ᐅ Turf / Sod – Various Issues from the Start

Hello everyone,

After our new build was finally completed in December, we had our garden landscaped at the end of May. Unfortunately, we had a bit of a dispute with the company that installed our garden. Therefore, this company is not our first choice for obtaining information.

We have a total of about 80 sqm (860 sq ft) of lawn area, where Sport & Play turf was laid.

According to the gardener, some fertilizer was spread directly under the turf. Approximately 60 cm (24 inches) of nutrient-enriched soil was distributed and rolled under the turf.

Unfortunately, our turf was laid at a time when the midday sun was already around 25-30°C (77-86°F).

The Sport & Play turf has now been down for about 8 weeks.

Unfortunately, we have had problems from the very beginning.

Weeks 1-4 = Watered daily with about 15 L/m² (0.37 gallons/sq ft), yet the individual turf strips were still visible and there were gaps between them.

When walking on the lawn, there was a strong sinking feeling. After mowing, it was also noticeable how uneven the turf surface was.

Weeks 4-7 = Watered daily with about 10 L/m² (0.25 gallons/sq ft). The individual turf strips were no longer visible, but the lawn still seemed uneven and felt like sinking when walking on it.

Weeks 7-8 = Summer temperatures have now soared. I water on day 1 with 20 L/m² (0.5 gallons/sq ft) and on day 2 with 15 L/m² (0.37 gallons/sq ft). Nevertheless, large parts of the lawn appear green/brown and many areas look dried out! When walking on the lawn now, you no longer sink in.

The irrigation runs depending on intensity between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.

Watering is done using household water and a Gardena sprinkler system.

Now we have the following questions:

- Why do we have so many brown patches despite this amount of water?

- Is there a way to make the lawn more even? (Currently it looks uneven, almost like cobblestones)

- Should we possibly fertilize? If so, is that advisable with the current temperatures?

- How should I adjust the watering amount or the watering times?

Thank you very much

Tanning is like this. Fertilize during the heat! Otherwise, it will burn you faster.

Finish it now? Not anymore.

HilfeHilfe schrieb:
The grass is browned like this. Fertilize during the heat! Otherwise, it burns faster.

Do it now? Not anymore

It's hardly understandable. Please write in full sentences.

I think with the current temperatures, it's simply difficult to keep everything 100% green. I would continue to water and monitor. Right now, it’s very hard to assess the condition because it’s unfortunately too hot. You have to be careful with fertilizer in this heat—that’s probably what HilfeHilfe was trying to say, and I’ve also heard that before.

To me, the lawn looks surprisingly good given the circumstances. It can’t have developed deep roots yet after such a short time. You are watering it just right (only once a day with a larger amount), which encourages deep root growth.

The unevenness really can’t be changed at this point. That was already messed up a few weeks ago. To fix it, the turf would need to be removed, the ground leveled, and the lawn reinstalled.

You can still protect the lawn by mowing very frequently and only cutting 1-2 cm (about 1 inch) at a time. The mower blades should also be very sharp. Additionally, during hot weather, the grass should not be cut too short so it can shade itself.

Isn’t it the case that the lawn becomes more stable after it has rooted into the ground?

The entire subsoil will become firmer, as it still needs to settle. The topsoil should not and must not be compacted too much.

The original poster mentioned that you no longer sink into the lawn. However, the unevenness will probably not disappear further. Apart from that, no uneven areas are visible in the pictures.