fact sheet j&b farnaby quick guide (scotch corner) to ... › 503780a1 › files › ... · a...

www.jbfarnaby.comt : 01748 824594 / 01325 377725 e : [email protected]

Brough Moor Farm, Scurragh Lane, Skeeby, Richmond, North Yorkshire. DL10 5EF

J&B Farnaby(Scotch Corner)

Premier Turf Growers & Top Soilsuppliers for over 30 years

A lawn can be laid at almost anytime of the year, but try to avoidextremes in the weather, such asvery cold temperatures where frostis likely, or very hot and sunny daysin summer...

Step 1 - clear the site and markoutUsing a scaled plan of the garden, mark outthe position where the lawn will be situatedusing your pegs and line, then clear the siteof any vegetation and large stones. Break upthe entire surface with a garden fork.

Step 2 - level the siteLevel the surface. This can be best achievedby raking soil from any high spots into thehollows, firming with your feet as you go.

For most lawns your eye will be accurateenough, a few undulations are acceptable.

Step 3 - tread your soil all overOnce a level area has been achieved, treadthe soil all over to ensure it is evenlycompacted.

You may need to rake over the surface andrepeat the process up to three times.

Step 4 - laying your turf rollsStarting at one edge, roll out the first coupleof turves to form a straight row. Now lay awooden board on top of this row and start tolay the next row. Stagger the joints like abrick wall, so no two ends match andremember to butt them up tightly to eachother.

Continue in this fashion until the entire areahas been covered, ensuring the turf goes atleast 50mm or 2" over the edges.

Step 5 - air pockets & top dressingFirm the turf with the back of your rake tomake sure there are no trapped air pocketsand brush top dressing into the gaps for thebest results.

Step 6 - edge cutting your turf lawnNow neaten the edges to the shape youhave marked out with your line.

If it is a straight edge, use one of your(straight) wooden boards as a guide and cutalong this, or for curved edges use a hose orrope as a guide.

Fact SheetQuick Guide

to Layinga Lawn

DIY tips for laying garden lawns• Use your wooden boards all the time

when laying your lawn.

• Try not to walk on your lawn for twoweeks.

• Wait at least two weeks until mowingnew lawns.

• Keep your new lawn damp until wellestablished.

Ideally choose a week when rain is forecastafter you have laid your rolls of turf as thiswill ensure they will be watered for you.Also, when preparing the soil in readinessfor the lawn, the soil should not be stickingto the bottom of your boots too much - if itis, it's too wet to prepare effectively.





Cultivated turf allows you to enjoy alawn of instant beauty and maturitywithout the inconvenience and timeconsuming problems of seeding.In order to guarantee that the turf you buy isof the highest quality you should purchasefrom a member of the Turf ProducersInternational UK which has a qualityassurance policy.

To ensure the best results and a quality finishto your new lawn the following steps shouldbe carried out.

Please remember, a turf is a mass of livingplants and a certain amount of care andmaintenance will be required to ensure itgrows to its full potential.

PreparationGround preparation is vitalto the future of your newlawn. Inadequatelyprepared and unfertilisedground will never givesatisfactory results.

Existing turf should bemoved by cutting underwith a spade. soil needs tobe turned over to a depth

of 15cm. This can be achieved by eitherdigging over the area or by using a rotovator.

Ensure the area is free of any debris, stones,weeds or old turf.

FertiliserA pre-turfing fertiliser should be applied andraked into the soil. The manufacturersapplication rate should be followed for thebest results.

RakingThe ground shouldbe raked over toproduce a smoothsurface. At thisstage the groundmay be lightly rolledor firmed by foot toreveal any softareas which can then be raked until theground is evenly firm and smooth. A widerake makes levelling easier. The groundshould be firm but not compact.

Your Lawn is now ready to turf!.

Fact Sheet 1Preparation

and cultivation

OrderingMeasure your proposed lawn areaaccurately in square metres, see our onlinecalculator to help you measure your lawn.

Turf is supplied inrolls for easylaying. As turf isgenerally cut toorder you shouldcontact yoursupplier giving asmuch notice ofdelivery date aspossible - and inany case at least 24 hours.

Ensure you give full details of the amount ofturf required (in square metres), your name,full address, telephone number and thedate required.

Turf should be laid within 24 hours ofdelivery, therefore the preparation workshould be carried out in advance of the turfarriving





After following the advice from FactSheet 1 you can know move ontoLaying Your Turf

Start by laying onestrip of turf around theoutside of the lawn.Avoid using smallstrips at the edges asthese may dry outandperish. Turf can beshaped to followgently curved borders.

Lay the first row along the longest straightline and work across the lawn staggering thejoints in each row - as in brickwork.

Butt and push the edges and ends againsteach other but do not stretch the turf. Use asharp knife or half moon spadee to cut theend of a row.

Avoid walking on newly laid turf - boardsshould be placed down for walking on, orwalking along.

Ensure that the turf has full contact with thesoil.

Watering TurfNewly laid turf mustbe watered withinhalf an hour ofinstallation. Give theturf a really goodsoaking and checkthat the water hasseeped through theturf and into the soil below (turn up a cornerto see that this has happened).

This watering must be repeated until the turfhas established. Weather conditions willdictate the frequency of the water required.

Ensure that your new lawn has enoughmoisture to survive hot, dry or windyweather. If laid during a hot dry period,watering should be repeated at least threetimes a day, otherwise twice daily should besufficient.

MowingWe recommend thatyou do not mow yournew turf until it hasrooted. This can beeasily checked bylifting up a corner tosee if the roots haveattached to the soil.

Your lawn mower should be set to thehighest setting - it is important that the lawnis not scalped during early mowings. Mowyour new lawn often, each time removing nomore than one third of the grass height.Once establishedthe grass height can bereduced gradually to your ideal level.Optimum heights between 15mm and 35mm.

Lawn FeedingFeeding in the first 8weeks will not benecessary as a pre-turf fertiliser hasbeen applied. Thereare many lawn feedsavailable and youshould contact yourT.P.I. UK member for their recommendation.Manfacturers instructions should always becarefully followed.

Fact Sheet 2Laying your

Turf




Premier Turf Growers & Top Soilsuppliers for over 30 yearsYour J & B Farnaby lawn provides the bestlawn that nature and modern technology canprovide. It gives you the best foundation onwhich to build a lawn that should give yearsand years of pleasure.However, once it is laid, it is up to you to maintain andcare for it, if it is to perform in the long term. Withliving, growing plants there are no short cuts or easyanswers to perfection. Grass is no exception andconstant care and attention will produce the ongoingresults you are seeking.

INITIAL MAINTENANCE OF NEW LAWNMowing the new lawn

The turf should haveestablished (i.e. rootedinto the ground) within 2weeds during mildgrowing weather,providing it has receivedsufficient watering. It willbe slower during thewinter months due top helower soil temperature.Once you are happy thatthe turf has established

sufficiently, and always before the grass gets twoinches high, mowing can commence. Adjust yourmower to a high setting so that only the tips of thegrass leaves are removed first. If mowing is toosevere it can inhibit establishment of the roots andeven kill the grass.

If you have not levelled the site adequately, or if it hassettled due to insufficient consolidation, the mowingmay leave brown areas where the grass has been cuttoo short. This is one of the most common faults withnew lawns. You should raise the height of the mowerfor subsequent mowing and meanwhile correct thelevels by rolling lightly and/or top dress thedepressions with soil.

Fertilising the new lawnNitrogen, on of any plants; essential nutrients for lushleaf developments, washes out from the top soilextremely quickly, therefore it is extremely importantto replenish with a suitable fertiliser on a regularbasis. This should be carried out every 4-6 weeksduring the growing season, as nitrogen applied late inthe Autumn on Winter will cause lush leafdevelopment, which could be scorched by frost at thistime of year.

ESSENTIAL MAINTENANCE OF ESTABLISHEDLAWNSMowing the established lawnMowing should be done regularly as required,depending on growing conditions, and at least onceper week from Spring to Autumn. Avoid leaving thelawn un-mown for any number of weeks. If the heightof cut is to be reduced, it can be gradually reducedover a number of weeks during the main growingseason, but NEVER TAKE MORE THAN 25% of theinitial height of the grass once cut, and never mow thegrass closer than ½ inch. During the winter, if mildconditions prevail, mow whenever frost not imminent.

Feeding the established lawnsThis is the single most important factor which leads tothe quality of the lawn deteriorating. Lawns, like allliving organisms require regular feeding if they are toremain in a healthy condition. If they are not fedregularly, the grass plants thin out and cannotcompete with weeds and moss.

All established lawns should be fed in the Spring atthe first real signs of any growth. This enables thelawn to start the season off with good, vigorous,healthy growth ahead of any germinating weeds. ASpring/Summer lawn feed is available from anygarden centre, and it should be applied as stated onthe product label. The same feed should be appliedregularly throughout the growing season, normallyevery 4-6 weeks with the last Spring/Summer feedbefore the end of August.

To maintain a healthy state and a good colourthroughout the winter period, it is essential the lawn isgiven an Autumn/Winter feed. Again this is availablefrom any garden centre and it should be applied asstated on the product label.

Fact Sheet 3General LawnMaintenance





As gardeners we spend many hours tending to our lawnand take pride when it looks the way we want it to look.But there is for every gardener the frustration of havingto watch as our lawns are decimated by a succession ofunwanted and unruly pests; some of which are aboveground, some of which attack from beneath the surface.Leatherjackets

Leatherjackets are crane flies larvae(Daddy long legs) and when allowed tohatch in poorly drained lawns they cancause any amount of damage.It is common for the lava to feed on thegrass stems base and the roots duringthe spring months resulting in patches ofyellow and brown grass that stands outduring the dry summer months.

One of the ways in which to ensure these nasty little lavadon’t take hold is to make sure your lawn is properly aeratedfor better drainage. Make holes in the lawn at regularintervals ensuring the water has somewhere to go otherthan to lie in the surface of the soil just below the grass.Your local nursery or garden centre should also be able torecommend an insecticide which will deal with leatherjackets.Chafer GrubsChafer grubs are the larvae of the chafer beetle. They cancause problems on any grassed area including lawns byfeeding on the roots of grass plants.The adults range from 9 to 39mm in length and havedifferent coloured heads and wings cases. The adultsemerge between the end of May and July depending on theweather conditions in spring. They may feed on shrubs andtrees before laying the eggs into grassed areas.

Larvae hatch about 2 weeks laterand begin to feed on grass rootsuntil late September when theymove deeper into the soil wherethey pass the winter. The larvaehave white bodies curved in letterC shape, light brown heads, with3 pairs of legs.

When the larvae are small they do not cause much damageto grass unless they are in very high numbers. As they growbigger, they cause more damage. Symptoms may appearas straw coloured weak areas of grass where the roots havebeen damaged. In most cases the larvae are discoveredwhen birds or mammals, such as badgers or foxes, begin torip up areas of the turf looking for the grubs. They are aprotein filled delicacy to birds and mammals, which candestroy large areas when looking for them.It is very difficult to prevent chafer larvae being laid into thelawn. Females prefer moist conditions and so the lawnshould not be watered if adult activity is noted. However,where larvae are present the lawn should be kept wellwatered to try and counteract the grass from dying due todrought as a result of a weaker root system. In most casesall that can be done is to employ bird and mammaldeterrents and tidy up any damage caused.The larvae can be controlled by removing them by hand orapplying a biological nematode.

MolesThere is no mistaking thepresence of moles - theugly mounds of dug outearth are a sure fire signthat these burrowingcreatures have found theirway into your garden.Moles are primarily on a diet of earthworms so if you have aproblem with earthworms in your garden then you may findthat you also have a problem with moles. You should bewarned in advance that moles are notoriously difficult to getrid of once they have made their way in under your lawnespecially if the earthworm population is ripe for the picking.There are many tried and tested ways of getting rid of molesincluding the use of moth balls, disinfectant, burning paperin the openings to their runs and placing smoke cartridges intheir runs.However the best way to get rid of these underground pestsis to have them trapped or poisoned by a professional - donot attempt this yourself especially if you have children orpets that also run or play on the lawn.Earthworms

Earthworms bring with them their ownunique set of problems, not least the factthat an increased earthworm populationcan lead to an infestation of moles.Traditionally earthworms are seen as abeneficial element to growing your lawnbut as they form casts they fail to aeratethe lawn properly which leads them topoor drainage. Also the casts are

unsightly and provide food for moles and birds who will alsodamage the lawn if not dealt with.Ask your local nursery or garden centre if they currentlystock any non chemical insecticides that can deal with theproblem of earthworms. Ensure that your lawn is properlyaerated and that you rake away any casts you find on thelawn before they have the chance to attract the unwantedattentions of any burrowing underground dwellers.The Family DogThe family pet is to be cherished and children enjoy nothingmore than playing with them on the lawn, however dogs,male or female, have no sense of lavatorial etiquette andwill urinate as and when they feel they have to.Large brown patches on your lawn may indicate that thefamily pet has been using the lawn as its toilet and as suchthe urine, and the acid therein, can burn the grass. Thereare no tried and tested ways of curing the problem only theregular watering of the affected patches to return muchneeded moisture. If this does not workthen you may need to think aboutreseeding the damaged areas.As always it is best to ask theadvice of someone at your localnursery or garden centre as it isnot uncommon for them tohave handy tips whichyou may not have heardof before.

Fact Sheet 4Above Ground

& UndergroundLawn Pests





It is very common for small brown toadstools toappear in recently laid turf. They are of particularconcern to parents of small children, who worrythat they may be harmful if eaten.

Why do they grow in my lawn?When turf is being harvested, damage is caused tothe roots and other underground parts of the turf.Microscopic bacteria and fungi, present in all soils,decompose this dead and dying tissue once the turfhas been laid. This process of biologicaldecomposition, which breaks down organic matter inthe turf, occurs naturally throughout the garden.For most of its life cycle the fungi that feed on thedead material in the turf are too small to easily see.However, under certain weather conditions the fungimove into a reproductive phase and produce thesmall brown toadstools found in the turf. The spores(serving the same purpose as seeds) released fromthe toadstools fall to the ground or are carried longdistances on the wind. The air is full of themicroscopic spores of various fungi and they will onlygrow if they find suitable conditions. In the case ofnewly laid turf, the spores only grow if a suitable foodsource remains in the turf. Once the dead material inthe turf has gone, the toadstools will go as well. It isvery unlikely that they will return in quantity.When do toadstools appear?Toadstools are commonly seen whenever the weatheris warm enough. When you water newly laid turf, youprovide an ideal warm, moist microclimate for thefungus that produces the toadstools to grow. Insuitable conditions toadstools are produced a fewdays after laying the turf. They emerge in a flush of

growth and may persist for a few weeks at most, thendisappear. Occasionally, a second brief outbreak mayoccur, possibly during the next period of warm moistweather. If turf is laid in cold weather the fungi will notappear until the temperature rises and conditions aremoist. If decomposition is not complete when wintercomes and cold weather stops growth of the fungi,more toadstools may form the following year. It ismost unusual for toadstools of this type to beproduced in the year after that.What are they?The most common of these toadstools is the “brownhay cap”, but other species may be involved.Is my lawn diseased?In some gardening books, the only reference totoadstools in turf is in connection with fairy rings,which can be a very serious problem on maturelawns. The small brown toadstools found in newly laidturf are completely different from those found in fairyrings, and have no long term consequences. Iftoadstools of colours other than brown are found, it islikely that they are living on buried dead wood, forexample tree roots. In this case, the toadstools will befound immediately above the decaying wood.Removing the wood will prevent fungi of this type fromgrowing.Are they poisonous?Without accurate identification, it is impossible to saywhether toadstools are poisonous. As a precaution, itwould be wise to keep small children away from themsince they may be harmful if eaten in quantity, as isthe case with many things found in gardens.Can they be treated?There are no fungicides recommended in the UK foruse against these toadstools. However, since they arenot damaging to the turf, and are part of a natural andtemporary process, there is no need to treat them.If you are worried about children eating them ingarden, the best approach is to remove the toadstoolsfrom the lawn by mowing the affected area on a dailybasis until no more are produced. Provided the lawnis not mown at less than 25mm height of cut this willnot damage the turf. Alternatively, breaking theirstems by brushing the toadstools will allow them todry out and disappear – they are composed mainly ofwater.SummaryIt is very common for small brown toadstools to growin cultivated turf in the weeks after laying - fromwhichever grower it is obtained. They are notdamaging to the turf and are a temporary problem.

Fact Sheet 5Toadstoolsin recently

laid turf

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