Laying down your new turf can prove to be a daunting task.

From selecting the right type of turf, to preparing the area, and getting your equipment sorted, there are just so many things to consider. Since you only get one crack it you want to make sure you get it right the first time.

At Hi Quality Turf, we’ve got more than 45 years of experience in the industry so we know exactly how overwhelming this task can prove to be. We’ve done the hard part for you and composed these handy hints below to help your lawn laying experience flow just that little bit smoother.

The Right Equipment

Before you even start thinking about laying your lawn you need to have your equipment sorted.

Otherwise you’ll end up as the expression goes, “up the creek without a paddle”. Generally the required equipment will fall into two categories; products / supplies, and protective clothing / tools.

Products and supplies

This includes; top soil, wetting agent, starter fertilizer, and turf. These products are used to condition the soil for use and ultimately lay down appropriate turf.

Protective Clothing and Tools

This includes gloves, rake, hose, and sheers.
These will protect you throughout the process and assist in soil spreading, lawn cutting and ongoing maintenance.

Try to organise the equipment into appropriate categories so that they are easy to reach. Once you have the above equipment sorted you’re ready to go.

Site Considerations & Preparations

Now that you’ve got your equipment sorted the next step is the site preparation.

You want to make sure you prepare the area as best as possible in order to give your new lawn the best possible chance to thrive.
Site preparation generally involves cleansing the existing area of any nasties, and then conditioning the soil to accept the new lawn.

To cleanse the area, first remove any existing old patchy weedy lawn, then dig over the whole area by approx 15cm down, this will loosen the soil and give you the opportunity to remove any stones and weeds that may still have remained there.

You can then begin to condition the soil. In order to lay down a great foundation and help to retain water in the soil, spread the top soil and wetting agent over the prepared area.

You can then firm and level it to consolidate the surface and make sure there’s nothing hollow underneath, you can do this by walking on your heels over the soil, this will get rid of air pockets, ultimately resulting in a nice firm lawn surface. Apply one final rake to even out any bumps and you’re now ready to lay down your new lawn.

The Right High Quality Turf

There are a range of factors to consider when choosing the right turf for you, some of these include; shade coverage, level of wear, desired maintenance, aesthetics, where you live, and of course cost.

The right turf for you will depend on your particular home and living conditions.
The best way to assess this is to answer the following questions:
● How much percentage of shade cover do I have in my yard?
● How often will I use my grass? (ie do I have kids and pets running around)
● How much time can I devote to lawn maintenance?
● How do I want my grass to look?
● What type of weather conditions do I experience at home?
● How much am I willing to spend?

Once you have answers to these questions you now have a profile of the turf that will best suit your needs. You can choose from varieties of Buffalo, Zoysia, Kikuyu and Couch.

In order to get the best appropriate fit we suggest going to an original turf grower. Original turf growers know the industry inside out, unlike landscapers and retailers who are only involved in part of the process, turf growers look after the turf in their own farm and have the experience of growing the turf from seed all the way through to ongoing maintenance.
They are uniquely positioned to match your unique profile with the best fitting turf.

Ongoing Maintenance

Now that the hard part seems to be over, you shouldn’t forget about your new lawn’s ongoing maintenance, in fact it’s essential to ensure it’s long term survival. It’s important to take care of both initial watering needs and also a long term maintenance schedule.

Once your new turf has been laid, for most species watering is required every morning & afternoon for the first 2-3 weeks, this will help encourage settling and root growth.

After this you’ll only need to water it every 2 days now that the turf has set in.

Don’t walk on the new turf until it’s really well rooted which will take at least 2-3 weeks. Once your turf has had an opportunity to settle it’s also vital to follow a long term maintenance schedule.

This generally involves a shallow mow to start with, regularly fertilising your lawn, upkeep of weeding, and watering once a week in summer and once per month in other seasons except winter.

Laying a new lawn can prove to be a tricky task.

If you’re not careful it’s easy to fall into some common traps and end up with a poor quality job.

Remember doing your homework and a bit of research will make all the difference. It’s vital to have all the required equipment ready to go, and prepare the site appropriately to encourage growth.
Select a turf that is appropriate to your location and weather conditions, and don’t forget the watering needs along with a long-term maintenance schedule.

We’re second generation original turf growers with over 55+ years of experience in the industry, we have the expertise to match your unique profile with the most appropriate turf, no matter the question big or small, we’ll look after you.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us here at Hi Quality Turf.