Instructions, tips and tricks

When is the best time to lay out turf?

The time window for laying out turf is open from mid-March to mid / end of September. The mature, perfectly manicured turf is waiting to be used in special lawn schools. The amount of green space ordered is peeled off by a machine, including a thin layer of soil, and rolled up. The mighty rolls are between 40 and 50 centimeters wide and about 200 to 250 centimeters long.

Harvesting, transport and laying must be carried out quickly, because turf cannot be kept for longer than 24-36 hours. Professional providers therefore use the pre-cool process. The turf is cooled down to 3 degrees Celsius in order to survive longer journeys without damage. When the delivery arrives at your place, the ready-made lawn has adapted to the ambient temperature. Long storage times are therefore not possible.

Just peel off old lawn - that's how it works

Before you create a new turf yourself, the old lawn must be completely closed remove. Small areas of up to 50 square meters may need to be removed with a shovel. Areas beyond this are ideally removed with a sod peeler. How to do it right:

• Borrow a lawn peeling machine from a hardware store
• Mow the old lawn as short as possible
• Start with the sod cutter along the edge of the lawn
• Roll up the peeled sheets and dispose of them

This is how a professional quality substructure can be achieved

Whether you lay out a turf yourself as a replacement for old lawn or on a new plot of land; The professional substructure is always a fundamental prerequisite for good growth. Start preparing the soil according to these instructions about 14 days before delivery of the turf so that the soil can settle. The following tips show how to handle it properly:

• Dig the soil deeply, either manually or with the help of a tiller
• Remove rhizomes, stones, roots and all weeds
• Enrich sandy soil with ripe compost
• Optimize loamy-clay soil with 1-3 cubic meters of sand per 100 square meters
• One layer on the rough subgrade Lawn lime if the pH value is below 5.5

After the rough subgrade, smooth the substructure with a roller and then use the Rake to create the fine subgrade. The result should be a flat surface in this phase, free of any unevenness. If in doubt, grab the roller again and repeat the fine subgrade.

Start fertilization sensibly rounds off the substructure

If you want to create a perfect substructure for turf, the starter fertilizer must not be missing. Bring the special preparation with water storage granules by means of Gritter evenly. Then carefully rake up the rolled and fertilized substructure so that a finely crumbly support surface is created for the ready-made lawn.

Mole net is more than a luxury

If the turf experts give their tips, there is a reference to a mole net. The little beasts are magically attracted by the wonderfully soft substructure. So that the ingenious tunnel builders do not declare your new turf to be a hunting area, the robust, close-meshed mole net effectively prevents this nefarious costume in an environmentally friendly way. You can lay out the practical plastic net yourself. That is how it goes:

• Lay out the mole net on the finished substructure
• Lay out the edges of the mesh so that they overlap
• After three weeks of growth, the material is impenetrable to moles

The rooters notice very quickly that there is no getting through for them. Therefore the moles throw their guns in the grain and seek the distance. You can therefore confidently do without the use of chemical pesticides or other defense methods.

Lay out turf yourself - this is how you handle it correctly

Give the finished substructure at least 2 weeks so that it can sit down. Upon delivery, insist that the fresh rolls of lawn are ready for laying in the morning hours. Overnight storage of turf should only be considered in exceptional cases. You can even lay out ready-made turf in this way:

• Lay the first strip along a straight edge
• Always lay out the lawn rolls end to end
• Ideally, lay it out in a staggered manner, similar to the clinker brick of a wall
• Avoid cross joints, gaps and overlaps at all costs
• Never step on free areas on the ground before laying out

Lay out wooden slats on the laid turf so that you can create the next rolls from here. With this trick you avoid punctual loads on the sod, because dents in the turf can hardly be repaired afterwards. The end pieces of the webs are cut to the correct length with a sharp knife. Last but not least, you consolidate the turf yourself by rolling the fresh green lengthways and crossways.

Is it worth the effort? - Overview of advantages and disadvantages

The previous instructions clarify the physical requirements for a proper installation of turf. Reason enough to pause at this point to see all the advantages and disadvantages to weigh up.

First care on the day of installation

At the end of the undoubtedly exhausting day of laying, the time has not yet come to breathe after the final rolling of the turf. An important first maintenance measure is still important. An ample water supply comes into focus so that the finished lawn grows after it has been laid out. How to do it properly:

• Penetrating the turf on the evening of the day of laying water
• Sprinkle every square meter with at least 15 to 20 liters of water
• Continue in this way for 2 weeks, blasting the green every 2 days
• Do not water the lawn in direct sunlight

Of course, the rolled turf can be walked on around the Lawn sprinkler(€ 27.99 at Amazon *) to place. The ready-made lawn is of course only robust enough for loads such as a children's birthday party or a barbecue party after 4-6 weeks.

Mow properly right from the start - that's what counts

If you have done everything correctly according to these instructions, the laying out and watering of turf turf result in a dense one Swardthat happily takes root. After an average of 14 days, the noble grasses have reached a height of 10 centimeters, so that you can use the ready-made turf for the first time mowing can. The following tips show how it will work in an exemplary manner in the future:

• Only mow turf in dry weather
• Do not cut more than a third of the height of the stalk
• The ideal cutting height is 4-6 centimeters (Shadow lawn 8-10 centimeters)
• Let the grass grow taller during summer droughts
• Do not mow the lawn after the first frost

Even after your vacation, stick to the rule of one-thirds for mowing turf. A very tall lawn should ideally be cut back to the ideal size of 4-6 centimeters in several stages. 8-10 centimeters for shadow lawns.