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.
Here’s how to prep like a pro.
Step 1 – Remove Old Lawn
To make sure your old grass doesn’t haunt your new lush lawn, you’re going to want to get rid of it completely. There are a few ways to do this:
Spray it with glyphosate (Round Up) a few weeks prior to laying your new lawn and then scalp the existing grass back with your mower - go over and over it until you’re left with bare dirt. You will end up with A LOT of green waste so be prepared to get rid of this. Give it a week to see if anything new pops up, and spray that out too.
Skip the glyphosate and go straight to scalping if you’re not keen on chemicals - you may have weeds or old grass popping up in your freshly laid turf if you skip this step.
Hire a turf cutter for a hire shop and cut it out completely.
Hire a contractor with a machine who can remove the existing turf and scrape back the subsoil for you.
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. Dig out 80-100mm of your clay base before adding underlay. It’s also a good idea to toil the existing clay as much as possible, and add a generous dose of Gypsum to aid in breaking it up over time.
Sand - if your handful of dirt slips through your fingers like your junior footy career, then you have a nice sandy base, great news.
Loam - if you’re dirt is nothing but black gold full of worms, then well done!
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 and drainage plan for your lawn.
Step 5 – Underlay
Now is the time to touch up and amend your soil profile. 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. As for depth, we suggest that underlay be around 80-100mm deep.
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!
