Laying Turf
The truth is it is a modern miracle. From a bumpy, ugly patch of dirt, it can transform into an eye-catching, gorgeously green feature of a yard in less than a day. The absolute shock that greets home owners on arriving home to a clean-looking lush green lawn has always been an absolute thrill for this landscaper. It simply never fails.
There are some basic principles, however, which we absolutely need to adhere to. Foremost is to have abundant soil amendments and or good enough soil to encourage the initial root-setting and also to provide nutrients over the long haul. Typically the addition of compost or purchased amendments, rototilled into the soil, will make this happen. From there, the soil should be more workable too, for a raking.
The lawn surface needs to be smooth. Whether it is a flat plain or a mounded, sloping, hillside – either way it requires the smoothest of surfaces for installation. Typical landscaping technique is to rake the rototilled soil once, to achieve a closer-to-smooth surface, and then roll the grade over with a water-filled lawn roller. This will approach “smooth” and level. The next stage is to attempt the final grading. Once the surface is finally graded to your standards, knowing the grass will not cause any variation whatsoever, you are ready to lay the turf.
Laying the turf is simple, but it also has a caveat or two. On any sloped terrain, make sure the seams sun perpendicular to the slope. Seams line up going south will collect water and will cause channels, eroding into your work. Once the seams are all snug, cut and trim your edges. When you’re done, roll one last time. This will embed and make sure the sod is contacting the soil beneath it. From this point on, water and watch it grow.
Inasmuch as water softens the soil; under the new sod, make sure to keep as much foot traffic off as possible. Traffic will leave permanent impressions as the roots develop and the roots themselves are your only guarantee of permanence.
