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How long to lay turf?

LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
in Tools and techniques

So the saga of my lawn continues. I have raised the level by several inches, mixed, allowed to settle, added more, raked, levelled, trod down... my treat to myself at the end of these months of work was to have turf rather than seed. But my partner is working ridiculous hours and 6 day weeks so we can't lay it together. I didn't think I could do it myself in the time, with having kids to get to places etc so I got a quote from a company to lay it: Oh My Giddy Aunt I am not paying that!

So, realistically, how long do you thnk it would take me, single handed, to lay it? It's not a huge area - 436 sq ft (a sort of capital 'I' - 3 adjoining area 13'x15', 6'x12', 13'x13') and it's all square / rectangular so no funny shapes. It's level but there are still some small lumps and bumps to sort out in the process.

'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
- Cicero
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,142

    Is there a friend who would give you a hand?

    If you could guarantee you can keep children and pets off, I would go with seed - the perfect time of year is almost here and I think it produces a better lawn. It's soooooo much cheaper and you can spend all the money you save on lovely plants for the garden.  After all, you've done all the hard work in that preparation image  But it does mean not using the lawn until late summer - but you can't use a newly turfed lawn for a good while either image

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=424


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





  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923

    I once laid an area the size of a tennis court in one day, started at 8am and worked solidly for 10 hours on my own, it nearly killed me and I couldn't walk properly for a few days.

    but that was a fiddly area with lots of cutting in and the such. with two people and plenty of breaks you should be able to get that done in a couple of days. just make sure you work towards the house as you don't wan to be stepping on it for a while once laid.

  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360

    Thanks. I'm starting to think it can be done. I wanted to do it myself,  having invested so much time and energy up to this point,  but didn't thunk it would be possible.

    Dove, I really can't face seed - my delayed gratification limits have been reached! Also, as I've been buildng up the level of the lawn I haven't been walking on it so my flowerbeds, or what will be my flowerbeds, have become the paths... I  really want to be able to dig them over and start planting in them sooner than late summer.

    Treehugger, if you did a fiddly shaped tennis court in 10 hours I *must* be able to do this much smaller and simpler space in a day, especially if OH can help (he works 14-16 hour days at the moment so I was loathe to wear him out on his one day off, but if I  can do the bulk of it and he can help, it might be a goer). 

    And pansyface, I like to spend time pondering stuff really too, but I've been pondering this for months and now I have the bit between my teeth.

    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360

    A perfect solution has been found image.

    On the offchance, I contacted a local gardener I trust to ask for recommendations (for various reasons I thought he wouldn't be available to do it). But he is, he's been and looked and was very complimentary about my preparation. He can do it when I want, for 1/5 of the price I was quoted and he'll let me be his labourer and teach me as he goes along.

    Happy!

    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,142

    image

     Fantastic!  Let us know how it goes - photos would be good image


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





  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360

    Thanks for the champers - clink clink!

    Photos in a couple of weeks I hope image

    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360

    image

    Done! Some progress pics at http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/garden-design/raising-the-level-of-a-lawn/762061.html 

    Thanks everyone for your help and encouragement. Now I need to turn my attention to the borders asap!

    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • Joe_the_GardenerJoe_the_Gardener Posts: 876

    Well, that looks very good! Don't forget the watering - it'll drink it now that the sun is strong and the spring breezes are blowing.

  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360

    Thank you Joe. It rained heavily last night and the lawn is looking very green today. But it's also very warm and dry so I think I'll need to water. More rain forecast for tonight, but not so much. Can't decide whether I should water today or wait until the morning? All the advice I read says something along the lines of "it's very important to water well, but it's very important not to overwater"...

    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    Well LG tha t is the bees knees, really good, it's made your garden hasn't it.

    The high fences are lovely, good fences make good neighbours as they say.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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