Roll on Instant Turf Installation

Roll on turf allows you to enjoy a lawn of instant beauty and maturity without the usual time-consuming hassles of seeding or planting runners. The following are the basic steps to a beautiful lawn.

 

STEP 1 - Measuring & Ordering

With a tape, measure the area of your planned lawn. Include these measurements on a sketch of the lawn area, with the length, width, and any unusual features. Multiply the length by the width to determine the area in square meters. We harvest to order so after preparatory work is completed and you are ready to install phone through your order at least 2 days before delivery or pick up .

Prompt installation on the day of delivery is crucial to a strong beginning for your instant lawn.

 

STEP 2 - Soil Preparation

For best results, dig the area to a depth of 10 to 15 cm. (4 to 6 in.) or cover area with good quality top soil. Eliminate drainage problems by having soil slope away from foundations, etc.

Rake and smooth the soil removing rocks, roots, and any debris. Roll the area lightly with a roller 1/3 full of water. This will firm the soil surface and reveal low areas that need more soil. Keep the grade 2 to 3 cm. (1 in.) below sprinklers, paths or driveway. A good starter fertiliser is a must to ensure all the trace elements are available in the soil. Dry chicken manure (Dynamic Lifter) at a rate of 10kg to 50m² or Emerald Fertiliser at a rate of 5 kg/50m² raked into the top quarter inch of soil will feed the lawn while it becomes established. Water the prepared area for 20 minutes to settle soil and provide a moist base for the turf.

Note* Any dry fertilizer will burn roots at time of installation.

Moistening to a depth of 5 cm. (2 in.) is recommended for most soils.

If you live in the hills the rock and gravel that exists in your

garden is the worst medium in which to grow healthy turf .

These materials hold the summer heat and literally bake your grass to death.

Before you install your new turf and to ensure healthy growth if you have gravel in your soil you must cover it with sandy topsoil 250 mm deep and do not leave a defined interface between the two mediums.

 

STEP 3 - Turf Installation

Install your lawn immediately upon delivery or pick up as it is a perishable product . Begin watering lawn within 30 minutes of installation. Turf is a living plant that requires ground contact and moisture to survive! If laying large areas on hot days soak lawn well after laying (lawn should be kept wet at all times). Protect un laid turf by placing stacks in shade, covering with moist sacking, and/or sprinkling.

Begin installing turf along the longest straightest line. Butt and push sides and ends against each other firmly, without stretching. Avoid gaps or overlaps. Stagger the joints in each row in a brick-like fashion, using a large serrated knife to trim corners, etc. On slopes, place the turf pieces across the slope. N.B. Avoid standing on the lawn. To avoid causing indentations or air pockets avoid repeated walking or kneeling on the turf while it is being installed or just after watering. It is important after installing the turf, to tamp, roll or preferably lightly compact the lawn to improve turf/soil contact, eliminate air pockets and remove uneven patches . When all the lawn has been laid and compacted, water heavily.

 

STEP 4 - Watering

• For efficient water use and to maintain a healthy lawn you need a professionally designed automatic reticulation system.
• The spray from each sprinkler should land at the base of the sprinkler next to it (head to head coverage).
• Hoses and moveable sprinklers are wasteful and inefficient and simply not good enough.
• Your new lawn needs to be kept moist all the time for the first three weeks (See below for water guide).
• Using the catch cups provided, measure how long it takes to fill 10mm, this is how much you need to water during each watering session. This is how long you should water your lawn for. You should regularly use catch cups to test your sprinklers. If it is a windy day you will need to water for longer.
• Over a period of four months you can gradually cut back your watering so you are only watering twice a week for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Soft leaf buffalo may need supplementary watering during the summer heat waves.
• Sub surface irrigation – if you have sub surface irrigation you will need to water from above with a hose and mobile sprinkler for the first three weeks.

Watering

The first year your lawn will require extra water during the hot summer months.  But generally once established two watering days a week will suffice. Your lawn needs 10mm of water during each watering session.

Example Watering Sessions

Week 1           -   9am, 12 noon and 3pm

Week 2           -   10am and 2pm

Week 3           -   12 noon

Week 4 to 8 - Every second day in morning

Week 8 on - Two times a week in morning

Small amounts of water i.e. 10 minutes per day are quickly lost in evaporation (within the first two hours after the sun is up), leaving the grass roots close to the surface and exposed to the heat of the day.

 

*** WATER RESTRICTIONS

Exemptions from these restrictions may be granted for limited periods under

special circumstances e.g. to establish a new lawn

Contact the Waterwise Help line on 13 13 85 to apply for an exemption from these restrictions .

Caution
During the first three weeks, avoid heavy or concentrated use of your new lawn. This gives the roots an opportunity to firmly knit with the soil, and insures that the turf will remain smooth.