Turfing your lawn - how, when and why?
Choosing turf for your new lawn is likley to be more expensive than going for grass seed, but here we look at the reasons turfing could be for right you, how it's done and when to do it.
Here's why turning turf could be the solution you're looking for to create that lush green lawn in perfect time for summer 2025.
Should I use turf or grass seed?
Laying turf is the best way to get near-instant results for a new lawn - something that many will feel increasingly important as we approach another spring of Covid-related restrictions.
Using turf will allow children and pets to enjoy the new lawn within days of laying - whereas creating it from seed will mean at least two to three weeks without access.
Yet, while laying turf might well be the speedy option you're looking for, there's still plenty of careful planning and preparation required to ensure your lawn's a success.
When is the right time to lay turf?
The best time to lay a lawn is in September, but most people will be looking to upgrade their grass as spring and summer approach.
Not a problem - provided the ground is properly prepared and turfed, you'll be able to enjoy a full spring and summer of use from your lush new lawn.
Spring-laid turf will require additional watering and more mowing than its autumn counterpart, but the benefits of a fresh exterior space will outweigh the extra investment in maintenance.
A lawn laid in spring may need to be treated with a little more care for a week or two, as the additional mowing and drier soils can delay the rooting process.
Is there a wrong time to lay turf?
Laying a lawn in the depths of winter won't end well, with the risk of killer frost and snow dooming your fledgeling grass to failure.
Equally, a high-summer lawn might seem attractive, but long dry spells and grass-scorching heat will likely leave your turf on life support and unlikley to survive without intensive nursing that many will find difficult to deliver over an extended period.
How to lay a lawn using turf
Careful preparation will deliver the difference between a lawn that's a cut above the rest and a weed-infested mess.
Clearing weeds and cultivating the soil surface to a fine tilth will ensure your new turf settles in to its new bed with ease.
A newly turfed lawn will hide poor preparation for a few weeks, but density and condition will soon reveal underlying health issues.
Make sure you, or your contractor, finishes this preparation before taking delivery of the turf. You wouldn't leave fresh vegetables languishing in the heat before consuming days later - and it's just as vital to ensure your turf is fresh as possible when laid.
How you or your turfing contractor should prepare the ground
First job is to eliminate weeds - the likes of bindweed is common in many gardens and will attempt to strangle new turf.
Hand weeding is best for you, animals and ultimately your lawn's health. Many weedkillers contain harmful chemicals which could remain in the soil for many weeks - preventing growth in your new lawn.
The plot should be dug or rotivated to a depth or around 20cm, after which manure or other organic material should be added to help retain moisture - especially important if the soil is particularly sandy.
Make sure the manure is well-rotted, or its subsequent decomposition could result in the new lawn sinking as the material breaks down.
After the lawn has been prepared for turfing, ensure the cultivated soil is left to settle for at least two days.
After this period, any new weeds that have popped up should be removed by hand.
Next, the cultivated area should be made as level as possible by raking and treading in. This is an important stage so investing time now will pay handsome dividends for your finished lawn.
General purpose fertiliser should be raked in at this point, about 70g per square metre.
Looking after your turf before it is laid
Ideally turf will be freshly cut, delivered and laid within 24 hours, but if it there is going to be a substantial delay between delivery and laying, individual turves should be rolled out flat and watered.
How to lay turf for your new lawn
Begin at a point where the person laying turf can face bare soil and work across from that point.
Give the soil in the row you are laying a light watering ahead of placing the turf in position. Use boards when working on the laid turf to avoid indentations as the rolls are laid.
Make sure each turf is level, then tamp down gently with a board, or tamper. Do not stamp or use a heavy roller on the newly laid grass - as this will damage the roots and accentuate any dips in the soil.
Continue working across the area to be turfed - staggering the rows of turf so that joints do not match up with the adjacent run. Just think of how bricks are laid to illustrate this, which will help the turves knit together.
When finsished, work a mix of sand and soil or compost into the joints to help the turves knit together and fill any small gaps that may have appeared.
At this stage, it is vital that the lawn is left alone to bed in - so enusre it is not walked on for at least two to three days.
Aftecare for your new turf and lawn
If the lawn is laid during spring and summer, ensure that it is kept moist at all times throughout prolonged dry periods. Watering every three to five days could be required.
For lawns laid in autumn, less watering will be required - look at every ten to 14 days.
Be warned, though, too much watering can result in shallow roots and encourage more weed growth.
When it comes to mowing, wait until the grass has grown to about 5cm and set your mower's blades to high. If it's hot, try to wait until the sun has cooled.
Now, all that's left to do is sit back, and enjoy... and remember, don't hold back, we'll show you how to patch and thicken your new lawn for each new season.