Laying a new lawn in Summer is very popular. People have lots of free time, there is plenty of sunshine over the summer months and it seems like the perfect time to be outdoors. This makes it a great time to lay quality turf. Just follow these simple steps to get your new lawn looking its best.
Preparation
Preparation is always key to a great lawn, and laying turf in summer makes one tip especially important. A new lawn needs all the nutrients it can get to establish. To reduce the amount of stress for your lawn in the hot summer months and for faster establishment, we recommend using a pre-plant fertiliser.
Applying Lawn Solutions Australia Premium Fertiliser to the topsoil before laying turf gives your turf a great start. To provide an excellent balance of nutrients, apply it at a rate of 1kg to 100m². This gives your new lawn the essential nutrients it needs and helps it get established. You can also order the great product from us that we will deliver with your new turf.
Delivery
When laying turf in summer, it is important to get the turf down and watered as soon as possible. To do this we recommend getting turf delivered right to your site. In warmer months, we cut the turf at night so it is as cool as possible. We aim for an early delivery the next morning, away from South East Queensland’s hot days with averages of 38 degrees and above. This is the best time to lay turf and will give you the freshest possible product ready to lay.
When organising your delivery it is also important to get your site ready. You want your site fully prepared before your delivery arrives.
Getting it down
Turf is a living product and getting it back connected with the ground is vital when laying turf in summer. With your site prepared ahead of time, you will be ready to start turf installation as soon as your delivery arrives.
It is also important to start getting water on the freshly laid turf as soon as possible. Do not wait until you have finished the entire job to start watering. A great guide is to start watering no later than 15 minutes after you lay your first slab.
The extra heat from laying turf in summer makes another part of getting it down vital as well. Using a water-filled roller is key to laying turf any time of the year, ensuring your new turf has great contact with the soil. Even in cooler months without this essential step, the roots may dry out and the turf will struggle to establish. The summer heat makes this step extra important.
Looking after your new lawn
Water, water, water and then water some more. We often see people with new lawns that have struggled to establish because of lack of water. The first few weeks the lawn needs a vigorous watering schedule. It is essential that water goes deep into the soil base. This makes sure turf grass develops a very strong, deep root base and encourages strong turf growth. If you are not sure if it has had enough water, stay on the safe side and make sure your lawn is getting plenty of water.
Summer heat quickly evaporates moisture, so giving your lawn a good soaking early in the morning will allow the soil to soak up and save as much moisture as possible.
Even when you believe it has established, it will need ongoing deep watering once per week during summer. The good news is that your new turf will love the regular watering, along with the summer heat; the hotter the weather the quicker your lawn will establish.
As a warning, summer storms also give a false sense of enough water. Many customers stop watering because of rain from a storm. Unfortunately, many Summer storms come and go so fast that the lawn is unable to soak in sufficient water. Again, if you are not sure, water some more just to be safe.
To get some more advice on laying turf in summer call our team on (07) 3114 8281. You can also pop in and order in person at our sales office on 1/243 Bradman Street, Acacia Ridge. The office opens Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 7am to 12pm.
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