Create a superb lawn from scratch

    These instructions are for starting a new lawn. If you already have a lawn on level ground that needs complete renovation, our no-dig approach could be the way to bring it back to life.


    Watch our step-by-step video guide and learn how to grow a healty lawn with the Turfline® mixture: 

    Preparing the ground

    Preparation is best done during the autumn. Dig your plot, then leave it for winter frost and rain to break down the lumps. By the following spring you'll have nice crumbly soil to work with.

    1. Prepare the ground by removing stones and rubbish.
    2. Dig it over by spade or rotavator to improve drainage. The deeper you dig, the better.
    3. For a first-rate lawn, apply a top dressing of sand, compost, or loam. If your soil is heavy, add more sand to improve drainage. If your soil is light or sandy, work in plenty of peat or compost to add body and prevent drying out and nutrient loss.
    4. Level the surface, taking care not to remove too much topsoil from any one area.
    5. In the spring when the soil begins to dry out, prepare the seedbed. Rake it over from left to right and from front to back till you get a firm, level seedbed.
    6. Rake a general pre-seeding fertiliser into the soil. It will stimulate root growth to give your lawn a head start.
       

    Sowing

    Sow lawn seed any time from early spring to late autumn. Autumn sowing gets grass seed off to a good start. The moist soil retains the summer warmth, weed growth is minimal, and your lawn concentrates on root growth rather than top growth.

    1. You need about 35 g of seed for every square metre of lawn.
    2. For an even spread, sow half your seed from left to the right across the plot, and the other half from front to back. Cover the seed to a depth of the length of the seed. The ideal sowing depth is 1 cm.
    3. In dry weather, keep the seedbed permanently moist for the first two to three weeks. Water with a fine spray so you don't dislodge the seedlings.


    Mowing

    Mowing is much less of a chore than it used to be. Modern lawn mixtures need cutting 30% less often.

    1. Mow for the first time when your grass is 5 to 7 cm high. Don't cut too short; keep the mower blades high.
    2. Lower the blades gradually with each subesquent cut till you reach a cutting height of 25 to 35 mm.
    3. Mow more regularly as your lawn matures. Avoid cutting more than a third of the grass height at any one time.
    4. Before a dry spell and at the end of the season raise the cutting height by 10 to 20 mm.
    5. Put cuttings on your compost heap or leave them on your lawn if you cut frequently.