Your Questions Answered. Helpful Advice, Hints and Tips.

New lawns need time for their roots to become established before they can be mowed for the first time. Sod may be ready to be mowed within 2 to 3 weeks of planting or once your new turf has grown approximately 30mm - 50mm.  Shorter than this will weaken the lawn and allow weeds to encroach and thus require more care. Three to six weeks are required for sprigs, stolons, and plugs to become established. 

For seeded lawns, it is important that you wait for all of the seeds to germinate before mowing. This can sometimes take up to two months. 

Only mow when the ground conditions are fairly dry and  will take your weight and that of your mower without leaving an impression. Never cut more than a third off your lawn at any one time.  You can mow twice a week if required.

Winter is firmly set in with hard frosts and wet weather and all is quiet in the garden.  However, there are still a few simple things you can do to help keep your lawn healthy.

January
In January it is important that you avoid walking on the lawn if there is a frost or if it is waterlogged.  This can damage the grass leaving it open to diseases and other problems.  If the weather conditions allow aerate the surface of your lawn using a garden fork or an appropriate aerator.

Try to keep the lawn as dry as possible by removing as many leaves and heavier debris such as twigs with a light rake, garden brush or leaf blower. This will also help to reduce the risk of disease. If you have not already done so, take the lawn mower for its annual service.

If you have a moss problem now can be a good time to apply a lawn treatment and if you have not already done so, take the lawn mower for its annual service.

February
Although Spring is just around the corner, February weather tends to be very cold still.  Try to stay off the grass if you have frost, frozen ground or if it is waterlogged.  Continue or begin to tackle any moss problems by applying a sulphate treatment to your lawn. This can discourage the moss issue and also any lawn disease problems.

If you notice any worm casts appear, you should brush them off to avoid creating seedbeds for unwelcome weeds. Also continue to remove fallen leaves and twigs from your lawn.

Our turf can be used all year round. In the height of Summer it will need extra water during the first 10 days to survive. In winter time your preparation might be more difficult due to in climatic weather, but overcoming these is possible and laying the turf can continue.

The principal benefits of using turf rather than seed to produce a new lawn is the greater speed and certainty of even establishment and complete coverage.

A newly-turfed lawn is normally ready for use in a matter of weeks, whereas it can be months before one is able to safely walk on a newly-seeded lawn, let alone use it for the rough and tumble of everyday outdoor activities. Even then, competition from birds, small mammals, weeds and the weather means that a seeded lawn will require close attention over the coming months.

There is no guarantee that all the seed will germinate, so it can be a year, often longer, before your entire lawn looks like a lawn and can be used as a lawn. In the case of turf, it is the professional turf grower who takes the uncertainty and risk out of the complete operation from ground preparation to sowing, fertilising to spraying, watering to rolling and mowing to vacuuming.

The turf supplied by Wirral Turf will have taken from 12 to 18 months to bring to maturity. During that time, it will have been carefully tended and given everything it needs to make it suitable for lifting and laying in its new home. It is said that seeding costs less than turfing.

That may be true if one compares solely on the cost of the seed for one square metre of soil with the cost of covering that same square with turf. However, having taken into account the care and attention needed to bring a seeded lawn to the same level of growth, density and maturity as a turfed lawn then the ultimate difference in cost is marginal. Choosing turf from a reputable, professional grower such as Wirral Turf removes the problems of seeding. With turf, what you see is what you get. The same cannot be said for seed.

Before you order turf it is important that you calculate the amount you need to ensure it will cover the area of your planned lawn. 

Square or rectangular lawn areas are easily calculated by multiplying the length by the width.  For irregular shaped lawns, you may find that sketching a plan of your area and breaking the area up into smaller squares and rectangles may assist you. 

Whatever the shape and size of your lawn, we strongly recommend that you purchase 5% more turf than you have calculated to cover wastage/trimming to fit edges.

If you require any assistance please call our friendly team on 0151 3368911.













 

The driver will get as close as possible to your house and then unload the turf onto the kerb or driveway. Please make provisions to allow room for the driver to unload and let us know of any potential problems.

Ideally you should begin to lay turf immediately after delivery. A roll of turf is a living mat of plants that need light as well as water and sunlight to thrive. If turf is left rolled up it will heat up and begin to turn yellow - this happens faster during warm weather.

Yes.  We still harvest turf throughout the winter months.  In fact, due to the advantages of out of season turfing such as no need for watering, it will be established ready for the spring and it is easier to keep off it, we can be very busy indeed.  Only the heaviests of frosts will prevent us from cutting.