Help with laying new turf...please!

So, I'm about to lift some turf and lay some new turf as well as extending the area. However, I'm very much a garden novice and have a couple of questions I'd like to ask you lovely people.

1. Do I have to add top soil to the area before laying the new turf? Or can I just add sand to the existing soil? (I have it on good authority that the garden soil is very fertile)

2. Do I have to do the ground preperation immediately before laying the new turf or can I do it the day before?

3. The area I'm using to extend the lawn has existing weeds. After removing the weeds should I use weedkiller on the soil or will this effect the new turf.

4. Away from the new lawn now - I'm also putting up some raised decking. I've cleared an area which was heavy with weeds. Should I put some weedkiller on the soil before laying a membrane or will the membrane be enough to keep the weeds at bay?

I would be very greatfull if someone would be kind enough to provide me with some advice on these issues.

 

Hi Jamie - welcome.

I don't profess to be any sort of expert, but there are plenty here and someone will be along to tell you what you 'should' do with regard to preparing your ground.

In the meantime, my personal view would be that, if you've got good soil, you probably wouldn't need a layer of sand beneath your new turf other than for drainage purposes (particularly if your 'very fertile' soil is clay). I'd just get rid of the old grass, weeds, stones etc., fork it over, then rake level. Firm the soil by walking over it then rake again. You can sprinkle on some fertiliser if you really want to and lightly rake it in, but it doesn't sound as though you really need that. Then, before you actually lay your turf, water the area well.

You can prepare the ground as far in advance as you want to. The only (minor) problems with that are: the longer in advance the more air-borne weed seeds have time to land on it; it's not very pretty to look at; neighbourhood cats might 'make use' of it; if it rains a lot the ground might get too muddy or 'boggy' to walk on (i.e., you don't want to ruin all your hard work by walking on muddy ground and compacting it .... again). I'd say, prepare the ground when you will and, if it's several days before you lay the turf, just give it another gentle rake over.

As regards the area you're extending into. Most weedkillers are systemic i.e. are absorbed through the leaves of the living plant and are rendered 'inactive' when they come into contact with the soil, but there are weedkillers which are known as 'residual' which remain in the soil (if you can still get them). Frankly, if you've pulled out the weeds your job is done, a residual type weedkiller would just kill your grass!

As for the deck area. There are several schools of thought on this, so I'm sticking with what worked for me when I built ours umpteen years ago. I cleared a heavily weeded area and I applied some weedkiller too, just to get rid of the seedlings which emerged almost daily thereafter! I laid two thicknesses of weed supressing membrane (some people favour other materials - damproof membrane, tarpaulin etc.) and several inches of pea shingle and bedded my deck bearers into the shingle. Since then, I've had the odd weed pop up - but that's going to happen whatever you put underneath since you can't do much about air-borne seeds. Nothing has grown up from 'underneath' though.

Someone's going to say it, so it might as well be me ..... 'it's all in the preparation'. If you dig down and get out as much/many roots as you can find, there shouldn't be anything left to come up and if it does, you zap it with a quick squirt of something (and I, unashamedly, would reach for a chemical!).

 

And don't forget to water it. Then water it again.
Long story, not my turf, didn't water it, went brown and died.

 

Hi there

I have never a laid a lawn myself but I have had 2 done for me. It seemed to involve very little preparation though I think I had cowboys on the job. :D I agree with what fidgets mum has said, no weedkiller. I get the odd dandelion in my lawn and I cut them out with a sharp knife with as much root as I can.

But good advice is walk on the new turf as little as possible after you have laid it to allow the grass to get new roots down into the top soil without being crushed. 2 weeks I was told. And yes, keep it well watered.

Hope it goes well.

Kate

 

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn74/pamsdish/GARDEN WORK/DSCN1706.jpg

This was laid professionally yesterday, the topsoil under was new ,but as long as its cleared of weeds, firmed well, lightly raked ,decide exactly where its going ,I wanted wide borders by the fence and wall. There is work still to be done on the edge of the drive, which is why theres an overhang.:gaagh:

They advised to keep moist and not allowed to dry out ,while its warm/hot (if lucky) and no walking on it for at least 4 weeks then keep to a minimum and lightly mow when it gets to 4"and not before

The turfers ? used planks whilst laying and never set foot on it themselves.