How to Prepare the Ground for Laying Turf: A Comprehensive Guide

Lawn turf is an instant and effective way to transform barren or wild areas of your garden into a lush, green space that everyone can enjoy.

While grass seed can take weeks to establish and requires constant care to support germination, turf delivers instant results creating a well-established and dense grass area.

To get the best results from your turf and secure healthy root growth, it’s important to prepare the ground first. In this guide we provide step-by-step expert advice on how to prepare your ground for turf to make sure you can enjoy your new lawn for years to come.

1. Assess and plan your area for turfing

Before you start anything, make sure you’ve assessed the area properly where you plan to lay the turf.

There are a number of key considerations, such as are there any drainage issues, is the land sloping, are there any obstacles that may impact turf growth, and how much sunlight will it get?

Similarly, think about the practicalities of laying the turf. How will you get the turf to the area you are planning to turn into a lawn? What will you need to lay the turf in that space?

The final part of assessing and planning to lay turf is identifying which will be the best species of grass for the space and working out exactly how much turf you will need.

To work out how much you need is a simple calculation. Turf is typically sold in rolls that cover one square metre. To establish your requirements, measure the length and breadth of the space in metres and then multiply these two figures. This will give you the area in square metres. If it is an unusual space, add a little extra to compensate for curves etc.

2. Clear the area before laying turf

Once you’ve got a plan, the next step is to clear the area of any existing plants, rocks or any other debris. This includes removing any old grass or weeds and their roots to prevent any old plants from competing with your new turf.

Old grass can be removed with a sod cutter but a spade will also get the job done. If there are a lot of weeds, consider using a non-selective herbicide a few weeks before laying the turf (this is why planning is key) to ensure all weed growth is killed off.

The goal is to create a level, bare patch of soil that is free from any plants or weeds that will impact the root growth of the new turf.

3. Improving the soil quality for lawn turf

Unsurprisingly, a healthy and fertile soil lays the foundation for a lush and long-lasting lawn.

After clearing, test soil pH and nutrient levels. Grasses typically prefer a soil pH of between 6.0 and 7.5.

If the test results show a pH level outside of this range, you can amend the soil with lime and, if necessary, also add nutrients with a lawn fertiliser or with compost or manure.

Compost or manure have the added benefit of helping to improve soil structure, which will improve drainage and support healthy root growth.

4. Loosen and level the soil

Now you’ve improved the soil health and structure, the next step is to loosen and level the soil, ready for the turf.

Loosening the soil is a critical step as it ensures the new turf can quickly establish roots and also improves drainage. Ideally you need to till the compact earth to about a depth of 4-6 inches.

Once the soil has been tilled, use a rake to create a smooth, level surface, making sure to break up any remaining clumps of earth.

5. Ensure proper drainage for lawn turf

If your turf becomes waterlogged, or water is allowed to pool up in areas on your new lawn, it can lead to diseases or even cause the grass growth to fail.

Good drainage is an important part of healthy root growth and creating a lush lawn with turf.

If drainage is an issue, consider adding sand to the soil before laying or even look at subsoil drains (also known as French drains) to help carry the water away. You can also create a slight slope on the lawn to help the water run off more effectively.

If you have extremely poor draining areas, you may have to consider creating raised beds for your new turf.

6. Apply a starter fertiliser for your new turf

Despite having created a nutrient rich soil, it is also worth applying a starter fertiliser to the land before laying the turf.

These fertilisers are high in phosphorus which is a key nutrient for young grass roots and this helps to promote strong root development. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the correct amount and ensure even distribution across the area.

7. Final grading and smoothing for laying new turf

After fertilising the soil, its best to carry out a final grading to make sure you have smoothed out all areas and don’t have any uneven spots.

This can be done with a lawn roller, or you can simply drag a heavy board across the surface to level it off.

By creating a smooth, level and firm surface, you will ensure you have good and even contact between the soil and the turf and this will help to guarantee the turf roots effectively.

8. Water the soil before laying the turf

Just before laying the turf, it is worth lightly watering the soil. You need to create a damp, but not waterlogged surface, as this will help to promote root growth after the turf is laid.

9. Laying the lawn turf

Your ground is now ready, and you can start to lay the turf. Aim to start alongside a straight edge, such as a driveway, building or patio.

You simply unroll the turf, laying it in a brickwork pattern to avoid long seams, and then press it firmly, but gently, down to ensure good contact with the soil.

10. Watering new lawn turf

Immediately after you finish laying the turf you will need to water it thoroughly to help encourage the roots to settle into the soil. Make sure you provide a deep and even covering of water across all of the turf.

The turf will then need to be kept consistently moist for the first few weeks after laying to help establish deep and healthy root growth.

For the first couple of weeks after laying the turf you should also avoid heavy foot traffic. If you need to regularly walk on the lawn to access key parts of the garden, consider using boards to avoid disturbing root growth.

11. First mow and ongoing care of your lawn turf

After the turf has rooted and you’ve got around three inches of grass growth, you can now carry out the first mow of your new lawn.

For the couple of cuts, set the mower blades to a high setting and then gradually reduce the height with each mowing after that.

To care for your new lawn, maintain regular waterings – particularly during dry spells – and also consider occasionally fertilising the lawn to maintain healthy growth.

Conclusion

With proper planning and preparation, creating an instant, attractive and healthy new lawn is a quick and simple task with quality turf.

By spending some time to create the perfect environment and surface, your lawn will quickly establish, and you will have a beautiful and strong lawn that you and your family can enjoy for years to come with minimal maintenance.

With new turf, always make sure it is plastic-free. Many turf producers will use plastic netting to make the turf more manageable, but this will slowly break down into harmful microplastics in the soil.

If you would like more advice on how to prepare the ground for new turf or want advice on what type of grass or turf is best suited to your garden, get in touch with our expert team who will be happy to help.