Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Newly Laid Turf - Spongy

PM8490PM8490 Posts: 6
in Problem solving
We had new turf laid about 10 days ago. A new layer of topsoil was spread beneath it, and a French drainage system was also installed.

I've been tweaking the watering daily, and aside from a couple of small brown-ish spots which are definitely on the mend when compared to two of three days ago, everything is looking healthy, so I think I'm giving it the right amount of water.

We've got a few mushrooms, which I've read is normal, and a few gaps, which I've filled in with a mix of grass seed and topsoil (again, based on internet advice).

The only issue I can identify at the moment is that when I press my finger into the base of the turf (don't worry - I've only done this in a small number of spots and only where the grass looks healthiest!), it feels very spongy. I don't plan to yet, but I feel like if I walked on it now it would make some considerable indents.

Is this sponginess normal for newly laid turf? Is it a sign that the lawn needs a bit more time before being walked on? Will it firm up as the root systems get deeper and stronger? OR is it something which I need to take steps to tackle, for example by running a roller on it? I've read that thatch can cause a spongy lawn on older lawns, but for a lawn as young as ours I doubt there's a thatch issue.

Any help / advice / reassurance would be most welcome.

Thank you!
«1

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    How well was the ground firmed before laying the turf? It should be well trodden all over (kind of shuffling over the surface with weight mostly on the heels) to firm the ground and get rid of any air pockets, then lightly raked just to level it up, before laying the turf. If the topsoil was just spread without firming, that might be why it feels spongy.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • PM8490PM8490 Posts: 6
    JennyJ said:
    How well was the ground firmed before laying the turf? It should be well trodden all over (kind of shuffling over the surface with weight mostly on the heels) to firm the ground and get rid of any air pockets, then lightly raked just to level it up, before laying the turf. If the topsoil was just spread without firming, that might be why it feels spongy.
    Hi Jenny

    That's a question I can't answer I'm afraid - I wasn't here when the landscapers laid it. I'd be surprised if they didn't though, for the days I was here they were extremely thorough with the rest of the garden (it was a full renovation). 

    However if that did turn out to be the issue, would it help to run a roller over it in a few days?

    If that's not the issue, I'm still not sure whether the sponginess is to be expected.

    Thank you!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I wouldn’t roll newly laid turf … I think you might end up with ridges and furrows. I’d wait for the roots to bed in, then as they grow it should begin to firm up. 
    Afraid it’s the old saw of cultivating patience 😉 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • PM8490PM8490 Posts: 6
    Dovefromabove said:
    I wouldn’t roll newly laid turf … I think you might end up with ridges and furrows. I’d wait for the roots to bed in, then as they grow it should begin to firm up. 
    Afraid it’s the old saw of cultivating patience 😉 

    Thank you.

    If it turns out that the soil wasn't properly compacted, do I just live with it and fill any low-spots which emerge with topsoil and seed, or is there another fix?

    Cheers
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    paddymurphy8490hiw52fqY said:
    [...] a French drainage system was also installed.

    What do you call a French drainage system? I'm French and never heard of it. ;)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2021
    Here you are @Papi Jo

    https://bdsdrainage.co.uk/blog/french-drain/amp  

    We Brits tend to tack the word ‘French’ onto almost anything out of the usual run of things, from fancy cakes to drains, signs of affection and even ‘stationery’ … I think it implies that we think  you’re a bit ‘exotic’ 😉 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Probably best to leave it alone until the new grass is well established, follow any instructions that the landscapers gave you, and call them if it's uneven once the turf is growing well. If they're good reputable  landscapers, you should give them the chance to rectify any problems.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • scooty883scooty883 Posts: 34
    @Dovefromabove I always took the field drain/French drain as nothing more than a slang saying for the  membrane liner essentially wrapping the drain? Not saying I'm correct and don't think I've ever asked in 30 years of laying them tbh!
  • PM8490PM8490 Posts: 6
    Update (in case anyone has been having sleepless nights over it): a few days later and it feels much firmer. Still a small bit of give but much better than a week ago. 

    My new question is when should I mow it for the first time? It's looking pretty long and almost all areas look and feel well established. This Friday will be 3 weeks since it was laid. I'm away on Saturday so Sunday would be the earliest I could mow it. I know to only take about a third of the grass off with the first mow, and I've got a brand new mower so I'm confident that the blades are sharp enough not to damage the leaves.

    Thanks again!
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    I would check with the contractor who did the work.  They have the best local knowledge.
Sign In or Register to comment.