How long does turf take to root?

Once turf has been laid, naturally, people are curious to know how long it will be before it grows into a lush, verdant lawn.

The most important part of this process is rooting – the time it takes for the turf roots to penetrate the soil below and become fixed in place. Only when this happens can the turf begin to take in the nutrients it needs to grow.

So, how long does rooting take and is there anything that can be done to ensure it is achieved as completely as possible? In this article, we take dig deep into rooting!

Different factors

The first thing to consider is that there are number of different factors that impact on how long turf will take to root. These include the varieties of grass and other plants in the turf, soil quality, weather conditions and temperature, and how often the turf is watered once laid.

For rooting to be optimal, these factors need to be taken into consideration when deciding when to lay your turf.

The best conditions are moderate temperatures, sunny weather to optimise photosynthesis, consistent moisture, and good quality soil with plenty of nutrients. Whereas the variety of grass will affect the time it takes for the turf to take root, this will have the least impact overall. If  the weather is right and the soil is good, strong rooting will still occur regardless of variety, so focus on these.

Ultimately, this means, in the UK at least, laying turf in spring or early summer is likely to yield the best results when it comes to rooting.

Preparing your soil to lay turf

Of course, we can neither predict nor control the weather, so whereas we have to take that as it comes, we can at least ensure the soil is in tip top condition before the turf is laid to optimise the rooting process.

Soil that is depleted of nutrients will result in a longer rooting period, turf that is less well rooted, and ultimately, a less well established lawn or wildflower meadow. So ensuring the soil is in good condition at the start of the process is essential to achieving the result you want and should be considered an investment.

There are two components to preparing soil for turf. The first is to ensure the soil itself is in the best physical condition for rooting, to enable the roots of the turf to easily penetrate it and become fixed into place.

The second component is to ensure there are plenty of nutrients in the soil so the turf can quickly become established and grow.

To physically prepare the soil, remove all debris such as stones, twigs, weeds, old plants, and anything else that will stop the turf roots from physically penetrating the soil beneath.

Next, dig the soil to the depth of around 15 – 20cms, to loosen it up. This ensures the turf roots can easily become established.

Finally, level the soil in preparation for laying the turf.

If you soil is nutritionally depleted, it is a good idea to apply a pre-turfing fertiliser.

New grass has a substantial need for common nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, to be able to become properly established, and many UK soils are sulphur deficient. Sulphur is needed for the formation of plant proteins, amino acids, and certain vitamins and enzymes, and must be in the correct balance with nitrogen for optimal plant health and growth.

Applying a pre-turfing fertiliser that supplies these nutrients is one of the most effective ways of ensuring strong rooting.

How long for turf to root?

So, you’ve prepared your soil thoroughly and you’ve chosen the right time of year to lay your turf, but when will the turf begin to take root?

There are three stages to the rooting process – initial establishment, partial rooting, and full rooting. Once these have been achieved, you will have created a fully established lawn with far less work and time needed to grow one from seed.

Initial establishment

Initial establishment happens in the first week or two after laying the turf. The roots of the new grass start to grow into the soil beneath, which marks the start of the turf taking hold and becoming a new lawn. It is essential at this point to ensure the turf is kept moist as this is crucial to successful rooting. So, if the weather is dry, ensure you water the lawn often, at least once a day.

Partial rooting

Partial rooting generally occurs within a week to a week and a half of laying the turf. At this stage, a significant proportion of the roots will have become established in the soil below, which will help hold the turf in place.

If, after two weeks, the turf has taken and cannot be easily pulled up, consider giving it a mow. This will help the aesthetics of the lawn and encourage strong root growth.

Full rooting

Next comes full rooting. This usually occurs at around the three week mark after laying the turf. The turf has now taken and is completely attached to the soil below. At this point, it would take considerable force to remove it.

Established lawn

Full rooting marks the point at which you have created a fully established new lawn or wildflower meadow. This usually occurs around the six to eight week phase. From now on, the turf can be treated in the same as any other lawn including mowing, watering and feeding as required.

How do you know if turf has taken?

Checking whether or not your turf has taken is a very simple thing to do. Simply select a corner of the mat and gently try to lift it. If the corner comes away from the soil, then the turf is yet to root and you might need to water it more to optimise root development. If, however, the turf is bonded and does not come away, then rooting is either in process, or has already occurred.

Do not be tempted to pull hard on the turf if you find it has taken, as you risk pulling the roots out of the soil or breaking them, which will undo much of your hard work.

Ensure your turf is plastic-free

Whether you’re laying a new lawn or looking to create a wildflower meadow effect in your garden, always ensure you choose a plastic-free turf.

Some growers continue to produce turf on a plastic mesh growing medium, which gets buried in the ground when the turf is laid. Here, it breaks down into microplastics that pollute the soil and local environment, and can even get into watercourses and into the food chain.

Here at Lindum Turf, we believe this is an outdated practice that needs to stop. That’s why all of our turf is plastic-free or grown on sandy loam soil.  

To check out all of our plastic-free turf varieties, click here https://turf.co.uk/all-products