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segovia

By Segovia

Merseyside, United Kingdom Gb

I laid turf 8-9 days ago and I have watered it every day, I was planning to cut it after two weeks but it is already seeding and getting a bit long. The subsoil is still a bit soft in places, shall I leave it a few more days ?



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Answers

 

I am not sure what you mean when you say the 'subsoil is still soft in places'. When turf is laid, its usually onto an area that has been prepared by firming down as well as levelling, and if that wasn't done, then the 'soft spots' will not firm up. I would cut that grass shown in the picture now, its certainly long enough to cut.

27 May, 2012

 

There was quite a bit of topsoil needed and in places it was probably 10" deep. So in these areas there is just a bit of softness but it is firming up by the day

27 May, 2012

 

Two weeks and still soft spots and very damp in areas. Could it be the base or over watering ? By heels dig in to it

John

1 Jun, 2012

 

Not sure what the damp areas are, but I don't know what you can do about the soft spots other than firm them down by walking over them and then add topsoil to the resulting hollows and reseed.
If you added lots of topsoil to the area, it would have been best to leave it a minimum of a fortnight, preferably a month if it was more than few inches deep, to settle before continuing with normal lawn preparation.

1 Jun, 2012

 

Hi

I didn't do it, my contractor did. The topsoil and lawn was laid the same day, in places its a bit like jelly and the roots have not taken.

Thanks

J

1 Jun, 2012

 

Oh, naughty contractor - if he was going to do that, he should have gone over with a large roller, like they do for tarmac...

2 Jun, 2012

 

Well its been 4 weeks now and I know we have had quite a bit of rain but my new lawn is like a bog in some areas. I have to walk on it to mow it which I have done 3 times now. Where it is extremely wet I have have indentations (foot marks) as my feet are sinking. Where it is wet the roots have not taken. The contractor says it will be OK when it dries out, do I need a second opinion ?

15 Jun, 2012

 

Blimey, hard to say really, I don't know how much rain you've had there. Where your feet make indentations, is that just because its really wet in those areas, or is it because the turf sinks downwards when you stand on it? It'll sink down into a hollow when you put pressure on it if its a soft spot - if its just sodden, you'll end up with a footprint, but no actual hollow. Funny thing is, if its soft spots, technically they should drain faster than soil which is compressed, though not necessarily. It's all very well for the contractor to say it'll be fine when its dried out, but given the weather this year, that might not be for months, or next year.
I think I'd be inclined to lift a turf where its really wet and check the soil beneath to see whether its really a soft spot, specially if the turf hasn't rooted beneath yet.

15 Jun, 2012

How do I say thanks?

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