So you have decided that your garden just isn’t working for you.  The grass you have tried to cultivate and care for just looks sad.  You find yourself drawn to new lawns around town, admiring their fresh, green look.  This means you need to look at turf – but what does it take to replace your existing lawn with new turf?

Getting the supplies

Having new turf added is about more than just pulling up the old lawn and popping some new turf on top.  That’s why many people use turfing contractors to do the job.  Generally, you will need to do some work with the condition of the soil under the old lawn to prepare for the turf.  This means you will need soil suppliers as well as turf suppliers.

To work out how much of what you will need, measure the length and width of the area and multiple one by the other to see how many rolls of turf you need.  Make sure you add at least 5% for shaping and cutting.  For the topsoil, measure the length, width and depth of the area to see how much you need.

Removing the old lawn

Once you have the supplies worked out, you need to start the preparation work, so you are ready when the turfing company delivers your new turf.  You can use special non-selective weed killers to kill the grass and also prevent weeds sneaking through the new turf.  This usually needs around 14 days to work.

Next, you want to have at least 10-15cm of good soil with no stones, clods of soil or other debris ready for the turf to be laid onto.  You may want to add some compost to give it a boost or some topsoil with sand to help with drainage.

Laying the turf

You should start laying the turf on a straight edge, butting it up against the edge and then stagger the joints in a brickwork fashion as you go.  Use planks on the laid turf to avoid walking directly on it.  The head of a rake or a piece of wood will help put the turf gently into the soil – never stretch it.  You can always fill cracks with a little soil afterwards.  Turf is cut with a long knife, a hand saw or a special cutting spade.

Get some help

Laying turfing in Sussex isn’t an easy job so don’t feel you have to take it on yourself.  Many of the companies that offer turfing supplies will also take on the work of laying the new lawn.  You can often find companies who offering things like wild flower lawns and even lawn insurance work, repairing damage after a flood or accident.  That way you can get a top quality lawn and not have to do all of the work yourself.

Aftercare

Whether you get help or lay the turf yourself, you need to have an aftercare plan for your new lawn.  This will include watering it and mowing it, which often needs doing in as little as 3-5 days.  It might also be worth looking at longer-term care products to help keep your lawn looking amazing.