Creating a New Lawn
The decision to create a new lawn is not one to be taken lightly, but it does give you the opportunity to give your garden a top quality surface.
A new lawn is best laid in spring or early autumn.
The main consideration once you have decided to have a new lawn is whether to grow it from seed or lay turf.
Seed is cheaper, costing less than a quarter of the price of turf, and is easier to do.
It is also more flexible because you can wait until the weather and soil conditions are just right.
Turf, on the other hand, has to be put down almost as soon as it is delivered and is hard work to lie.
First dig over the area, clearing the ground of weeds, including the roots of perennials.
If sowing seeds, leave for a week or two to allow any weed seeds to germinate.
These will need to be killed using a weed killer spray, choose a type that leaves the area safe for replanting within a few days or by hoeing.
A few days after killing the surface weeds, rake the ground level using a soil rake and remove any stones or other debris that have come to the surface.
Then tread the whole area using tiny shuffling steps with the weight on your heels.
Repeat this process until an even, level and firm surface has been produced.
It is worth investing the time and effort to create a perfectly level bed whether you are sowing seed or laying turf, as this will improve the appearance of your lawn later.
A couple of days before laying turf or sowing seed, scatter a general fertilizer at the recommended rate over the area and rake lightly into the surface of the soil.
If sowing seed choose a windless day, preferably when rain is forecast and lightly rakes the grass seed into the surface.
It is a good idea to protect the area with fine mesh netting to keep off birds and cats.
For both seed and turf, keep the area well watered, if it does not rain heavily, until the grass is well established.
For turf this should be about two weeks, for seed it will be considerably longer.
Dilute fertilizer solutions can be applied to, and absorbed through, the plants' foliage.
They are quick acting and useful for giving plants a boost part way through the growing season or for correcting a deficiency.
A new lawn is best laid in spring or early autumn.
The main consideration once you have decided to have a new lawn is whether to grow it from seed or lay turf.
Seed is cheaper, costing less than a quarter of the price of turf, and is easier to do.
It is also more flexible because you can wait until the weather and soil conditions are just right.
Turf, on the other hand, has to be put down almost as soon as it is delivered and is hard work to lie.
First dig over the area, clearing the ground of weeds, including the roots of perennials.
If sowing seeds, leave for a week or two to allow any weed seeds to germinate.
These will need to be killed using a weed killer spray, choose a type that leaves the area safe for replanting within a few days or by hoeing.
A few days after killing the surface weeds, rake the ground level using a soil rake and remove any stones or other debris that have come to the surface.
Then tread the whole area using tiny shuffling steps with the weight on your heels.
Repeat this process until an even, level and firm surface has been produced.
It is worth investing the time and effort to create a perfectly level bed whether you are sowing seed or laying turf, as this will improve the appearance of your lawn later.
A couple of days before laying turf or sowing seed, scatter a general fertilizer at the recommended rate over the area and rake lightly into the surface of the soil.
If sowing seed choose a windless day, preferably when rain is forecast and lightly rakes the grass seed into the surface.
It is a good idea to protect the area with fine mesh netting to keep off birds and cats.
For both seed and turf, keep the area well watered, if it does not rain heavily, until the grass is well established.
For turf this should be about two weeks, for seed it will be considerably longer.
Dilute fertilizer solutions can be applied to, and absorbed through, the plants' foliage.
They are quick acting and useful for giving plants a boost part way through the growing season or for correcting a deficiency.
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