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September might feel like the end of the garden season, but it's actually the ideal month to lay fresh, new turf. This is because the soil is still warm from the summer, but the cooler weather means the turf won't dry out and shrink like it would during the summer.

What You'll Need:

Gardening Gloves
Wheelbarrow
Rake
Wooden planks/Laying boards
Weed Killer (if applicable)
Garden hose/Sprinkler.

Step 1

Preparation is key!

Before you place an order for your turf, ensure the ground and soil is prepared in advance and that you have all the tools needed. By this, we mean that the ground needs to be as level as possible, which can be checked by using a spirit level.

We recommend our 10mm Topsoil as a base for your turf. Ideally, you’d need your soil at least 10cm deep (the deeper the better) to cover the ground and set the perfect base for your grass to grow.

Looking after the soil is a great way to promote healthy grass growth; use your rake to loosely turn over the soil and ensure there aren’t any weeds or small bits of debris such as stones in the soil.

Try and water the soil 2 days before laying your turf as well. Not only will this provide water for the roots of the turf, it can also cause the prepared soil to settle which can then be raked level again just before the turf arrives.

Step 2

Measure your space

It’s important you have measured the area to work out how many turf rolls you need. You can do this by breaking your garden area up into squares or rectangles, measuring each side and multiplying each side’s length. Our turf rolls will cover 1m² of your garden, so if you needed 28m² of turf, you know you’d need to order at least 28 rolls of turf.

Step 3

Order your turf

Our turf is cut and brought in fresh after going through a unique chilling process on its journey to us, hence the name ‘Wessex Coolfresh Turf’. Due to its 18 month cultivatuion, our turf is well-established, thick grass that has the best chances of integrating with your soil. Our turf gets delivered to us every Tuesday and Thursday so you will need to order your turf by midday on Monday or Wednesday in order to collect it or have it delivered the next day.

"Only order the amount of turf you can lay in a day!" - Charlie Says

Lost Landscapes

Step 4

Lay your turf

It’s essential that your turf is laid within 24 hours, especially if the weather is very dry and warm. You should never water rolled up turf, as the inside of the roll will heat up and will encourage the turf to compost, so make sure you’re ready to lay the turf as soon as you’ve bought it. Generously water your soil again before laying the turf, especially in very hot, dry weather.

When laying turf on straight edged gardens, work your way from one side to the other, using a plank of wood to ensure it is straight against any plant borders or fences. If you have a circular garden, make sure you lay the turf from the centre, working your way out. Try and lay the turf in a brickwork fashion to help join each roll together. When laying down each roll next to each other, make sure there are no gaps between and try and butt each joint together with your thumb.

Once you come to an end, cut off any excess pieces of turf with a long knife or handsaw so there isn’t any unnecessary exposure that might dry the turf out. Cover any outer edges with some top soil to further prevent the grass from drying out.

Step 5

Water, water and more water!

As soon as you can, try to water each section of turf as soon as it is laid. Turf will shrink in the heat when un-watered meaning gaps can appear.

After this, ensure your turf is then watered on a regular basis; first thing in the morning or late in the evening are ideal times so less water is lost to evaporation. Make sure each section of your turf is watered regularly, never letting the ground dry out. You can check that the water has penetrated into the soil below by pulling up corners of the turf.

If you’re walking across the grass to water it, make sure you use a laying board/ wooden planks to evenly distribute your weight.

"Try and keep off the grass as much as possible until the turf has rooted, which normally takes two weeks." - Charlie Says

Step 6

Mow that lawn!

Once the newly laid lawn has taken root, mow the lawn on the highest settings and only remove the tips of the grass for the first cut. Although it’s recommended to stay off the grass for the first 2 weeks, you may need to cut the grass down within the first week, so ensure extra care is taken at this early stage. For the second and subsequent cuts, do not remove more than 25% of the blade grass and try to alternate the direction in which you mow your lawn.

Step 7

Enjoy your fresh, green paradise!

Now you’ve got a beautiful looking garden covered in luscious green grass, you can sit back and relax – but still make sure you’re giving it plenty of attention. Grass always needs a good balance of air, light, water and food, so make sure it’s watered regularly and is un-covered for the best exposure to plenty of oxygen and light.

To order our Wessex Coolfresh turf, click here or call us on 01202 874207