Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Aug 06, 2011 7:10 pm Our turf has been laid. The soil was nice and flat in some areas, and fairly flat but with some bigger blobs of hard underlay, so not that nice. However, once the turf was rolled out, it is all bumpy, even in the nice flat areas. I did notice that turf's bottoms are very patchy and not uniform - there are areas with flat cut soil (which is quite hard), and then other areas where there is almost no soil on the roots, or very little. Obviously, this did contribute to the bumpiness, but is this the norm ?? Did anyone else have the same issue? Oh, the turf came straight from a turf farm (one that gives you those certificates for the turf if that matters). My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Bumpy new turf ! 3Aug 07, 2011 7:56 am Yep, from my experience & understaning its common because the turf farm's soil isn't perfectly level so when they harvest some rolls have more soil & some less. Compacting after laying helps flatten it out but it needs to settle in moreso. Give it a chance to fully root down and establish then worry about any lumps. As the soil settles new lumps and dips could occur too. Re: Bumpy new turf ! 4Aug 07, 2011 9:14 am Lex Our turf has been laid. The soil was nice and flat in some areas, and fairly flat but with some bigger blobs of hard underlay, so not that nice. However, once the turf was rolled out, it is all bumpy, even in the nice flat areas. I did notice that turf's bottoms are very patchy and not uniform - there are areas with flat cut soil (which is quite hard), and then other areas where there is almost no soil on the roots, or very little. Obviously, this did contribute to the bumpiness, but is this the norm ?? Did anyone else have the same issue? Oh, the turf came straight from a turf farm (one that gives you those certificates for the turf if that matters). Hi Lex, We layed turf (Tall Fescue, recycled water estate) almost three weeks ago.....although a dry day we'd had rain in the lead up. Managed to get down no problems and used a roller 1/2 filled with water for contact of turf to soil - this might help you. Anco Turf - beautifully cut and now looks a treat Pictures on Blog. Carlisle Homes 'Savannah 28' Visit our Blog: http://www.oursavannah28.blogspot.com Handover 31st March, 2011 - Landscaping completed Re: Bumpy new turf ! 5Aug 07, 2011 10:28 am Thanks guys Deb, that job looks a million dollars!!! Your turf arrived with uniform "bottoms" (at least according to one pic, plus the overall result, which is unreal!!). I asked our turf layers about using the roller, but they brushed it off saying that it would be almost the same if we keep hand watering it (and therefore walking over and pressing down the turf to force it make contact with ground ). This was a common sense anyway, but there is SOOOO much turf to walk over and press all the areas that are standing up , very time consuming. Next time I'd get a roller for sure Now just wondering ... does anyone know of a Sir Walter farm where they do cut the turf flat like in Deb's case? I'm not really impressed with having to wait and see, and then do top-up fixes a few times until it's actually flat?? Not impressed at all. The top ups mean that our overall turf level will go up - which stuffs up other things ... My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Bumpy new turf ! 6Aug 07, 2011 10:52 am Lex Thanks guys Deb, that job looks a million dollars!!! Your turf arrived with uniform "bottoms" (at least according to one pic, plus the overall result, which is unreal!!). I asked our turf layers about using the roller, but they brushed it off saying that it would be almost the same if we keep hand watering it (and therefore walking over and pressing down the turf to force it make contact with ground ). This was a common sense anyway, but there is SOOOO much turf to walk over and press all the areas that are standing up , very time consuming. Next time I'd get a roller for sure Now just wondering ... does anyone know of a Sir Walter farm where they do cut the turf flat like in Deb's case? I'm not really impressed with having to wait and see, and then do top-up fixes a few times until it's actually flat?? Not impressed at all. The top ups mean that our overall turf level will go up - which stuffs up other things ... Lex, we've always used a roller....walking on turf will make indents and airpockets without uniform soil contact. Watering will set turf but it is also the root base being pressed into existing soil, if that makes sense I would be annoyed at having to do major top-up fixes to instant turf - defeats the whole purpose for me Your in Sydney? http://www.ancoturf.com.au perhaps contact them for a Sydney supplier/guidance. Carlisle Homes 'Savannah 28' Visit our Blog: http://www.oursavannah28.blogspot.com Handover 31st March, 2011 - Landscaping completed Re: Bumpy new turf ! 8Aug 07, 2011 3:47 pm Lex, Check out http://thelawnguide.com.au/lawn-repair/ ... lawns.html It mentions not worrying about new lawns for 3 months. Also i definately would not be walking all over the new turf to create better contact... It will get very lumpy that way. Re: Bumpy new turf ! 9Aug 07, 2011 6:45 pm OMG, we are walking on it as much as we can trying to find the blobs and squash them And the turf is still raised with large air pockets in between the turf and the soil (in some smaller places). They left some large blobs of super hard underlay and that could also be a big problem. I guess it is not normal to leave the underlay in golf-ball size blobs which are soooo hard and can't be broken down. My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Bumpy new turf ! 10Aug 07, 2011 7:58 pm Lex ::: OMG, we are walking on it as much as we can trying to find the blobs and squash them And the turf is still raised with large air pockets in between the turf and the soil (in some smaller places). They left some large blobs of super hard underlay and that could also be a big problem. I guess it is not normal to leave the underlay in golf-ball size blobs which are soooo hard and can't be broken down. You paint such a good picture Lex I'd call the turf installers and voice your concerns - if turf not too wet consider hiring a roller from Bunnings $11/four hours. A picture? would tell a thousand words Carlisle Homes 'Savannah 28' Visit our Blog: http://www.oursavannah28.blogspot.com Handover 31st March, 2011 - Landscaping completed Re: Bumpy new turf ! 11Aug 07, 2011 8:05 pm Good one Debra that is what I was going to say, get a roller. Or better a compactor. Re: Bumpy new turf ! 12Aug 07, 2011 8:23 pm But I'm told by The Experts that we may need to roll it once established (eg. at 7 weeks) This is weird to me, wouldn't it be better to roll it when laying !!!? Picture ... it looks OK from a distance, but you can see that it's bumpy and especially feel all the bumps and dips. Need to capture a good one when it's daylight My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Bumpy new turf ! 13Aug 07, 2011 8:34 pm Roller will not fix this problem and is likely to only create more of a problem. This is why I go on about good soil prep and high amounts of organic composts. The soil will soften and a quick few laps will get the area silky smooth. Pretty smooth doesn't cut it. Compacted and then raked with a very strong, wide plastic rake to get it mickey mouse. Then lay out the turf in alternating directions with each pass. Do the boarders first and use those to walk along. Once laid the turf should then be lightly compacted with a small plate compactor. It will come out flat and even. If the turf hasn't been firmed up enough foot prints will put bumps in it. Then when the turf is laid it will look like a bit of a mess and further expense required to fix it. So right now you'll be best advised to get a big wide cyclone plastic rake (the one with an aluminium handle). Have some organic compost delivered. (not lawn sand, lawn topdress or lawn topsoil) and cover the area so the holes are filled and the blades of lawn stick out through. That means a light covering. Hire a small plate compactor for the morning and do a few laps, give it a good water. Then a dose of molassess and hopefully you have included some of this stuff too. http://www.maiaustralia.com.au/ Give it all 6-8 weeks and it will be near perfect and very strong. If the turf was laid onto poor so called "lawn mixes" with a turf starter fert expect it to go well for the first 8 months and then get problems creeping in. Re: Bumpy new turf ! 14Aug 07, 2011 8:36 pm If it laid properly it will be firm, smooth and even right from the start. Rolling in weeks to come will achieve nothing. Rolling to prep an area is never going to be able to give a quality finish unless the area is very small but even then is a bit armature for pros to be using. Re: Bumpy new turf ! 16Aug 08, 2011 7:33 pm Normal top soil will give more opportunity for a sustainable lawn. They create the very situations an environment for all the problems we all try to avoid with our lawns. You need to use a rich humus compost. Yes weeds will grow, doesn't matter though. Let them grow. When the soil warms up after warm nights arrive again the lawn gets growing again, you can spray them and let the lawn become stronger. No point fluffing about spraying weeds now. They will only be replaced by more weeds. Where weeds are concerned, rather than just kill them, understand why they are there in the first place. That way you don't end up like those people on the plastic grass adds. (which also gets weeds by the way;) ) The better the soil, the better the lawn, the better the lawn, the less weeds you get. They using concrete or timber sleepers? Timber or steel uprights? Any drainage behind sleeper? 3 5878 A person needs to be licensed to offer financial advice. Surely the accountant you use would have been chosen for his/her expertise in this field. Have you asked your… 1 6733 |