DIY Masterclass
http://www.yourhomemagazine.co.uk June 2019 67
roll wIth It
n Begin unrolling a strip of turf along a
straight edge of the lawn, or use a scaffold
board as a guide. [4] When adding a new
roll, butt the edges as closely together as
possible, taking care not to stretch the turf.
Plan ahead to avoid using a small cut of
turf at the edge as it will be more prone
to drying out.
n When you come to laying the next strip,
stagger the joints like bricks to reduce the
risk of the turf drying out. Keep edges
butted up and fill in any small gaps as
you go using a light, sandy topsoil.
n Gently tamp down the turf with theOnce your
turf is well
established, it will
be the perfect
surface for all the
family to enjoyRidley’s croquet
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Malibu giant
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Malibu badminton
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Nordic lawn
bowling set, £25;
House by John Lewis
Salsa garden chair,
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John Lewis & PartnersPuttIng Down roots
n March and September: Remove moss
and dead vegetation with a rake (known as
scarifying) and apply a lawn fertiliser uniformly
across the whole area.
n May and September: drive the prongs of
a garden fork or tine aerator deep into moist
turf then bring it up again, [7] working in
rows across the entire lawn. If an area is moretop tip
You can’t walk across the
lawn for the first few weeks:
use a scaffold board when
laying it, and water with
sprinklers or a hose pipe.compacted from frequent use, pass over it a
couple of times. This is known as aerating and
will allow better water drainage, root growth
and air circulation.
n Early spring: fill in any patchy areas with
lawn seed. Known as overseeding, this will
enhance its appearance, make it more dense
and fend off weed and moss invasions. After
this, sprinkle a fine top-dressing soil over the
lawn to promote growth and help repair the
patchy areas.head of a rake to ensure contact with the soil.
[5] Cut any excess turf away using a long knife
or hacksaw. Pat soil onto any exposed edges
of turf to prevent them drying out. This can be
removed after the first few weeks.
n Water your turf as soon as it is laid, and
do so regularly until it is well established. To
check if your new lawn needs to be watered,
carefully lift a corner and check that the soil
underneath is moist, dark and cool. [6] As a
general rule, you should water your new turf
every evening for the first week or two unless
it has rained.
n Lift a corner and check if the roots are
established i.e. growing down into the soil.
Once this has happened, you can mow on
the highest setting with sharpened blades to
avoid stressing the grass. When the lawn is
fully established, gradually reduce the grass
length to 15mm-35mm.top tip
You’ll need to lay your turf
as soon as possible once it’s
delivered, or within 24 hours. If
you aren’t laying it immediately,
keep it in the shade and remove
any plastic packaging.s4
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