Choosing the Right Underlay for Your New Turf
Dreaming of a backyard paradise where the kids can kick a footy and the dog can do its zoomies? Well, mate, it all starts with what's underfoot. Selecting the right underlay for your turf is like setting the stage for the grand performance of your lawn. Let's dig into the dirt and find out what's best for your patch.
What’s your soil type?
Clay: The Sticky Situation
Clay soil can be a tough customer, holding onto water and making it hard for roots to penetrate. If your soil resembles play-doh, you're in clay territory. The ideal solution is to replace about 100-150mm of this base with a more suitable material. However, if you're watching the budget, adding a heavy dose of Gypsum (about 1kg per square metre) can help break up those stubborn clay particles.
Sand: The Slippery Escape
Sandy soil, much like your fleeting junior footy career, is easy to slip through your fingers but is great news for your turf. It provides excellent drainage but may lack nutrients. In this case, adding a loamy topsoil enriched with organic matter can create the perfect balance for your turf to thrive.
Loam: The Black Gold
If you've hit the jackpot with loamy soil, brimming with worms and teeming with life, give yourself a pat on the back. Your soil is primed and ready, requiring only a sandy topsoil addition in step 5 to ensure good drainage.
Picking Your TURF Underlay
Sandy Loam: The all-rounder and ideal option. Sandy loam is a soil mixture that includes a higher proportion of sand but also contains significant amounts of silt and clay. The typical composition of sandy loam is 60-70% sand, 0-30% silt, and a small amount of clay. Sandy loam has got it all - great drainage, moisture retention, and a soft spot for roots. It's the underlay that ticks all the boxes.
Organic Compost Mixes: Got sandy or clay soil? Organic compost mixes are your soil's best mate, enriching it with life and improving its hold on water and nutrients. It's like giving your underlay a turbo boost.
Commercial Underlay Products: For those who like a sprinkle of science with their soil. These products are packed with goodies like controlled-release fertilizers, giving your turf everything it desires for a head start.
Sand: Need drainage on point? Sand's your go-to. Perfect for keeping things airy and preventing water from hanging about too long. Ideal for areas that need to stay on the drier side.
Gypsum for Clay Soils: Wrestling with clay? Gypsum's your pre-game move. It breaks up the clay, making your soil more welcoming for your chosen underlay and turf.
Making Your Choice
Here's how to match your underlay to your soil:
Clay? Go for gypsum to break it up, then top it off with a sandy loam to allow for drainage.
Sand? Amp up the nutrients and water-holding capacity with a loamy topsoil or organic compost mix.
Loam? You're mostly set, but adding sandy topsoil will perfect the drainage scenario.
Choosing the right underlay isn't just about laying turf; it's about laying down the law for a backyard that's not only a feast for the eyes but a playground for the family. With the right underlay, you're building more than a lawn; you're crafting memories on a foundation that's built to last. Here's to the underlay, the real MVP of lush lawns!
