Lawn turfing Weston super mare, Somerset and North somerset
On this page
- Leveling and preparing the ground.
- Supplying topsoil if necessary.
- Choice of turf.
- How we lay a turf lawn and laying your own lawn
- D.I.Y. tips below.
Lawn turfing
We prepare the ground, remove the old lawn and supply and lay new lawn turf.
Don't despair if you've just moved into a new home that has compacted subsoil where a front lawn should be or if your old lawn looks like a worn-out rug. The cost to have a turf lawn laid is probably less than you think, it's warm enough and rain helps develop strong roots and saves a lot of time watering.
The big advantage of lawn turf over seed is speed. From soil preparation to final layout, it's possible to lay a modest-sized turf lawn in one day. Moss and weeds in the morning and a green lawn in the evening!
To have a new lawn turfed or seeded in North Somerset, Somerset, Weston super mare, Burnham on sea, Portishead, Clevedon, Nailsea, Yatton.
scroll on down for how we lay lawn turf and some D.I.Y tips.
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Choosing the right grass turf for your new lawn.
What are the main types of lawn turf?
These are the 4 main types of turf for making a lawn, with the pros and cons for each type
1 Meadow grass turf is cut from an ordinary meadow and is quite hard wearing.
- Pros; It is cheap. Local so should suit and thrive on your type of garden soil.
- Cons; Depending on the different types of seed the grass may grow in tufts and won't look as good as the next three turf types. Will probably contain weed seeds.
2 Play area turf is better quality than meadow turf and is grown from a mix of grass seeds predominantly ryegrass to be hard wearing and is suitable for children's play areas, utility areas and other high use areas.
- Pros; Apart from mowing is easy care, very tolerant of kids, dogs, heavy foot-traffic and It is quick to establish and easy to repair.
- Cons; You won't get a bowling green look, but for a no fuss, easy repair, hard wearing good looking lawn this is it!
3 Shade turf is grown from grass seed that is tolerant to shade.
- Pros; Great for turfing lawns surrounded by fencing and high walls or north facing lawns. More information for growing a shady area lawn.
- Cons; Won't tolerate dry very sunny conditions.
4 The ‘Bowling green’ Lawn turf is grown from fescues the fine bristle like grasses that are used extensively for bowling and golf course grass.
- Pros; Fine bristle grasses give that close mown look, that In the hands of an enthusiast whose only hobby is the lawn will look stunning and will impress the neighbours.
- Cons; Only for green lawn man this one, grows slowly, is heavy maintenance, requires frequent scarifying and aeration, any lapse in care will quickly show. Will not tolerate high use on loam or clay soils and requires constant hand picking of invading weeds and weed grasses to maintain looks.
Specialist turfs. There are other grass mixes for laying tennis courts or bowling greens, consult your specialist supplier for details.
Soil type for growing a lawn
- A well drained medium loamy type soil is best to grow grass on but providing the area is well drained with at least 50% sunshine it will grow almost anywhere.
- Sandy soil has very little of the nutrients grass needs to grow, so add well decomposed manure or rotted leaves.
- Clay soil has all the nutrients grass needs but is hard to dig and often has poor drainage so you may need to install drainage and mix sharp sand into the top soil. read my tips here improving clay soil
- Somewhere between sand and clay, lucky you, not to much preparation needed before laying lawn turf.
How to Prepare the ground for laying turf or seeding a lawn
This is how to Prepare the ground for laying turf or sowing grass seed
- Grass will tolerate most things, but large rocks, builders rubble should be dug out.
- In shady areas you can use special shade resistant turf or seed.
- Soggy water logged conditions caused by clay or a low lying garden will need to be sorted before you lay the turf. The best permanent solution is to lay a gravel French drain drainage system under the lawn.
- Dig over or rotavate the area, trying not to go to deep or you will end up with a mix of top soil and sub soil.
- Rake it level shifting high areas of top soil into the dips, so you end up with a fairly level lawn.
- If needed add top soil to level or raise the area before laying the turf. Use the supplier I use and use the calculator to work out how much you will need.
- The prepared ground now needs to be gently flattened.
How to flatten and firm the soil
- Be careful not to compact the topsoil.
- Gently tread the soil down. Start in one corner, walking slowly placing one foot in front of the other, turning around and repeating until the whole area has been firmed down.
- A much easier way is to Board it. You will need two large firm square wooden boards (plywood is ideal) place one in front of the other. Work your way across the area, standing on the last and lifting the other to the front and so on.
- As you are flattening the ground remove surface stones as you go. It is impossible to remove every stone, the earth is full of them and they naturally rise to the surface, so don't let it become an obsession.
- Any humps and dips will now be more visible, rake of the humps into the dips and lightly tread down.
Shaping the lawn
Before laying the turf think, about the shape you want to end up with. It's sometimes easier to lay a square or oblong lawn. Then, shape the borders into it and use the cut out turf to fill the gaps you will undoubtedly end up with.
Laying the lawn turf.
- Most turf comes in rolled up lengths and are heavy to handle when soaked with rain so try to choose a couple of dry days to lay your turf (not easy in our climate)
- Mark out a straight edge with a garden line as near to the boundary as you can.
- lay your first row of turf, butting each one as close as you can to the end of the previous one. You are bound to have small gaps, these can be filled with soil as you go, but it's better and easier to fill them after the turf is laid. (The gaps will expand as the turf dries out and contract when the turf is watered).
- Start the second row by cutting a turf to half length and roll out half against the first turf of the first row. Butt it up against the start line and lay the rest of the second row using full turfs. Butt each turf firmly up against both adjacent turfs and keep going until it's all laid.
- It is important to alternate the full and half length turfs at the start of each row as it makes staggered turf joints and a stronger lawn.
- Stand back and check the lawn is level, this is your last chance to check for humps and dips. Fill the gaps with grit sand or fine soil.
- Cut out the shaped borders and trim any rough edges.
- A completely level "bowling green" surface, is achievable with a lot more thought, choice of turf and of course labour
After care tips for your newly turfed lawn.
A few newly turfed lawn after care tips.
- Don't kneel or push a wheel barrow on the turf, use planks or boards to kneel to trim and fill the gaps.
- Keep it watered in dry weather.
- Don't cut the grass or allow the kids to run on the new turf until it starts to grow,
- Give the lawn a light boarding before the first cut, in the same way you flattened the topsoil.
- You can check root progress by lifting up a corner of the turf. You will see small white roots starting to grow through and eventually will not be able to lift the turf, as the roots take hold.
- General lawn care tips including essential minerals and organic lawns Lawn care.
- Environmentally friendly ways to help your garden and lawn survive long spells without rain.
A waterlogged garden or a lawn with poor drainage produces moss very quickly. Chemicals offer a temporary Solution, but won't solve the problem. Simply laying new lawn turf over the waterlogged, soggy and moss covered lawn doesn't work either. I have included tips and advice here diy lawn drainage that will help sort out the problem. Or ask me for a quote for Land, Garden and lawn drainage solutions that are laid under the lawn. Ask me before re turfing.
Lawn turf supplied and laid in;
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