Dying turf
Cindy-3
Posts: 3
I'm after advice if possible.
I layer new turf last year. Watered it regularly cut it on the longer cut. But piece by piece it all died and disintegrated to nothing leaving just the netting....I have since dug the ground quite deep. Added manure let it settle for a couple of months and purchased new turf in April from a different supplier. I have had a different person to lay it, the day it arrived. I have again watered regular. Cut on the longest cut. Had my soil tested and that's ok. But again it's started to die and some places I can still lift the turf where it is not knitting into the earth. It is all fenced off so nothing can get on it....I previously had bark in the area if this makes a difference.... Also I don't get any weeds growing from the soil. Any suggestions would be appreciated before it all dies again.
Posts
It's possible that whatever has leeched out of the bark over the years has affected the soil. It certainly seems very odd that turf laid 2 or 3 months ago hasn't rooted sufficiently to prevent it being lifted. When we had turf laid it had bonded within a couple of weeks.
As even weeds don't grow in the ground it would seem that there is a problem with the soil.
Is it possible that a long-acting weedkiller was applied to the area prior to the bark?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have had a test done on a couple of patches and the soil is fine. And no I didn't apply weed killer before the bark. I used membrane as a cover. I do have a couple of dawaf trees growing and they have done brill in the same soil
It would be good to have a photo of your turf right now. Sounds like the soil has not made proper contact with your new turf. I don't know if your contractors are up to the job, but it does seem like the soil may have not been raked over and possibly, they laid it straight into quite compacted soil. Plus, if you lay any turf in July, it is very risky. It's still possible there has not been enough watering. In fact, it's almost impossible to over-water the lawn right now. I would say, where areas are lifting up, rake over the soil lightly, maybe mix a little bit of fine compost and then tamp the edges down again and then water the areas again. Not a quick sprinkle, a really long soak.
It was layed may...and the soil was well dug over and raked.