How to Maintain Your Turf in Autumn
We are nearly at the end of summer, so it is time to start preparing for autumn and winter. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about how to prepare your garden for the cold season, ensuring you have a fresh and bright garden for the remainder of the year.
When to Lay Fresh Turf
To prepare for winter and ensure you have fresh turf until next summer, we think it is best to lay your turf between mid-autumn and early winter. We recommend this specific time frame because the soil will not be too damp or frosty, so if you can lay your turf just at the cusp of winter, you will have a fresh lawn all through winter and spring.
The Stone Zone's best-selling Wessex® Coolfresh Turf (Medallion) is delivered to you in a chilled environment, so you know you are getting the freshest turf for your garden.
Topsoil for a Healthy Turf
Getting top-quality turf is very important, but it is not the only thing you need in order to keep your lawn healthy. Before laying your turf, you have to ensure the surface has been properly prepared.
There are products you can purchase alongside your turf to maintain it.
To make sure your turf retains its quality and stays green for longer, we suggest you get your hands on a loam topsoil. Spreading loam topsoil beneath your turf ensures the surface is not bumpy and improves soil texture. It also encourages root growth, leading to thicker grass development.
The Aerating Process
A popular and well-established method of ensuring your lawn is in its best possible state is to aerate the area where you will be installing your fresh turf. Aerating means perforating holes into the base so that air, water and other nutrients are able to pass through to the grass. This is an essential step if you are laying new turf on top of old grass. Old grass needs to be aerated thoroughly and with care, because otherwise it could be detrimental to your fresh lawn. If you are laying the turf on fresh soil it can still be done, though it is not as vital as it is for old grass.
Create a Walkway
Another way to ensure your lawn stays neat and tidy until next spring is to avoid walking on it as much as possible. Too much foot traffic on a fresh lawn may damage the grass and stop it staying fresher for longer.
One way to avoid treading on your fresh turf is to plan ahead. If you already know there is an area you will need access to, we suggest you build some sort of path, either using paving slabs or stepping stones. At Stone Zone, we have an extensive range of paving slabs and decorative stones that are safe to walk on, so you have a plethora of options to create a lovely path across your lawn.
Maintaining Your New Turf
Maintaining your turf differs depending on the time of year, so here is an easy rundown of what to do to keep your turf as fresh as possible.
The first and most vital step is to water regularly once your turf has been laid. A common mistake people make with new turf is not watering it enough; the ground gets dry, which is a sure-fire way of ruining a lawn. That is why we strongly recommend thoroughly and regularly watering your lawn to ensure it has a good level of moisture and remains vibrant for longer.
We know it may be tempting to make use of your new lawn, especially when the weather is warm, but please avoid doing so until the grass has rooted in, so you are not inhibiting any growth.
It is best practice to mow your lawn often, so you never have to trim off too much at once. Not only will mowing keep your lawn looking clean and tidy, but regular trimming encourages the grass to grow new leaves, creating a thick, plush layer of grass that increases your lawn's longevity and forms a solid barrier against weeds.
Finally, please make sure you keep your lawn clean. Sweep and rake away any debris, dead leaves and twigs as often as possible. During the autumn and winter season especially, fallen leaves are the worst for inhibiting lawn growth, which is why we place extra emphasis on keeping the area clear. It is not just natural material either; we also recommend keeping toys and furniture off the grass, as they will have a detrimental effect on your turf.
