Months of waiting for the grass to grow is only a distant memory. With instant turf a burgeoning industry Australia-wide, there’s no excuse to covet thy neighbour’s lawn as any garden warrior can now transform a bare patch of dirt in a weekend.
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After a couple of years of procrastinating about turf, my husband and I were finally up for the challenge.
The garden in our front yard was looking good - the infrastructure was there. The hedges were in fine shape, the roses a blooming delight each year and the striking centrepiece ornamentals were holding court in the patch of dirt each side of the path.
But there lay the problem. We had dirt where turf should be.Years of drought had killed off most blades of grass, and what was having a fair crack at hanging in there we quickly terminated.
It was time to give our home the final piece in the garden jigsaw and add some life to that bare batch. Having the best lawn in the street was within our reach.
In the lead up we did our research. Sir Walter from Coolabah Turf was the go. It was hardy, good for pets and kids, low maintenance, water-smart and best of all, was soft and lush underfoot. Ooh, neighbourhood lawn envy here we come.
With the area prepped, cleared, levelled and smoothed with soil and a slow-release fertiliser scattered on top we were ready to start. Together we measured the area, the lead turf layer (husband) worked out the square meterage of turf needed and hit the phone.
The order would be ready in a couple of days. Delivery was an option but as we regularly pass the ‘turf farm’ we opted for a pick up on a Friday afternoon, to have it ready to lay on Saturday.
The manufacturers advise turf be laid asap, preferably within 24 hours, so if you work full time and cannot lay it straight away, either take holidays or wait until the weather is a little cooler so you can start bright and early the next day.
To lay the turf, we sprinkled the area with a light layer of water and water crystals to help retain moisture.
It was hardy, good for pets and kids, low maintenance, water-smart and best of all, was soft and lush underfoot.
The turf came in slabs, which were easy to carry and lay. We started at the longest and straightest edge of the prepared area, staggering the joints in a brick-like pattern.
When done we used a roller to ensure good soil-turf contact, then gave it another good sprinkle of water.
As the area will not be uniform enough to not have to cut the turf, you will need a pair of sharp shears or a knife, to fill in any gaps.
As our lawn is an investment we were keen to nurture it for a few weeks, to keep the new turf moist to help the roots get established. We tried to avoid walking or dragging a hose across it (a smart idea would have been to install an automated irrigation system before laying!) and to keep kid and pet traffic to a minimum.
We laid the turf in spring, but kept the watering up twice a day for the first three weeks.
Within that time the edges started to knit together. Our pattern was becoming a streamlined patch of turf. It looked brilliant!
Each time we walked past, the turf received an admiring glance. Comments from neighbours and family were coming in thick and fast. We were on our way to having the best lawn in the street!
After three weeks the first mow of our new turf was scheduled. Mower blades set to high, the head turf layer carefully glided the Honda across the growing lawn.
A height of between 30mm-50mm would ensure the turf maintained its soft leaf texture, the turf experts advised.
It’s been about nine months since the turf was laid, and it’s looking healthy and lush. We have since laid more in the back yard.
We continue to nurture it by a regular fertilise and an odd splash of Seasol for nutrients. These are critical elements if you want to give your new turf the best start to life and create lawn envy in your street.
