Preparation for laying turf?

[nondrip]

Hello everybody.

My lawn is very uneven and more dandelion and clover than grass so I want to clear it and lay new turf. I have never done this before I would love some advice.


Thanks

 

[Thermo]

do a quick search, i did a very comprehensive answer about 6 weeks ago that should tell you all you need to know. If you cant find it let me know

 

[nondrip]

Thanks Thermo. I did do a search before posting and saw this posting of yours :

'whatever you do dont compact it with a whacker. You will create a soil pan where the layer is too hard for the water to permeate and it will cause drainage problems for the new lawn. Rotovate it to get it down to a fine tilth. Add some compost in as you do it. Then rake it level by eye to get rid of the worst of the lumps and bumps. Then trudge up and down it in small pigeon steps to compact it but not too hard! After that get a scaffold board or lump of 4 x 2 as long as possible. Start at the furthest end of the garden. lay the board down across the lawn and it gives you a atrsight line to work to. Rake alongside it the width of the rake and then pull it towards you. Do the next bit and so on. As you pull it towards you you should see any big lumps or dips and it should start to bring stones etc with it. Work all the way down towards the EXIT from the garden. When thats done you should now have a level and well raked lawn with a fine tilth on top. DO NOT WALK ON IT!
You can now start laying the turf in the opposite direction walking on boards as you do. Lay them in a brickwork pattern. Get the turf from a decent turf supplier not one of the DIY sheds, its normally been about 4-7 days since its cut from one of those places. A decent turf supplier should cut it the day before or that day if theyre really good.
Gently tamp the turf in position and butt the edges up together. Its easiest to make any cuts with a bread knife, and best to buy one for it as it will ruin the wifes one very quickly (i go through one in about two weeks at work!) A syou lay the turf you should be working towards the end of the garden that you starte raking so that you are not walking on the raked area. When you get to the end come back walking on the boards taking them up as you go.
Sit back and admire your handywork and have a beer. Dont use a sprinkler on it to water it. This just allows water to sit on the surface. take the end off the hose and deluge each area of the lawn with it. You are trying to saok the soil underneath to encourage the roots to grow down. A sprinkler doesnt have the effect and you end up with weak roots. Do that about 2-3 times a week dependent on the weather and it should have taken by then. Dont walk on it as the soil underneath will be slowley compacting down, and a size 9 on it will give a nice big squishy dent on a watered patch!'

This is very informative but doesn't really address our severe weed problem. Would it be OK to use a suitable weed killer?( we not very young or fit!)

 

[Thermo]

use a systemic weedkiller such as round up. this will be drawn down into the roots to kill them. Leave them to die then they can be removed. Turf also acts as an excellent barrier to many smaller weeds once laid. they struggle to get through the dense mat of the turf, but you will still get some of the persistant broadleaf types coming up in time.

Hope that helps, and glad you found the previous post

 

[nondrip]

Thanks Thermo!

 

[grifter]

Thanks Thermo. I did do a search before posting and saw this posting of yours :

'whatever you do dont compact it with a whacker. You will create a soil pan where the layer is too hard for the water to permeate and it will cause drainage problems for the new lawn. Rotovate it to get it down to a fine tilth. Add some compost in as you do it. Then rake it level by eye to get rid of the worst of the lumps and bumps. Then trudge up and down it in small pigeon steps to compact it but not too hard! After that get a scaffold board or lump of 4 x 2 as long as possible. Start at the furthest end of the garden. lay the board down across the lawn and it gives you a atrsight line to work to. Rake alongside it the width of the rake and then pull it towards you. Do the next bit and so on. As you pull it towards you you should see any big lumps or dips and it should start to bring stones etc with it. Work all the way down towards the EXIT from the garden. When thats done you should now have a level and well raked lawn with a fine tilth on top. DO NOT WALK ON IT!
You can now start laying the turf in the opposite direction walking on boards as you do. Lay them in a brickwork pattern. Get the turf from a decent turf supplier not one of the DIY sheds, its normally been about 4-7 days since its cut from one of those places. A decent turf supplier should cut it the day before or that day if theyre really good.
Gently tamp the turf in position and butt the edges up together. Its easiest to make any cuts with a bread knife, and best to buy one for it as it will ruin the wifes one very quickly (i go through one in about two weeks at work!) A syou lay the turf you should be working towards the end of the garden that you starte raking so that you are not walking on the raked area. When you get to the end come back walking on the boards taking them up as you go.
Sit back and admire your handywork and have a beer. Dont use a sprinkler on it to water it. This just allows water to sit on the surface. take the end off the hose and deluge each area of the lawn with it. You are trying to saok the soil underneath to encourage the roots to grow down. A sprinkler doesnt have the effect and you end up with weak roots. Do that about 2-3 times a week dependent on the weather and it should have taken by then. Dont walk on it as the soil underneath will be slowley compacting down, and a size 9 on it will give a nice big squishy dent on a watered patch!'

This is very informative but doesn't really address our severe weed problem. Would it be OK to use a suitable weed killer?( we not very young or fit!)

Interesting and very helpful, cheers

 

[katsyraesy]

Nice idea of giving your garden a makeover! Here's a summary of step-by-step procedures for lawn preparation:

1. Remove old Grasses and Weeds
2. Excavation
3. Top Soil
4. Rotary Hoeing
5. Measuring and Ordering
6. Laying your new Lawn
7. Watering your new lawn

Check this site: http://www.greenlifeturf.com.au/preparation.html it's where detailed procedure for each step is outlined. Goodluck! You can do it!