Gardening Tips: A Guide to Turfing

A back yard wouldn’t be complete without a lush, green lawn and if you are starting from scratch, here is a short guide on how to create a stunning lawn.

  • Ground Preparation – First you must decide whether to have a flat lawn, or to use the natural contours of the land, then everything must be removed; hard ground should be broken up with a rotovator, then the area needs to be raked several times, to remove the stones, roots and vegetation. Once you have raked the area, you should have ground that is soft for the first couple of inches, which will help the turf to bond.
  • Protecting the Turf – Ideally, the turf would be delivered on the morning of the first day, although you can keep it for a couple of days if it is watered often and covered during the day. Tuf will quickly die if allowed to dry out, so it must always be moist and kept out of the sun if possible. If your lawn will join with the terrace, there is affordable timber decking in Brisbane if your decking needs replacing.
  • Laying the Turf – Typically, turf comes in one metre lengths that are 30cm wide (they are either folded or rolled) and you should start at the furthest point and work backwards, which means you don’t walk on turf that has been laid. Turf should be butted up firm against the next one, and they should be laid like brickwork, with staggered joins, as this helps the turf to bond. It is important that no one walks on the turf for about 4-5 days, and that includes dogs or other heavy animals, which can easily tear apart the grass.
  • Watering – You will need to water the lawn morning and evening for the first week, depending on the weather. Laying turf in the summer demands watering constantly, so it might be an idea to place a water sprayer and leave it on for a few hours.
  • Aftercare – Wait for at least one month before cutting the grass, and if you have a roller lawnmower, so much the better. You can feed the lawn with fertiliser every month, simply follow the instructions and you should have a lush, green lawn.

If you are still unsure about turfing, YouTube hosts many videos that guide you through the various stages of the operation, and as long as you have all the tools you need and a free weekend, you can grass your back yard.

 

 

 

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