Establishing

Prepare the Soil

What is the best soil for turfgrass?

Loams, sandy loams and loamy sands, with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 are the very best soils for producing a beautiful, high-use, low maintenance lawn. 

Unfortunately, this ideal soil mixture is seldom found on any property after construction.

How Deep Should the Soil Be?

The absolute minimum depth of quality top soil for a care-free lawn is 4 inches (10cm); however, for deeper root penetration and the benefits that they bring, the accepted standard is 6 inchces (15cm)

Prepare the Site  

Steb-By-Step Site Preparation:

Follow these simple steps for a beatiful, healthy and trouble-free lawn:

1. Clear the site of all building materials (wood, cement, bricks, etc.) as well as any burried stumps,rocks, stones or other debris that are any larger than 2inchces (4-5cm) in diameter.
2. Rough grade the entire area to eliminate any drainage problems on the property. This would include sloping the grade away from building foundations, eliminating or reducing severe slopes and filling low-laying areas. A tractor mounted blade and/or box are most often used for rough grading, but if the area is small, it can be done with hand tools. The rough grading, will probably uncover more debris that should be remoed.
3. Initial tilling to a depth of at least 2 inchces (5cm), should be completed prior to adding any topsoil or soil amendments. This will control most annual weeds, alleviate subsoil compaction, permit a bonding of the topsoil to the subsoil and improve root penetration as well as air exchange and water movement.
4. Add toposoil to achiveve a total topsoil depth of 4-6 inches (10-15cm), after firming. The topsoil should be a loamy sand, sandy loam, clay loam, loam, silt loam, sandy clay loam or other soil suitable for the area.
5. Test soil for pH and nutrients to determine if any pH correctiong materials or nutrients are required.
6. Apply fertiliser to correct any deficiencies. To avoid root injury to new turfgrass, the fertiliser should be raked in.
7. Finish Grade the entire site, maintaining the rough grading countours and slopes with a heavy-duty rake.
8. Roll the area with a lawn roller to firm and settle the surface. Low spots should be filled to match the surrounding grade surface. If time permits, allow area to settle further with rainfall or by applying irrigation.

Making The Right Decision

 A properly established and maintained lawn is not only a life-time investment, adding to the value of your property, it also offers a wide variety of environmental, community and economic benefits including:

• Soil Erosion Control
• Ground Water Recharge
• Disease Prevention
• Organic Pollutant Decomposition
• Soil Restoration
• Reduced Pest and Allergy-Related Problems
• Dust Suppression/Capture
• Oxygen Production
• Fire Barrier

Making the wrong decisions when trying to establish your lawn will cost you time, energy, money and natural resources.

Making the right decisions when establishing your lawn will give you a beatuiful, usable and enjoyable investment.