How To Make A Lawn Using Turf with Alan Titchmarsh | Waitrose

Summary

This video script offers a comprehensive guide to creating a lawn that complements a garden's aesthetic. It emphasizes the importance of proper soil preparation, whether for seeding or laying turf, and suggests using a fork to remove debris and level the ground. The tutorial covers the steps for laying turf, including unrolling it, ensuring tight joins, and cutting around obstacles like trees. It also advises on maintaining the lawn's health through watering and mowing techniques, ensuring a lush and durable lawn.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Lawns are a versatile garden feature, suitable for play and relaxation, and they complement plants and flowers well.
• 🔪 Preparing the ground for a lawn involves forking over the soil, removing rocks and deep-rooted weeds, and ensuring proper drainage and moisture retention.
• 🏗️ Deep cultivation is important for grass roots, which typically do not go deeper than a few inches, to prevent the lawn from drying out quickly.
• 💧 Amending heavy clay soil with sharp grit and light, fluffy soil with organic matter helps with drainage and moisture retention, respectively.
• 👣 Firming the earth by treading and shuffling helps to eliminate air pockets and create a solid base for the lawn.
• 🛠 Leveling the ground with a rake is crucial to ensure an even surface before laying turf or seeding.
• 🌱 Turf provides an instant lawn solution, but it requires careful handling and positioning to maintain its quality.
• 📅 Turf can be laid almost year-round, except in extreme conditions like frozen, excessively muddy, or extremely hot and dry weather.
• 💧 Watering is essential for newly laid turf, especially in hot and dry conditions, to prevent it from drying out quickly.
• 🔧 Cutting around trees and other obstacles requires careful planning and precise cutting to maintain a clean edge.
• ✂️ Mowing the new lawn should be done carefully at first, trimming only the top half-inch, to allow the roots to establish before regular mowing.

Q & A

Why is a lawn considered a great addition to a garden?

A lawn is considered a great addition to a garden because it is soft enough to play on, friendly enough to relax on, and serves as a great foil for all the plants and flowers in the surrounding beds and borders.

What is the process of preparing the earth for either seeding or turfing?

The process involves forking over the ground, removing any big rocks and stones, and eliminating thick, deep-rooted perennial weeds. This ensures that the roots of the grass, which don't go very deep, can properly access moisture and nutrients.

Why is it important to cultivate the ground properly before laying turf?

Proper cultivation is important because if the ground is not cultivated, it will dry out very quickly due to the presence of stones in the subsoil and the surface's inability to retain moisture.

What should be done if the ground is very heavy and waterlogged?

In the case of heavy, waterlogged ground, working lots of sharp grit into the soil can help improve drainage. Adding organic matter can also help in such conditions.

How can you ensure that the lawn is well-drained if the soil is very light and fluffy?

Adding lots of organic matter to light and fluffy soil can help hold onto moisture and improve drainage, giving the lawn a better chance of thriving even in dry weather.

What is the first step in turfing after the ground has been prepared?

The first step is to tread or shuffle along with your heels to firm the earth into place, which helps get rid of air pockets and ensures a more even surface.

How should you arrange the turf when laying it?

The turf should be arranged so that the pieces are right close up together, with no gaps visible between them, similar to the tightness of Ernie Y Z's wig.

What is the advantage of using turf over seeding for creating a lawn?

Turf provides the quickest way of making a lawn as it is already grown and can be laid instantly, unlike seeding which requires time for the grass to grow.

How should you handle the turf to ensure it doesn't dry out after being laid?

It's important to have a lawn sprinkler ready and to water the turf thoroughly every few days, followed by light sprinkling every day to prevent the turf from drying out.

What is a recommended method for cutting turf around a tree?

Using an old kitchen knife to make a slit in line with the center of the trunk is recommended, ensuring that the turf is cut all the way around the tree without drying out the edge.

When is the best time to mow a new lawn made from turf?

The best time to mow a new lawn from turf is a couple of weeks after the turf has been laid and the roots have started to establish, but it's important not to scalp the grass, only taking the top half inch off initially.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Lawn Preparation and Turf Laying Basics

This paragraph discusses the importance and benefits of having a lawn in a garden, emphasizing its versatility for both play and relaxation. It details the process of preparing the ground for a new lawn, whether by seeding or turfing, which involves forking over the soil to remove rocks and weeds, and ensuring proper moisture retention. The speaker also addresses soil types and how to amend them for optimal lawn health. The preparation involves firming the earth, leveling it with a rake, and ensuring there are no air pockets. The paragraph concludes with the initial steps of laying turf, highlighting the importance of delivery timing and positioning the turf correctly.

05:01

📏 Laying Turf and Creating a Tree-Friendly Lawn Edge

The second paragraph focuses on the technical aspects of laying turf, starting with the placement of the first row and ensuring the seams are tight to avoid visible joins. It explains the use of planks to maintain a straight edge and the importance of staggering the joints for a better overall fit. The speaker mentions different types of turf and the benefits of dwarf rye grass for a hard-wearing lawn. The paragraph also covers the importance of patting down the turf to make contact with the soil to prevent drying out. It advises on the best times to lay turf, considering weather conditions, and the use of a lawn sprinkler for watering. The speaker provides a tip on using a kitchen knife to cut around trees and the use of a garden line to ensure a clean edge. The paragraph concludes with advice on mowing the new lawn and maintaining its health.

Keywords

💡Lawn

A lawn refers to an area of short-mown grass in a garden or yard, which serves as a space for relaxation and play. In the video, the lawn is highlighted as an essential element in garden design, providing a soft surface for activities and complementing the surrounding plants and flowers.

💡Turf

Turf is a layer of grass and soil that is grown on a nursery and then lifted and rolled for easy installation in a garden. The script describes making a lawn from turf as an instantaneous method, emphasizing its quick establishment compared to seeding.

💡Preparation

Preparation in this context involves the process of readying the ground for either seeding or turfing. The script mentions forking over the soil, removing rocks and weeds, and ensuring proper drainage and moisture retention, which are crucial for the health of the lawn.

💡Cultivation

Cultivation is the act of preparing the soil for planting by turning it over and breaking up clumps. The video script explains that cultivating the ground properly is important to prevent the lawn from drying out quickly due to the presence of stones and to ensure good root penetration.

💡Drainage

Drainage refers to the removal of excess water from the soil to prevent waterlogging. The script advises adding sharp grit to heavy clay soil to improve drainage, ensuring the lawn does not become waterlogged and unhealthy.

💡Organic Matter

Organic matter, such as compost or well-decomposed manure, is added to the soil to improve its structure and water-holding capacity. The video mentions using organic matter in light, fluffy soil to help retain moisture and support the growth of the lawn.

💡Treading

Treading is the act of walking over the soil to compact it, which helps to eliminate air pockets and create a firm base for the lawn. The script humorously suggests using Zorba the Greek music to make the treading process more enjoyable.

💡Raking

Raking is the process of leveling the soil surface using a rake. The video script describes using a rake to adjust bumps and hollows, ensuring an even surface for laying the turf or sowing seeds.

💡Shuffling

Shuffling in the context of lawn preparation involves walking over the soil and using the heels to break down clods into finer crumbs. This technique is mentioned in the script as a way to further firm the soil and prepare it for turfing.

💡Dwarf Rye Grass

Dwarf rye grass is a type of grass used in turf mixtures for its hard-wearing properties. The script recommends a turf mixture composed mainly of dwarf rye grasses for a durable and low-maintenance lawn.

💡Lawn Sprinkler

A lawn sprinkler is a device used to water the lawn, ensuring it stays hydrated, especially after turf has been laid. The video script advises having a lawn sprinkler ready to prevent the newly laid turf from drying out quickly in hot or dry conditions.

Highlights

A lawn is the ideal central feature for a garden, offering a soft and friendly space for play and relaxation.

Creating a lawn from turf provides an instantaneous result, similar to using wooden decking planks.

Preparation of the earth for a lawn involves forking over the soil and removing rocks, stones, and deep-rooted weeds.

Grass roots do not go very deep, so proper cultivation is essential to prevent the lawn from drying out quickly.

In heavy clay soil, adding sharp grit improves drainage, while in light soil, organic matter helps retain moisture.

Treading and shuffling the soil with heels removes air pockets and firms the earth for laying turf.

Raking is used to level the soil surface and create an even base for the turf.

Turf should be laid as close to the delivery time as possible to prevent it from turning yellow due to lack of light.

Planks should be used to create straight edges when laying turf, and they should be moved carefully to maintain alignment.

Different types of turf are available, with a hard-wearing mixture primarily composed of dwarf rye grasses being recommended.

Turf can be laid at almost any time of the year, except when the ground is frozen, excessively muddy, or during a hot, dry summer.

A lawn sprinkler is essential for watering the turf, especially in hot and dry conditions.

An old kitchen knife is recommended for cutting turf around obstacles like trees.

A garden line ensures a straight edge for the lawn, especially important near trees and other obstacles.

Turf is more expensive than grass seed but provides an instant lawn effect within a couple of weeks.

Mowing the new lawn should start after the roots have established and the grass has begun to grow, taking off only the top half inch initially.

Transcripts

now although I won't hear a word against

decking in the right place you really

can't beat a lawn at the center of a

garden soft enough to play on friendly

enough to relax on and a great foil for

all the plants and flowers in the

surrounding beds and borders and if you

make a new lawn from turf it's as

instantaneous as a wooden decking plank

I'll show you how

what I'm doing here is making a lawn

that wraps around this tree now it's

quite a light canopy it's not going to

be too heavy a shade to kill the grass

out the preparation of the earth for

either seeding or turfing is exactly the

same fork it over and take out any big

rocks and stones and any thick

deep-rooted perennial weeds now the

roots of grass don't go very deep

perhaps only three or four inches

maximum but if you didn't cultivate the

ground properly it will dry out very

very quickly there are lots of stones in

the subsoil there and the surface would

not be able to draw moisture that's why

this slightly deeper cultivation really

does pay off if your ground is very

heavy very clay very waterlogged working

lots and lots of sharp grit to help

drainage get working organic matter for

the same reason and if you soil is very

light and very fluffy lots of organic

matter will help to hold on to moisture

and give that lawn every chance of doing

well even in dry weather oh yeah

forked over so we're ready to turf yes

no it's far too fluffy and it's also

uneven so the first thing you've got to

do is tread it shuffle along with your

heels to really firm that earth into

place takes a while

if you have an enormous lawn

you also need an enormous group of

friends you get them all round one

evening when you fold it over and you

put on a record of Zorba the Greek debt

debt debt you get my drift

make sure your neighbors are out looking

completely bonkers

all this does it gets rid of air pockets

you won't regret this bit of extra time

in preparation later on

what you will now notice is that there

are bumps and hollows you need a rake to

adjust that raking off the bumps into

the hollows so get your eye fairly low

down so you can see what you're at long

sweeping through all the wires casting

your eye over the ground I can make that

whole surface just even as possible and

now it's much more level except it will

not have escaped your nervous but we

fluffed it all up again yep

Zorba

see it's not just a trampled it's a

shuffle and by shuffling you're breaking

down those little clods into finer

crumbs

and this is just one final raking over

to see now it's always a whole lot

firmer so the preparation of the Troy is

a knack of the same whether you're going

to make a long-term seed or from turf

and I'm not going to show you how to

make one turf

turf undoubtedly provides the quickest

way of making a lawn it's grown on a

turf nursery and lifted rather like

carpet so all you have to do is unroll

it and lay it but the important thing is

you arrange for delivery as close to the

time you're going to late as possible

because if turf stays rolled up like

that it's not getting any light and it

turns the color of custard within about

four days position it as near to where

you're going to lay it as possible and

put down planks on the ground which if

you've laid them properly will give you

a nice straight edge to work to and

proceed to work your first row is out in

front of you you want to Bop them right

close up together so that it's a bit

like Ernie Y Z's wig you really can't

see the join just Pat it down with you

Andy here's a spade if you want once

your first row is down take your planks

and lay them on it so you're not

scuffing it about you can hop on the

turf to relay your boards and grab

another one it's just that you don't

want to be scuffing it with your feet

when you're bending down you don't have

work forwards you're also doing it's

staggering the joints you see now it

will all knit together much better

in the same way that you buy different

seed mixes fine coarse dwarf rye grass

so there are different kinds of turf you

want a good hard-wearing mixture is

composed mainly of dwarf rye grasses a

lot of the old gardening books will tell

you to have some finally saved soil

ready to fill in these gaps between the

curves there should not be any gaps

between the tares if you've bought them

right up close together there's no need

for that infill just make sure that all

patted into contact with the earth

underneath then they don't dry out one

of the great advantages of turf is that

you can lay it at almost any time of

year except when the ground is frozen

solid or excessively muddy or in a

baking hot summer because if it is hot

and dry and there's no rainfalls coming

this will turn to straw in a matter of

days have a lawn sprinkler ready and if

it does start to get a bit hot and sunny

the day or two after you've laid it put

that sprinkler on give it a really good

soaking so the water goes down into the

earth below better to do it thoroughly

every few days then give it a light

sprinkling every day which will quite

simply evaporate

and then he come to the tree ah there

with there are all sorts of posh

implements for cutting turf but I find

that by far the best one is an old

kitchen knife and then I'm just going to

make a slit down here in line with the

center of the trunk yeah do it then you

can cut all right the way round it try

and meet it around the other side oh

yeah a beautiful little apron

Watsky across particularly wise

establishing is that this bit here

doesn't dry out because with the tree

roots sucking moisture that bit isn't

quite a critical position there's

nothing more irritating and the edge of

a lawn that looks as though it's been

chewed so get a garden line.i it up to

make sure it's going exactly where you

want your lawn to finish and then put

your plank right the way up to it

because this is gonna be a harder edge

to cut against right up against your

plank to get a good clean edge

now if you've just used this plank and

then you had to move it you have a

Dickens of a job eyeing it up to make

sure it was level with the previous one

but the line allows you to know exactly

where your previous cut what

and then you end up very straight edge

like that

it will cost you 10 times more than

grass seed but you will have instant

effect in a couple of weeks

those roots will have established down

below and the grass will have started to

grow that's when you can mow it but

don't scalp it just take the top half

inch off and know it again the week

after that then you're on mowing

throughout the rest of the year provided

you don't let it dry out then you put a

lawn

blast you the rest of your life nice

you're in it

you