How To Install Your Own Turf This Fall
Have you noticed that your lawn is looking a little brown or patchy? There is no better time than this fall to transform your lawn into a beautiful green yard. It’s time to be the envy of your neighbourhood! Read on to learn how you can landscape your yard with our top-quality turf.
What Steps Should You Take With Your Turf Grass?
Proper installation can make all the difference when it comes to your lawn which is why these steps will assist with the success of your turf grass. We want to share our tips for installing turf:
Remove Existing Grass
It is important to remove all existing grass from the area where you are planning on laying turf. Using a sod cutter or hoe will make it easier to remove old lawns. It is recommended that you water the lawn before doing this or do it after heavy rain.
Test The Soil
Testing your soil prior to laying turf is important because it will tell you what your soil’s pH levels are and if your lawn is deficient in any nutrients. This will allow you to see what you should add to your soil and determine the type of fertilizer you will need. Don’t take a wild guess on what your lawn needs, healthy soil means healthy grass.
Level It Out
Raking your lawn and making sure that it is levelled can make it easy for your turf to grow and be laid easier. You may find that you require some new organic topsoil to help with the success of the new turf.
Fertilize
Fertilizing can help to supplement the nutrients in the soil and restore its balance. After testing your soil, you will have a more accurate idea of what type of fertilizer you need to have a healthy and thriving lawn. Fertilizer can also be a proactive solution to weed control and help to ensure a thick and robust lawn.
Laying It Down
When unrolling turf, it is recommended that you start with the furthest edge of your yard. This will help eliminate the need to walk over the newly installed turf. After you unroll the turf, make sure you gently press the turf into the ground with your hand. Keep your turf close together to avoid it looking patchy. Continue this process until your yard is completely covered in the new grass.
H20
Proper hydration of the turf is crucial! New turf requires watering twice a day for the first week after installation and don’t forget to fully saturate the turf. For the following three weeks, you should be watering two to three times a week, after that, you likely will only need to water once a week.
Remember that this may vary based on your location and our team will be able to help you to come up with a watering schedule. Especially in fall, it is recommended to water before noon to allow it enough time to soak up the water before the evening now that it cooling off more.
Watch Your Step
It is crucial that once the turf is installed that you avoid walking on it for 2-3 weeks to allow it to grow. Depending on the location, this can be difficult to do which is why it is important to avoid outdoor events during this time. Putting up a don’t walk on the turfed grass sign may come in handy for those unaware of the new lawn.
Continuous Care
Now that you have installed your beautiful new turf grass, proper maintenance is key to success to keep your grass looking nice and green. It is recommended that you wait until the new turf has grown to about 2-3 inches long before you mow the new turf. If it doesn’t appear to be growing enough to mow after three weeks, let us know and we can guide you through what to do now. Make sure that you also wait until your lawn is ready to mow before raking it because if the turf hasn’t started to grow roots into the soil, you will end up lifting the turf.
Ensuring The Success Of Your New Turf
Timing should be a key consideration when deciding when you should install your turf. If you are planning on going away on holiday, hosting an event, or cannot care for the lawn, you’ll want to reconsider when you lay the turf. There are many benefits to properly installed turf.
Get Your Brand New Lawn
This fall is your perfect opportunity to take your landscaping to the next level with new turf. At Lavington Turf Farms, we carefully choose seeds and suppliers that provide only the highest quality of turf. Let our team help you to choose the best turf options for you. We provide pick up at our farm or delivery that services Okanagan (including Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, Osoyoos, Sorrento, Salmon Arm), Thompson Okanagan (Kamloops), BC Interior, and to the US border.
Contact us directly by phone at (1-250-549-2967) with any questions about our turf and your lawn care needs or fill out our contact form on our website. You can learn more about us here too.
Learn more about laying turf with our other blogs:
Time To Start Laying Some Turf!
Mighty May
There is something about Spring that gets people inspired. Between the change in weather and the transformation of the valley’s landscape, as it awakens from its winter slumber, the land comes alive! Due to the warm summers with low humidity, and the mild winters; the Okanagan’s semi-arid climate is the perfect location to start your turfing needs. Within Okanagan and Interior British Columbia, you can install turf any time from early spring to late fall. There can be benefits to laying turf during the month of May.
Reasons Why You Should Be Laying Turf in May
You’ll have many considerations to figure out when planning for big transformations on your home or business properties and it’s no different with your new turf plans. We are here to help answer any questions you may have on when is the best time for you to lay down your new turf. Here’s why we think May is a perfect time.
It’s A Comfortable Temperature To Work In
The May working conditions are perfect – let’s go! The average high temperature in British Columbia is 18 degrees Celsius (65 Fahrenheit) and the average low temperature is 11 degrees celsius (52 Fahrenheit). Ideal outdoor temperatures for laying down your new turf.
The Long Days Assist With Avoiding Sod Heating
Sod heating is when harvested turf is suffering from heat stress after being rolled up too long and as a result, hasn’t had sufficient sunlight, air or water. The longer days in May help alleviate some of this stress on your turf but you should lay new turf ASAP to avoid the chance of sod heating.
The Soil Is More Accepting Of The Turf
Laying turf requires some prep work and understanding of the overall turf installation process in order to be successful. Also in May, you’ll find your soil is in its best condition for the application of the turf to the ground.
The Soil Is Warmer Which Helps With Plant Growth
Those May temperatures are just what the turf relies on to generate strong plant growth and in turn, provide you with healthy lush green turf. We tailor all of our products for the unique and beautiful climate we live in to make sure that your lawn is unparalleled in quality and beauty.
Don’t Lay Turf If...
Timing is everything and it is also a key consideration when deciding when you can plan for your turf installation. For instance, if you are planning on going away on holiday and cannot care for the lawn you’ll want to reconsider your plans. Also, the soil will not be receptive to the turf if it is TOO WET, TOO HOT or TOO COLD. We carefully choose our seed and suppliers to provide the highest quality varieties that best perform for our diverse climate and usage needs.
No Better Time To Turf
There is no better time than now to get your turf project completed, learn more about our turf products today. We carefully choose our seed and suppliers to provide the highest quality varieties that best perform for our diverse climate and usage needs. Come on down to Lavington Turf Farms and talk with our team about the best turf options for you. We provide availability for pick up or delivery that services Okanagan (including Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, Osoyoos, Sorrento, Salmon Arm), Thompson Okanagan (Kamloops) BC Interior, and All the way to the US border. You can contact us directly about any questions or quotes about our turf and any other lawn care needs over the phone at (1-250-549-2967) or you can fill out our contact form on our website here.
The Benefits of Real Grass
The average home within the beautiful Okanagan, and many other cities across Canada, comes with its share of beautiful yard space and accompanying turf. This grass can be found on lawns, athletic fields, parks, and many other recreational areas. In fact, Canada alone has over 6.2 million maintained lawns (StatsCan, 2014). With ongoing research, turfgrass is proving to have benefits that go beyond that of just aesthetic, but also continue to benefit the environment, house value, and your overall health.
With all that said, and with growing technology advancements, homeowners now have the option to fill their yards with real growing grass or artificial grass. In this blog, however, we will break down the key benefits associated with having real, natural grass, compared to the alternative; artificial grass.
Let’s get going!
Environmental Benefits
The impact that natural turf grass has on the environment is important. After all, the environment is essential for quality of life and health. Keeping that in mind, turfgrass is a living organism. Natural turf utilizes photosynthesis and releases oxygen into the air, improving air quality. Even more interesting, turfgrass measuring in 2,500 square feet produces enough oxygen for a family of four to breathe.
Putting it more into perspective, one soccer field can offset the carbon produced by a car driving 3,000 miles (SportsTurf, 2018). Compared to the alternative, artificial grass provides no air quality benefit.
Besides just the benefit of reducing carbon dioxide, natural grass is proven to be a filter. By this we mean, of course, turfgrass traps dust and dirt released annually within the atmosphere. Purifying the air where possible!
Water Absorption
Even more ideal in heavy rain seasons, healthy grass and mulch will do an excellent job in absorbing rainfall. Beneficial microbes and a thick root system of natural grass actually filters water as it passes through, removing some potentially damaging bacteria going into storm sewers systems. For example, a 2,500 square foot lawn can harvest over 1,000 gallons of rainwater before runoff occurs (Lawn Institute, 2021). This strong water absorption can even help with fire resistance. All the more reason to keep your lawn healthy and happy!
Value & Appeal
Another great benefit to natural turf is the overall community appeal and property benefit. It will come as no surprise to hear that one of the most effective ways to boost curb appeal for a home is through landscaping. By landscaping, we mean increasing the attractiveness of a lawn through property yard adjustments. As well, manicured lawns are important factors for families to consider
when purchasing plots of land.
Of course, real lawns provide obvious value but they also come with added appeal. Nothing quite beats running in natural grass during a hot summer day and feeling the cold crisp grass beneath your feet. The feeling of having natural grass for children to play around on, not only adds personal value to your home but can even trigger stress relief. That’s just added comfort that comes with real grass!
Commercial Projects
Turfgrass is extensively used for recreation and sport activity spaces. This could include; football, soccer, rugby, golf, baseball, and much more.
Whatever your commercial project can include, natural turfgrass is reliable and provides a natural surface in stadiums, courses, and more. As mentioned previously, the added benefit of real turfgrass is the cooling effects it holds. Consider a stadium, in comparison, a single high school baseball stadium can provide up to 70 tons of air conditioning (SportsTurf, 2018). That’s a lot of cooling!
Conclusion
With all the reasons stated above, we hope this blog was able to help you understand the large benefits that come with having natural growing turf. Whatever your project includes, let natural grass improve your quality of life, home value, and overall health.
If you are looking to understand turf varieties, and more on how it can benefit your home or commercial project, then contact us today!
At Lavington Turf Farms, we understand the importance of having a well-kept space, and with our knowledge of high-quality turf, we provide our customers with significant results all year round.
Service Area
We proudly serve the following areas: Vernon, Coldstream, Lumby, Salmon Arm, Sorrento, Revelstoke, Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton, Kootenays, and Caribou, all the way to the USA Border.
For more information or a free quote for your project, please visit this page on our website.
References:
https://www.stma.org/eight-benefits-of-natural-grass/
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/16-002-x/2007002/10336-eng.htm
https://www.thelawninstitute.org/
Top Tips for Sod Installation
Introduction
Laying sod is one quick way to ensure you achieve a beautiful and healthy lawn. However, it’s very important that you go about installing the sod properly to reap the full benefits of a new lawn. As a homeowner, It is best to install turf when you receive it, or store it in a shaded place until you can install it. This helps maintain the sod quality and prevents it from drying out and rotting before application.
We detailed in our previous blog – the important steps for preparing your project area. In this blog, we will continue the sod installation process and cover a few tips while also providing some advice when it comes to installing the sod.
Prepare the Project Area
In our previous blog, we highlighted some crucial tips on preparing your yard for new sod – you can find this blog here. For convenience however, we can break it down into the following topics: Removing weeds/clearing the area, preparing your soil, installing irrigation, and measuring your area. Preparing your project area is very important for the success of your sod – and ultimately, that just saves time, and allows you to enjoy the benefits of your yard sooner!
Unroll Turf
Once you have smoothed out the area, you can begin by unrolling the turf. It’s important to lay the turf along straight edges; such as starting from a driveway. Unroll the turf on the longest landscaping area – this is making sure that the sod is fully exposed to the soil beneath it, so it has the best chance of adapting to the soil.
Lay Turf in Rows
Work with the pieces, laying edge to edge and flattening them as you go. Using a utility knife if necessary to cut pieces that are in uneven areas within your project area. Be sure to smooth out footprints in the dirt as you walk, and place the sod strategically so you avoid walking over it as you continue to place the remainder of the sod.
Create Tight Seems
While you continue to lay your turf, ensure that the pieces lay flush against each other without any overlapping. You will want to prevent any gaps as well – so be observant that each piece is well aligned to one another. It’s also important to note that you will get better water retention if you lay sod horizontally, rather than vertically, if you have a sloped property. As mentioned before, it’s important to not walk on your placed sod as your weight can disrupt the placement and shift the sod to create gaps.
Roll Out/Press Down the New Sod
Once you have finished the placement, cutting and rearranging of the sod – it’s time to fully press it into the soil. The purpose of this is to achieve a tight connection between the sod and soil; this can be easily achieved with a lawn roller. After your rolling is complete, it’s best to limit the traffic on your newly laid sod to ensure it establishes well – this includes children and pets.
Water, Water, Water
Did we make it clear you need to water your sod well? Of course you don’t want puddles forming on the newly laid sod, however, you’ll definitely want to water daily to encourage deep root growth. After the first week of active watering, you can slowly decrease the watering to every other day – of course, accounting for rainfall as well. Watering your newly laid sod actively is the real secret to achieving healthy and lush grass.
Conclusion
No matter the case, or size of your project this year – Lavington Turf Farms is here to help! We provide Okanagan drought tolerant turf & sod that’s customizable for your project – whatever that entails. But, if you find that your project is too large, we also professionally install turf for your project – contact us for a quote today, we are always happy to answer any questions!
Service Area
We proudly serve the following areas: Vernon, Coldstream, Lumby, Salmon Arm, Sorrento, Revelstoke, Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton, Kootenays, and Caribou, all the way to the USA Border.
For more information or a free quote for your project, please visit this page on our website.
4 Key Tips to Preparing Your Yard for New Sod
So, you have decided once and for all that this is the time of year to start that project, and finally get that front yard looking exactly how you always wanted it to look. Or maybe you read our previous blog located here, and finally feel motivated to lay new sod this season. Whatever your situation is, when you decide to install a new lawn and take advantage of the best time of the year to do it, you’re going to need some useful tips on how to prepare your yard. Sod is an investment, so it’s important to prepare your yard properly so you reap all the benefits of a successful lawn.
Let our experience with growing and installing sod help you with any project you hope to accomplish this season. Here you’ll find a few tips that we can give you when preparing to lay sod.
Remove any weeds or existing grass from the area
Whether your current project involves removing existing grass or you are planning to lay sod in a new area – your first step should always be to clear the area. This involves removing any existing grass or weeds, debris, and any large stones or clay that could affect the placement of new sod. The simplest method is to rake the area of any debris, but if you possess a tiller, you can break apart the top 4-6 inches of ground to reveal and remove any debris.
Optional: It may be a good idea to spray weeds with non-selective herbicide to guarantee they won’t invade your new grass as well. This is especially true if you have a severe weed or noxious grass problem.
Prepare your soil
If you read our previous blog, you would know that we mentioned how important preparing your soil is – and we meant that. Now that the area is clear of debris, it’s best practice to level the area by using a rake and ensuring any high spots and low spots are now evened. Apply and spread an adequate amount of high quality top soil, resulting in a depth of 3 – 3.5 inches.
Additionally, you will want to roll/compact the top soil using a roller. Another method to compacting top soil without a roller, is using plywood or the back of a shovel. However, we would always recommend a roller to best help the sod roots come into better contact with the soil. As well, if you are laying sod near a driveway, walkway or road then ensure the top soil applied is one inch below to ensure an easier mowing experience.
Install any Irrigation
At this stage, once your soil is leveled and in good condition you will then be in good standing to install your sprinkler system. If you are planning on installing your own irrigation system, just keep in mind that the sprinkler heads should be a ½ inch above the dirt. This gives the heads enough room for the sod, since the sod typically lies ¾ – 1 inch in depth.
Measure the area
Our final key tip is ensuring you have the correct amount of sod for your project scope. This means calculating the sod required by measuring the length and width of the area in feet. This is the formula you need to determine the number of square feet needed:
Length X width = number of square feet needed.
You can also order the sod for delivery or pickup for your expected day of installation. If you need a quote or assistance determining the amount of sod you would need, feel free to contact us at 1-250-549-2967 or fill out our request a quote form here.
Conclusion
At Lavington Turf Farms, we know the investment that comes with preparing to lay sod and the importance of doing it properly so you achieve the full benefits of a healthy yard. We always strongly stand by that preparation is key to the success of your sod – but we are always here if you have any questions with your own projects. With these tips you should be ready to tackle any project and apply your sod this season in full confidence.
Service Area
We proudly serve the following areas: Vernon, Coldstream, Lumby, Salmon Arm, Sorrento, Revelstoke, Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton, Kootenays, and Caribou, all the way to the USA Border.
For more information or a free quote for your project, please visit this page on our website.
