How To Prepare For Turf

A good quality soil is desired to achieve the best lawn.

The Sir Walter root system has been found as deep as 600mm in good soil.

This is why it has such good drought tolerance as the Sir Walter roots can access all of the moisture in a good deep soil.

For the best results follow this step by step guide:

  1. Completely clear the area to be turfed of rocks and other debris.
  2. Remove existing lawn and/or weeds. The easiest way to do this is by using a Knapsack Sprayer using Glyphosate (Roundup or Zero) no less than 14 days before laying new turf. The recommended rate to mix will depend on the particular product purchased.
  3. Rotary hoe or till the soil to depth of 100mm.
  4. Assess soil type and condition. If the clay content in the soil is high add Gypsum. Test the pH level of the soil and if less than 7.0 add 500grams of lime per 1m2 and incorporate into the soil.
  5. Continue to rotary hoe or till the soil to an even consistency.
  6. Rake over to achieve a smooth surface and remove any further debris that may have been brought to the surface through rotary hoeing.
  7. If the existing soil is not deep apply a good quality sandy loam (weed free) turf underlay consisting of 60% sand and 40% soil. The underlay should be laid to a depth of 100mm and kept 25-30mm lower than paths, paving, driveways and mower strips to allow the turf to finish at the height of the path.
  8. It’s important to make sure your soil is in tip top condition before laying new lawn, applying a pre-turf / starter fertiliser before laying turf will encourage deeper root growth and give your new lawn a real head start.
  9. Use rake or timber straight edge to achieve final levels and grades. Take extra time to ensure an even surface as this will result in a better appearance and a more even mowing surface.
  10. If required, roll surface and regrade levels.