Lawn repair

[Bangkokhatter]

Just had some building work done and the builders have made a bit of a mess of my lawn. Looks like i will have to dig up about 10 square meters and replace.

 

Was just going to buy replacement turf and lay it down. Any tips for the correct way to do this would be appreciated.

[drtreelove]

First clean up any construction debris, especially cement and stucco slop and paint that may have been dumped.  Take it down to clean soil as best possible.

Then you will have to judge how much back-fill you need to bring it back up to the surrounding soil grade. The back-fill can be native soil that you scavenge from the site, imported soil or sometimes the easiest to find is sack compost/planting soil from a local nursery.  A mix of native mineral soil and imported compost material would be best. 

 

Buy your turf to replace where you need it. Try to get the same variety of grass, take a sample of your existing grass when you go to buy it. Grass is usually sold in strips of half a square meter, so measure out what you need and buy two strips for every square meter, and a little extra.  Keep the sod moist and tarped for transport, water it if you are not going to plant it same day. If it is allowed to dry out and turn a bluish gray or worse you could lose it.  

 

With your back-fill in place, raked smooth and water-settled, lay the turf strips as level and tight together as possible. Fill the gaps and thin spots with some extra back-fill material or compost that you have held back for this purpose. Water it heavily and them tamp it with a steel rake or a flat board to squish it level. 

 

Keep it watered, probably at least twice a day if no rain. Even if it rains be sure there was enough to thoroughly wet the grass. Keep this up for a week or 10 days until you see that it is not drying out and is starting to grow. Then you can back off from keeping it muddy wet, but water at least once a day if no rain. 

Don't fertilize until it is rooted and putting out new growth, about a month. Mow every week and mow it high, 3".  

 

Hope that helps, Don

 

[Bangkokhatter]

Thank you  Don for a most comprehensive reply, plan to lay it on Saturday, will let you know how i get on.