There’s no doubt about it that laying down instant turf, is the best way to get that lush green front or back yard as quick as a DIY project. And there’s a lot of satisfaction in sitting back after a weekend of digging, raking, levelling and swearing with a cold beer and looking at a beautiful green lawn right in front of you. But you now know that there is a lot of careful preparation required before installing roll on lawn, and that is to be followed up with proper maintenance.

Timing

This is not a job you would have planned for autumn or winter. You need to pick the right time of year. In Spring, a young man’s fancy turns to outdoor BBQ’s and backyard entertainment. In Australia, we have four seasons – even Melbourne boasts four seasons, it’s just that they have it in one day! The best time to be planning this project is very late Winter or early Spring. But any time in Spring is okay if you want to have your lawn for most of summer. Just be aware of water restrictions.

WA Seasons

Trying to grow new lawn in a Western Australian summer will mean some long periods holding the hose and soaking that newly laid roll on lawn. But you can’t let it dry out after laying. Putting roll on down in early winter is okay if the state has mild winters, as W.A does. But there is still the risk of it not growing well due to the colder conditions and the possibility of the new lawn becoming waterlogged if there is heavy winter rain.

Your Soil

There are a few different types of turf from which you can choose. It’s not a bad idea to have a heart to heart with the Turf farm people, or the distributing agent, to determine the most suitable grass for your suburb. Again, in WA there are quite a few different soils to contend with. Clay up in the hills and sandy soil near the coast. You might want a bowling green look but you need to know that the soil will sustain that type of grass. Soil preparation is a key element.

Some rules regarding the soil preparation can be found on the website of the turf farm, or you can ask at the gardening store from where you are purchasing your lawn, or these days, Google it! There will be a few answers and information available if you do that and you might be surprised to find somebody in almost the exact same situation who has provided a solution. The basic rule is that topsoil is top soil and subsoil is subsoil and you shouldn’t mix the two. Always check with your gardening centre (or your neighbour) if you’re not sure. Drainage is super important, although the predominance of sandy soil in the West alleviates the water logging problem.

You might want to do a quick job so that you can sit on your patio and look at your new lawn, but keep this in mind:

if you take shortcuts on the soil preparation then your happiness will be short lived.