So yesterday I saw how my neighbor had spent around $800 on a set of excellent quality turf rolls late last Spring. This is a really nice product and when rolled out looks really good and even, i.e. thick green grass. By midsummer however half of it had turned a similar color to dried out straw and was all patchy and looked defeated. I guess he had tried to use up his savings account on a Saturday.
I did say that it wasn’t the turf that cost so much in the end. My neighbor spent hundreds of dollars on rolls of turf before he had even checked out the lawn where he intended to lay the turf. He hadn’t checked out the soil, the amount of shade in different parts of the yard, the type of existing grass that grew in the yard. In short, he hadn’t done any of the groundwork that would have made the difference between an expensive, frustrating experience and a really great weekend.
Step 1: Assess Your Lawn Right Now
You can’t buy the correct type of turf for your yard without first having a good look at the current state of your lawn and finding out what type of grass it currently contains. If it is currently growing is it a warm-season type of grass such as buffalograss or bluegrass even though it is still winter, or is it a cool-season type of grass such as fescue, ryegrass, or tall fescue? By knowing the type of grass that currently grows in your yard you will be able to find the correct type of turf for your yard. Don’t try to mix and match different types of grasses in your lawn, as no matter how much different types of fertilizer you add to it in the hopes that they will all grow, in the end it will only look of poor quality with patches of different colored grass.
Identify the bare patches and damaged areas of your lawn. Are they in full sun or in the densely shaded areas under trees? Different types of grass need to be grown in full sun or in the shade. Mixing different types of grass in the same lawn will create a patchwork of different types of grass, which, even with the best fertilizer, will never grow together to form a single, uniform lawn.
Sunlight is non-negotiable
A wild underestimate of sunlight.
Looking at your lawn in different times of the day will give you an idea of how much shade exists during different times of the day. For example, the amount of shade in your backyard during 8am will be completely different from the amount of shade during 2pm. There are some varieties of turf that require six or more hours of direct sun in order to grow optimally. There are other varieties that can grow and look great in lawns that receive three or four hours of direct sun per day. Therefore, it is very important to select the right type of grass for your lawn’s specific conditions. A sun-loving type of grass would not do well in the shaded area of your backyard under a large, mature tree. It would be like trying to grow a sunflower in a closet!
- Full sun (6+ hours): couch grass, zoysia, bermuda
- Partial shade (3-6 hours): buffalo varieties, some tall fescues
- Heavy shade: limited options, and most honest turf suppliers will tell you upfront that ground cover might actually be the smarter play
3. Your soil is either working for you or quietly undermining everything
The final piece of the puzzle is to ensure that your new lawn is laid on good quality soil that will work for you. This can be checked with a simple soil test, which is usually available at garden centers for a few dollars. The test will give a reading for the pH of your soil and highlight any missing nutrients. Most grass types prefer a soil pH of pH 6.0 to 7.0 and it is then a case of adding any necessary nutrients to the soil to aid the growth of your new lawn. The quality of your soil is crucial and poor soil can affect the growth of your new turf significantly. As mentioned earlier, compacted soil can prevent roots from growing. Sandy soil can allow water to penetrate the soil too quickly, preventing roots from being able to absorb any nutrients. Therefore it is necessary to amend your soil before laying your new turf.
Soil: the other major factor. If your soil is working for you, then great. But if it’s against you, then you’re going to have a hard time trying to grow a lawn on top of it. First, you need to check the type of soil you have. If it’s heavy clay then it’s likely to be waterlogged which will cause the roots of the grass to rot. Sandy soil, on the other hand, will drain well but won’t hold on to moisture and nutrients for the grass. However, amendments can be made to the soil to create a better environment for your new lawn.
Looking for turf near me and comparing locally available turf products is another important step to find the best turf for your lawn. Many suppliers of turf sell a variety of turf types that have been specifically designed for use in regional climates with specific soil types, and can be sourced from local garden centers and online.
Foot traffic and watering: the two questions nobody thinks to ask
Foot traffic. If you have kids and dogs you will need hard-wearing turf. However, if you have a large decorative front lawn with very few people walking across it then this factor will not need to be considered.
When comparing different types of turf it is also worth asking how it will cope with regards to watering. Will the turf go dormant and turn brown in dry weather? Some types of turf are more drought tolerant than others and will survive on very little water, whereas others will need to be constantly watered in order to look their best. Consider your current lawn and how you currently water it, and choose a suitable type of turf accordingly.
Timing the installation right
Laying turf in the wrong season is a gamble you’ll probably lose. Here’s a quick reference:
| Season | Warm-season grass | Cool-season grass |
| Spring | Ideal, peak growth period | Acceptable, but watch heat spikes |
| Summer | Fine with consistent watering | Risky, heat stress is real |
| Autumn | Possible but growth slows | Good, roots establish before winter |
| Winter | Not recommended | Generally avoid unless mild climate |
Laying turf in the wrong season is a gamble which most people lose. Here is a rough guide for when it is best to lay turf. Spring and early autumn are the best times of the year for laying turf. Roots of newly laid turf have time to take hold before the temperatures start to fluctuate in either direction. As I mentioned earlier, my neighbor spent $800 on turf rolls last spring. He laid the rolls and they looked great. However, the lawn did not last the first summer. It turned the color of old straw in midsummer and it was patchy and looked defeated.
DO NOT be another fool and prepare your lawn properly before laying turf rolls. It will cost you a lot of money and save you a lot of hassle. Laying turf is not difficult and should be a fun project to complete over a weekend.
