost instantly.
At first, turf establishing may appear to be a daunting task because it involves a lot of steps. But the truth is that these steps are very easy to do, even if you're a complete beginner. This guide will show you exactly what to do to create a beautiful lawn for your home using turf.
Preparing the soil: the key to successful turf establishing
The key to successfully laying and establishing your turf is to make sure you don't skimp on preparing the soil on your lawn. That's because not all types of soil are suitable for growing grass.
If the soil in your garden is made of compact clay, water and air won't be able to penetrate your turf's root system. That can cause your turf to wither and die. If it's too alkaline or too acidic, it could damage the roots and make your turf weak.
The best soil to use when turf establishing is sandy loam with a pH level of anywhere between 5.0 and 7.0. You can get this from your local garden supply store.
Once you spread this around the area where you're going to lay your turf, run a rake on this. This will help you get rid of any rocks, weeds, and other types of debris in the loam and the soil underneath.
After clearing the loam, treat this with a pre-planting lawn starter fertilizer to nourish it. Make sure that the fertilizer you use is suitable for the type of turf you chose. You can check which one to use with your turf's supplier.
Finally, give your freshly laid loam with water. This will activate the fertilizer. At the same time, it will help firm up the loam making it easy to lay your turf.
Laying your turf
The one most important thing to remember when using turf on your lawn is to lay it on the loam within a few hours from the time you receive it. Otherwise, you risk the turf's root system drying out, making it more difficult for it to establish on the loam.
If you need to cut your turf, do it using a sharp knife. Ripping your turf won't give you that clean edge you want. It's also going to damage the root system.
Pay attention to where you're laying your turf. If there's a slope, make sure that you lay it across the slope. That way, you prevent the soil underneath from eroding each time you water it.
Give your lawn a good rolling once you finish laying out all your turf rolls or slabs. This will help get rid of any bumps and pockets of air so your turf can bond with the soil underneath more easily.
Water, water, water
Source:Pixabay
Watering your turf is perhaps the most critical step when it comes to proper turf establishing. If your turf doesn't get the right amount of water, it could wither and dry.
Installing a water sprinkler with a timer is the best way to make sure that your turf gets the water it needs as it establishes itself in your garden. You can install this yourself or get your local handyman to do this for you.
Keep off the grass
No matter how inviting your newly laid turf appears, make sure that no one (even your dog) goes anywhere near your turf for the next two months. This would not only quickens the turf establishing process but also prevent your pristine lawn to develop unwanted depressions.
Watch out for lawn grubs
Lawn grubs like army worms can cause severe damage to your turf. Your turf is more susceptible to these nasty critters during the spring and summer.To find out if your lawn's infested, drench an area between a healthy and damaged turf with water. If they're there, they'll start crawling their way out of the grass.
To find out if your lawn's infested, drench an area between a healthy and damaged turf with water. If they're there, they'll start crawling their way out of the grass.
Hiring a professional gardener will be your best option to deal with lawn grubs. They know which kind of products to use to kill and prevent the variety of lawn grubs infesting your lawn. That way, you get rid of them without causing further damage to your turf.
It takes your turf about a year to become fully established. A good sign is that it's hard to pull your turf from the ground. But that doesn't mean that because your turf establishing job is done, it's over. You'll still need to maintain it to keep it looking lush and pristine.
Make sure that you water your turf and nourish it with fertilizer regularly. Also, when you mow the lawn, don't cut it too close or you'll damage it. Check out our lawn mowing guide for tips on how to properly mow your turf.
