Prep Like a Pro: 7 steps to preparing your site for a great lookin’ lawn

 There are plenty of ways to save time and money when it comes to lawncare, but skimping on proper site preparation is not one of them. Putting fresh cut grass on unprepared soil, is just putting lipstick on a pig and a waste of your money.

To maximise your time and effort from laying turf to laying back on your turf, follow these 7 easy steps

Step 1 – Remove Old Lawn

To make sure your old grass doesn’t haunt your new lush lawn, you’re going to want to use a bit of chemical warfare. It has many names, Round-Up, Glyphosate, Non-Selective Herbicide... whatever you want to call it.

At least 2 weeks prior to laying your new lawn, give the current stuff a spray, followed by a mow and a second spray 1 week later,for any leaf or runners that missed the first dose. This will ensure that nothing will be poking its ugly head up later down the track and causing you headaches. Starting this process early will make it 10x easier to rip out all the old roots and runners from the ground as well.

As for ripping it all out, you are going to pay… either with cash to a hire shop, or in vertebrae cartilage to your back. Our recommendation is to get a turf cutter or rotary hoe any hire shop and save your spine for another day. 

Step 2 – Soil Assessment

So you’ve removed the old grass, now it’s time to figure out what dirt you’re working with.

There are 3 main ‘ingredients’ or types and the treatment is different.

Clay

If you grab a handful of your dirt and it sticks together like play-doh, then you’ve probably got a clay soil. The best treatment is… replacement. Clay soil can be a real issue with turf for everything from root penetration, through to water pooling. Dig out 100-150mm of your clay base and jump straight to Step 5.

If budget’s an issue though, a heavy dose of Gypsum will aid in breaking up the clay particles, you’ll want around 1kg per sqm. But be careful going too heavy with this, as it will affect your soil pH.

Sand

If your handful of dirt slips through your fingers like your junior footy career, then you have a nice sandy base, great news. Continue on with step 3, but when you come to Step 5, look for a more loamy topsoil with plenty of organic matter to help balance out your base. 

Loam

If you’re dirt is nothing but black gold full of worms and witchy grubs, then well done! You are sorted and ready for Step 3. Just look for a sandy top soil in step 5 so your lawn will have good drainage through the soil profile.

Step 3 – Clear the Site

Next you’ll need to clear the area of any rocks, sticks, old Barbie dolls, and anything else that will create lumps and bumps in your new lawn. Time to crack out the rotary hoe or soil tiller from the hire shop and get those work boots (not R.M.’s) dirty. This will also help fluff up any compacted areas in your soil to make it nice and easy for those grass roots to dig down.

Step 4 – Irrigation and Drainage

While this step isn’t essential, if you want your lawn to look the best for the least amount of effort, now is the time to put in some short-term pain for a long-term gain. A relatively basic irrigation system can be set up without too much hassle and can be managed entirely from your phone. Speak to your local irrigation specialist to get a custom irrigation plan for your lawn.  

In SEQ and anywhere in the subtropics, drainage is arguably more important than irrigation. It’s your choice as to whether you want to go a basic pit or gutter drain, or go for a more advanced technique of a French drain to keep the aesthetic of your lawn.

Step 5 – Underlay

As mentioned in Step 2, now is the time to touch up and amend your soil profile.

A Sandy Loam is our soil of choice but head to your local landscape supplier and they’ll easily recommend the best option that they have. Make sure you mention that it’s for turf underlay and consider what type of soil you have in Step 2. As for depth, we suggest that underlay be around 80mm deep or more.

Step 6 – Smooth the Surface

Once you’ve got all your soil in and ready, its time to get it levelled ready for your slabs of turf. Use your rake or leveller and smooth it out as much as possible to remove any lumps and bumps. You can use a roller, but just make sure you don’t compact it. Getting this right now will ensure your grass is easy to mow and any excess water doesn’t pool in the wrong places.

Step 7 - Bonus Step

If you want to give your new lawn the best chance, spread a ‘starter’ fertiliser down before the turf is laid. The higher phosphorus and potassium will help the roots establish faster and healthier.  

And now… congratulations! Not only have you given your biceps and quads a great workout, but you’ve prepped your site like a pro! Time for a quick selfie and a pat on the back for a job well done!