1. Water regularly, never let the ground dry out
2. Keep off the grass until it has rooted in
3. Mow little and often once the grass is growing well
4. Top up soil nutrient levels to encourage strong root growth
5. Don’t allow fallen leaves or debris to accumulate on your new lawn

A grass plant is around 80% water. It’s a function is to carry nutrients to every single cell so that the plant can grow roots and shoots as well as harness sunlight to make its own energy food.  It’s a coolant too. Water is drawn up from the soil by the plants’ roots. It is also lost through tiny pores in the leaves known as stomata.

When turf is growing in the field it develops really long, strong roots of up to a metre long. The harvesting process slices off a high proportion of those roots. The roots will grow back relatively quickly once they come into contact with your garden soil (grass is remarkably good at regenerating).

Until they do get established in your soil, those roots will struggle to find enough water to support the whole plant. Which is why it’s vital that you make sure water is freely available. That means that the soil beneath your turf must NEVER be allowed to dry out. Even if that means irrigating twice a day in hot weather.

Therefore, we would recommend that you water newly laid turf twice a day for at least the first four to five weeks. Then, once it has started to root in, about 2-3 times per week. After about six weeks, you can then drop it down to once or twice per week.

Please note that it can take around two weeks for shallow roots to start to embed and up to eight weeks for the roots to establish a a minimal level for mowing.

Lawn grass is so durable because the leaves quickly outgrows damage. Newly laid turf is using all of its energy to grow roots and get established. If leaves are crushed by feet or toys, repairs are not a high priority to the plant and you may see scars on your lawn for quite a while.

• Try and use laying boards to spread your weight as you walk across your new lawn to water it.
• Try not to walk on your lawn at all for the first 4 weeks after laying turf
• Avoid heavy traffic for the first 3 months so that the plants can get really well established.
• Never walk on newly laid turf

Once the roots are happily working their way into the soil up to eight weeks, you’ll see that the grass starts to grow. It’s time to start mowing.  Mowing grass does more than keep it looking neat. It encourages the plants to grow new leaves from the base of the lawn so that the sward stays thick, velvety and good at suppressing weeds. Before you mow, there are a couple of things to check:

The last thing you need is for your mower to pull up and rip your new curves. So before you start, test the lawn’s establishment in several places. Simply grab a handful of grass and pull upwards. If the blades come away in your hand, that’s good. You can start mowing. If you feel the earth move i.e the turf lifts slightly – then wait a week and test again.

Blunt mower blades rip at the grass leaving a jagged open wound that takes a long time to repair and could let in disease. Your mower blades must be spotlessly clean and super sharp. The aim is to make a clean cut that heals almost immediately.

All of the care and attention you paid to lay your new turf can be undone in a single pass of the lawnmower. The key thing to remember when mowing new turf is patience. You mustn’t even try to cut it really short in one go because you will stress the plants and endanger their health.

For the very first cut, have your mower on its highest setting and only remove the tips of the grass. Choose a mild day when the grass is dry (not easy in autumn, you might need to compromise and mow when the grass is slightly damp). Make sure the mower blades are super sharp and put the grass box on. Clippings must be removed from a young lawn. This first cut will make the lawn look neater and encourage the plants to grow more shoots from the base. If you feel confident enough, why not try mowing some stripes into the lawn.

For second and subsequent cuts, avoid removing more than 25% of the grass blades in one go. The green bit is the powerhouse of the plant. It’s the energy factory and the food store. Taking away a big section of a plant’s leaves before it is properly established is like cutting out part of your stomach – you’d survive but not necessarily thrive.

Questions and Answers

Your turf ideally should be laid within 12 hours of receiving it or earlier if a hot sunny day. It is recommended that you water it, if not laying straight away.

WHEN CAN I GIVE MY LAWN ITS FIRST MOW?

Normally 6 weeks, it will depend on the season as to how fast it will root, one way to tell if it has rooted is tray and gently lift the corner of one of the slabs, it doesn’t lift it is ready to mow. 

Remember to water well after mowing allowing the cut grass seed to germinate and propagate.

Don’t let your lawn get too long before its first mow. 

Resist the temptation to make the initial cut until your new lawn has rooted. This can be easily checked by lifting a corner to see if the roots are attached to the soil layer below.

For the first mow, set the lawn mower to its highest setting to avoid stressing the grass.

Mow regularly, each time removing no more than one-third of the grass height.

When the lawn is fully established, the height of cut can be reduced gradually to an optimum height of between 15mm and 35mm. Do this gradually to avoid scalping.

TOPSOIL/UNDERLAY DEPTH?

Using a good quality under soil, try and lay and spread evenly a depth approximately 35-100mm prior to laying.

CAN I LAY TURF IN WINTER MONTHS?

Turf can be laid all year round, summer months will require more watering.

WHEN SHOULD I WATER?

On the day of installation we suggest watering heavily, then first thing in the morning and last thing at night for the following four to five weeks. Different lawn types and soils require different amounts of water, so take this into consideration when choosing a new lawn and topsoil.

Water your new lawn well immediately after laying using a hose pipe or sprinkler. Continue until the water has soaked through to the soil beneath the turf layer.

Water your lawn well (unless the rain does it for you!) The hotter, drier and windier the weather, the more water will be needed.

Water immediately and profusely on any sign of the turf drying out for example gaps, lifting, browning or curling.

WHY IS SOME TURF SO EXPENSIVE?

Cheaper turf like Wintergreen takes about 4-6 months to grow allowing at least 2 harvests per year, in contrast Buffalo and Zoysia turfs for example can take a full year to be matured ready to harvest.