To ensure that your Turfit lawn establishes quickly and easily follow these simple rules. The first two to three weeks are the "critical phase" in the establishment of a lawn from turf.

 

Rule No 1 - Access

Do not be tempted to walk on the turf without placing boards or planks on the surface beforehand, otherwise you will be creating depressions in the lawn. Once you have finished accessing the lawn; remove the boards.

 

Keep pets off the lawn and ensure that they perform their daily ritual on another part of the garden.

  

Rule No 2 - Moisture

Whilst the lawn was growing on our turf farms, its' roots were deep into the soil (as much as 3 feet deep) and could easily find sufficient moisture. To enable the grass plants to survive and to grow a new root system, it is essential to keep the soil on the back of the turf and the soil below it sufficiently moist for the whole period of establishment (up to 4 weeks).

 

To enable you to apply sufficient water to your lawn the appropriate equipment will be needed. Anything less than a hosepipe is inadequate for the water volumes required and an oscillating sprinkler attached to the end would make the job easier and would apply the water more evenly.

        

How much water to apply ?

The first application of water is the most important and uses the greatest quantity of water. A good soaking requires at least 1 inch (25mm) of water to be applied as:  

 

A simple test to see if plenty of water has been applied is to push a long screwdriver into the lawn. If it penetrates easily and deeply (9") then probably sufficient water has been applied.

       

When to apply water?

During late spring and in summer it is best to water the lawn when the air temperature is cooler - early morning or late evening. During cooler seasons water at any time convenient to you.   

      

Rule No 3 - Mowing Heights

The old adage - a little and often - can be applied to grass mowing. The more you mow the more individual grass leaves will grow and therefore your lawn will have a denser sward and conversely, the more infrequently you mow the thinner the sward and the more mossy, disease ridden and weedy it will become.

 

When can you give it its first mow?

The best type of mower for the very first mowing is a sharp bladed rotary mower. These types of mower perform well when the grass is a bit longer - the situation we have when the first mowing is needed. Obviously you cannot mow the lawn if the turves have not rooted sufficiently to be held in place, otherwise the turf may be sucked up and chopped up by the mower.

       

Mower adjustments?

Make sure that the blades of the mower are as sharp as possible, otherwise you will either tear up the turf or pull the grass out by its' roots.

Adjust the height of cut. The rule of thumb is to never remove more than 1/3rd of the grass blade length at one time. Measure the average grass blade length and set cutting height accordingly.

 

Eg. If it has grown as much as 2" (50mm) then set your mowing height to 1 ¼ " (35mm) but preferably slightly higher. The minimum height of cut for Q Lawn turf is 1" (25mm). Mowing closer than this will damage your lawn.

 

Once the lawn has received its' first cut, then the next mowing and subsequent mowings will be needed in rapid succession. Keep the height of cut at 33mm for about two weeks, this will help to establish a good root system. After this period, you can safely lower the mowing height by a notch to around 1" (25mm).

 

During long periods without rainfall, it is a good idea to raise the height of cut and allow the grass to grow a little longer and when the conditions are moist and growth is fast, you can afford to mow at or near the minimum height of cut. During autumn and early winter, if conditions are mild and the grass is still growing, it will be necessary to keep topping the grass until growth ceases, but at a height of 1 ¼" (33mm).

 

Generally try to mow the lawn when the leaves are dry, this way less leaf drops into the sward. Do not mow if the lawn is waterlogged or frosted, both conditions will damage the soil or grass.

     

Why should you feed your Turfit lawn

Turfit lawn turf is grown on very fertile soils, but once the grass plants have rooted into your own soil they will take on the appearance and growth habit dictated by your soil. Feeding your new lawn will very much depend on when the lawn was laid and help to maintain its quality and plush finish.

  

Never apply Granular Spring and Summer lawn fertilisers after July as this can lead to soft, lush growth in the autumn which is when fungal diseases are most prevalent. Always apply fertilisers according to the manufacturers directions and always use a fertiliser spreader as hand spreading is very uneven and will invariably cause scorching of the grass or uneven colour and growth.

       

Weed Control

Turfit lawn turf will arrive on site free of broad-leaved weeds, but due to the natural seed dispersion methods adopted by weeds, you will inevitably find the odd weed establishing itself. For all but the largest of lawns the easiest and most friendly way of weed eradication is to dig them out as they appear. If this is not possible then use of granular combined weedkiller and spring fertiliser can easily be applied through a fertiliser spreader. The ideal month is May for this treatment.