How Should New Turf Be Looked After in Henleaze?

Watering — The Whole Job

• Water immediately after laying, thoroughly, on the same day
• Soak rather than sprinkle. Water must reach the soil beneath, not just wet the grass
• Daily in warm or dry weather for the first two to three weeks
• Early morning or evening, so less is lost to evaporation
• Lift a corner and check — if the soil beneath is dry, you are not watering enough
• Reduce gradually as it roots, rather than stopping suddenly
• Do not rely on rain — check rather than assume

Signs of Under-Watering

The First Cut

• Wait until the turf has rooted and the grass is at a decent length
• Mower blades on the highest setting — take the tips only
• Sharp blades. Blunt ones tear at grass that is not yet anchored
• Dry conditions, so the mower does not skid or pull the turf
• Collect the clippings for these first few cuts
• Lower the height gradually over subsequent cuts, never in one go
• Never take more than a third of the leaf at any cut

The First Year

• Weeks 1–3: water constantly, stay off, watch the edges
• Weeks 3–6: first cuts, high; reduce watering gradually
• Months 2–4: normal mowing; light feed in the growing season
• First autumn: autumn feed, overseed any thin areas
• First spring: spring feed; the lawn should now look established
• It will not be perfect in year one. Seams may show, colour may vary between batches, and both settle out

Common Problems

• Gaps at the seams — usually shrinkage from dryness; water more, and top-dress with fine soil
• Yellowing overall — commonly water, sometimes nutrient once established
• Spongy or lifting patches — poor contact with the soil beneath; firm down and water
• Mushrooms in the first months — normal, from organic matter breaking down; they pass
• Colour variation between rolls — normal, and evens out over a season
• Weeds appearing — mow regularly; most annual weeds do not survive being cut

Keeping a Large Lawn Good

• Feed spring and autumn — the single most effective ongoing thing
• Scarify and aerate every year or two, especially where it gets walked
• Overseed thin areas each autumn rather than waiting for them to spread
• Vary the mowing direction, which reduces wear patterns
• Raise the cut height in summer, which helps it through dry spells
• And keep the tree work on a cycle, which protects it as much as feeding does

And Keep an Eye Upward

On an established garden with mature trees, the thing most likely to undo a good lawn over the following years is not the aftercare — it is the canopy above it. A tree that was fine when the turf went down casts a little more shade each season, and a lawn that thrived in year one can be struggling by year five for that reason alone. Keeping the tree work on a light regular cycle protects the lawn as much as anything you do to the grass itself.

Turfing in Henleaze

See what our turfing service covers in Henleaze, or read more about the service across the areas we work in.

Turfing Henleaze → Turfing Bristol →