hi guys joe here from lawn solutions australia welcome to episode 4 of the
autumn lawn care series in this video we talk about our favourite topic laying turf
autumn is a great time to get some new turf down as in most states there's still enough
time to get good route establishment before winter in most turf varieties so if you're
looking to repair an area or you want to lay some new turf here's how you go about it
there's a number of reasons why you might need to lay some new turf and are looking to do so now
it may be because you've just got a new house that's just completed or you've got a worn out
area that needs some attention or you've just put in some new drainage and you need some turf
to tidy it up most australian lawns consist of warm seasoned turf grasses kikuyu couch
zoysia and soft leaf buffalo lawns are the most common types and fit into this category
as the name warm season suggests that's the time when these grasses are actively growing
and during the cooler months they slow down and can go into a certain level of dormancy slowing
growth and losing some colour over winter there is a common misconception that warm season turf grass
varieties cannot be installed in cooler conditions because of this but this isn't the truth as warm
season turf grass varieties can be installed all year round in most regions of australia there is
even some benefits for installing new turf in the cooler months the main benefit is the lower water
usage in the cooler months you will not have to water your new lawn anywhere near as much
compared to the warmer months as the days are not hot enough to dry out your new turf
as quickly whilst it still needs some water you can virtually half your water usage when laying
turf during the cooler months and still maintain a healthy lawn come spring the key thing you are
trying to achieve is moisture into the soil to the depth of about 150 millimetres this will ensure
your roots establish the soil easily and the grass will get the moisture it needs as it grows
keeping the feet of your new turf damp but not soggy is key adjusting the frequency of watering
to coincide with the current weather conditions will help to give the lawn every possible chance
of staying healthy and robust another benefit is it's likely you won't have to mow your lawn
until the weather warms up this comes in very handy as the winter months have shorter days
and weekends filled up with sport and other activities which makes it harder to find the time
just be sure when it's ready for its first haircut you do it on a high setting so you don't remove
too much of the leaf while the grass is most vulnerable lawn solutions australia turf farms
undertake a number of measures to ensure the turf they supply during the cooler season is
top quality some of the methods used include the use of frost blankets and colourguard plus
applications colourguard plus not only keeps the grass looking greener but is also able to increase
the surface temperature of the leaf blade a darker leaf allows more heat energy to be absorbed
which can help limit the extent of both dormancy and frost damage just keep in mind when laying
a new lawn in winter the lawn may not root down strongly until the weather warms up and it starts
growing again this doesn't mean anything's wrong and your lawn isn't dying it's just sitting idle
until it gets some warmer temperatures so it can fully establish if you've got some turfing to do
you can get it done now and you'll have a fully established grass area by the time summer comes
some varieties do have some specific requirements and may be best installed during the start of the
growing season so make sure you have a chat to your local lawn solutions australia turf supplier
for some advice specific to your location thanks for watching and we hope to catch you next time.