When turf is delivered, the surface should be properly prepared. The green carpet only develops its phenomenal appearance where it can take root best. The following soil preparation instructions explain what is really important when it comes to finished turf.
Which steps are important when preparing the turf?
To optimally prepare the ground for turf, remove old turf, clean the area of weeds and stones, loosen the subsoil by milling or digging, level the soil with a rake and rake, consolidate it with a roller and add Needs a starter fertilizer.
How to remove old lawn professionally
Where rolled turf is supposed to replace a worn-out lawn, the old patchwork carpet has to go. To allow the subsurface to settle before installation, we recommend starting the ground preparation approximately 14 days before delivery of the turf. How to do it right:
- Cut the existing lawn into strips with a lawn peeling machine
- Roll up each strip and dispose of it
- Alternatively, remove the old green area with a spade
Lawn cutters can be rented from regional machine rental companies (€184.00 on Amazon) for a daily price of 65 to 72 euros. Thanks to their compact design, the devices are maneuverable enough to remove the lawn even in small gardens.
Soil preparation for turf – explained step by step
If there was no lawn at the intended location before, skip the prologue and go straight to preparing the ground. Laying turf is possible from March to October. To do this, choose a dry, frost-free day so as not to cause unnecessary compaction. Follow these steps:
- Clean the area thoroughly of weeds, roots and stones
- Enrich heavy clay soil with fine-grained sand
- Milling the ground or digging at least 1 spade deep
- Level the soil with the rake and smooth it out with the rake
- Consolidate the surface with a roller or press down with your shoes
Ideally, as part of the soil preparation, you should apply a phosphate-based starter fertilizer before rolling, which supports the growth of the rolled turf. In the ecologically managed garden, a mix of sifted compost and horn meal is used. The subsurface is watered repeatedly until the turf is delivered, most recently on the evening before it is laid.
Green manure creates the best framework conditions
If turf is planned to be laid on a piece of fallow land in the spring, green manure in the summer of the previous year creates a vital substrate for the new green. Suitable seed mixtures include broad beans, Persian clover or yellow lupins. This measure loosens the soil, revitalizes soil life and improves ventilation.
The green manure is mowed in good time before seeds form and incorporated or milled into the soil. Then tackle the floor preparation in the sequence explained.
Tips & Tricks
A wildflower meadow as turf? They actually exist. Developed for the Federal Garden Show in Munich, the piece of lawn with the picturesque name 'Albrecht Dürer Lawn' caused a sensation. The homage to the painter's famous still life is considered an interesting alternative to the uniform ornamental lawn for the natural garden.