Laying a Lawn

Before you lay your lawn, you might well be faced with an empty expanse of soil. It may look perfectly fine on top, but beneath it could be nothing but rubble, especially if your house is new and the builders have dumped building waste, or compacted the ground with heavy machinery.

Dig down to about 18 inches. If you hit rubble or a very hard layer or clay, the soil will need to be improved by digging in lots of well-rotted, bulky organic matter, such as horse manure or garden compost. Use about half-a-wheelbarrow load per square metre, and then apply a handful of a general organic fertiliser to each area.

Replacing an existing lawn

If you are replacing an existing lawn, take off the old turf by cutting it into squares with a spade and then lift it section by section. These squares, which ought to be five or six inches deep, can be stacked and allowed to rot down for compost.

Spread a layer of coarse sand or grit onto the surface and then mix it in to the under soil to ensure good drainage. Then add a further layer of topsoil and level it off by treading down and raking, making sure there are no bumps or hollows.

Now you are ready to lay your lawn – so you must decide whether you have the patience to grow from seed, which is by far the cheapest option, or if you are going splash out on instant results and lay turf.

Turf

The best time of year to lay turf is during a warm spring or autumn when plenty of rain will help the new grass establish roots in time for summer sun or winter frosts.

Turf is rarely found at garden centres and is best ordered from a specialist turf supplier, who will deliver to your door. Select good quality turf raised from seed, and not meadow turf, which could be full of coarse grasses and weeds.

Stack the rolls in a cool position out of the sun, sprinkle them with water, and cover with a sheet of polythene to prevent them drying out. Don’t be alarmed if your turf turns pale and yellow within the rolls, it will soon return to green once exposed to the light again.

Water the soil if it is dry because turf will not root in dry soil. A fine sprinkler attachment on a hosepipe is best for the job, but you could also use a watering can.

Starting in one corner, carefully unroll the first piece of turf, making sure it is flush with edge of the garden, and then tamp it down with the flat of a rake to settle the roots into the soil. Continue this process with the other rolls, using your rake’s teeth to push and pull the turf into its final position. Be sure that the turf is laid in a pattern like brickwork, with all joins staggered, not in a line. If the turf runs over the edge of the garden, trim it back with a spade or edging iron.

Finally, set up a sprinkler to water the area regularly. In warm weather, this is best done at dusk or at night, when the sun will not cause the water to evaporate.

Don’t walk on your new lawn for several weeks while the roots settle. If you do have to cross the newly-laid lawn, lay down planks or boards to use as a wallkway.

Growing a lawn from seed

Sowing should be done in autumn when the weather is warm and wet. On a day when the soil is warm and crumbly, prepare the seedbed.

First, break up clods and firm the soil’s surface walking over it on your heels, and then again at right angles to the first direction. Rake the soil in a similar fashion. After a few weeks, pick up and discard any stones that have worked themselves to the surface and hoe off any weed seedlings.

Lightly rake a granular fertiliser into the soil two or three days before you plan to sow the seeds.

Before sowing, mark out the soil area into square yards or metres. Mix the seeds by shaking them and weigh them out to equally cover each square. Broadly cast the seeds one way and then the other, and then lightly rake over the area.

Once sown, the budding lawn will need protection from intruders. Use fencing to block people and dogs, and an ultrasonic deterrent to scare off cats. A humming line, which emits a penetrating hum and vibrations even in the lightest breeze, will scare away birds, which can also be deterred by covering the area with brushwood or netting.

During early stages of growth, carefully weed the soil by hand. In dry spells, keep the seedlings well-fed – but not over-watered. When your new lawn is two to four inches high, cut the blades down to a third of their size using a rotary mower and carefully rake up the clippings.

Repairs

If a patch of lawn becomes worn, the thin patches should be scratched with a rake in autumn and re-sown. Lift the turf from hollows, fill with a little soil and replace the turf before rolling until flat.

To replace a damaged area, dig out a square of turf using a half-moon edging iron. Lightly fork over the soil, level it, firm lightly, and then add a touch of compost. Lay new turf or re-seed the area. Be sure the seed or turf matches the rest of the lawn, or else you could end up with a patch of a different colour or growth rate. If it isn’t possible to make a match, remove a piece of turf from a less prominent part of the lawn.

Finally, make sure the finished piece is level with the rest of the lawn. Work fertilizer into the joins and firm with the back of a rake.