One of the most important elements of landscape design is rolled lawn. If it is properly cared for, it will undoubtedly give the site a beautiful and expensive look. After all, evenly mowed grass gives effect to any garden plants. But laying rolled lawn grass requires some knowledge and skills. It is also necessary to remember and apply the rules of lawn care.
Lawn in rolls composition
Growing lawn grass on your own is quite a time-consuming activity, consisting of several mandatory steps:
- it is necessary to choose the right seed material;
- prepare the soil;
- plant the seeds;
- to ensure proper care.
And if a gardener has no experience with lawn grass, even with a lot of effort, he does not always get the desired result. After all, the grass can sprout unevenly, making some parts of the lawn look like bald patches. But you can avoid all this trouble by laying ready-made rolled turf on the desired areas. It looks like a layer of soil with grass growing on it.
Important: Lawn grass in rolls does not contain annoying weeds.
Most gardeners think of it as a very dense turf layer rolled up like wallpaper. This is essentially true, but it is still quite a complex multi-layered covering, the composition depending on which method it was grown. In order for the turf roll to form a dense root layer, a fine mesh mesh, geotextile or a thin layer of felt is used.
According to the type of grass cover and soil composition, rolled grass is divided into three types:
- decorative;
- special;
- sports grass.
The most common type is decorative, in addition, it has very many types. As a rule, this coating is located near houses, in summer houses and other places designed for recreation. The roll includes special types of plants that are able to grow strongly in a short period of time, creating a gorgeous green carpet.
Covers designed for sports include these types of grasses that can withstand stresses. These types of grasses are usually used in the construction of sports facilities and stadiums.
Laying rolled turf
In production, the lawn is cut into rectangles and rolled up into rolls, so that the root system of plants does not dry out. When choosing a covering, you should pay attention to several aspects, even if it is the cheapest material:
- It must be clean, free of weeds. Allow only 1% of weeds.
- The grass should grow evenly, i.e. there should not be any puddles on the surface. The lawn must be cut strictly on the day of shipment. Tolerance of the width of the strips should not exceed 0.5 inches;
- The root system is very easy to check: pay attention to its color and the way the plants behave during the cutting of the base. That is, there should not be any damage.
- The cut base should have at least half of the grassroots.
Delivery rolled turf
Delivery of rolled turf from the manufacturer has its own nuances. For example, it is necessary to use a vehicle equipped with a refrigerator for transportation. The optimum temperature for transportation is about 60°F
Laying technology rolled turf
The first rule of paving is an excellent command of mathematics. After all, you need to measure the area and calculate how much grass you will need for the paving. So, the calculations should be made on the basis of the following data: 1.25 cove is enough to cover 3 sq. ft. (1m2) of land, that is, for laying a 30 sq. ft. (10m2) plot you will need 12.5 coves.
Even a non-expert can lay the lawn. It requires leveling the area, as well as clearing the ground cover and properly preparing the soil. If the ground cover of the planned site consists of clay soil, first of all, remove the top layer of soil. The thickness of the removed layer should not exceed 0.5 m. It is clear that after the current procedure will remain a small depression, to fill it, it is necessary to stock up on the right amount of gravel, a layer of which should be about 10 cm. The same amount of river sand should be poured on top, an excellent substitute for which can be an ordinary geotextile.
All layers should be well tamped and leveled, using a construction level. For tamping, it is better to use a small roller or a wide board that will allow you to tamp each layer evenly. The last stage of soil preparation will be the laying of the removed layer.
After the work is done, it is necessary to apply the necessary fertilizers and tamp everything again.
On a side note! Check the correctness of the preparation of the soil can be checked by standing on its surface: if your feet do not fall through, then the technology was followed exactly.
All preparatory work is carried out not earlier than one day before laying the lawn. Otherwise, the lawn may not take root, which will lead to the drying of grass and unnecessary littering of the land.
Laying the lawn
The first rule of laying – the lawn is laid from the place where the rolls are stacked.
Important: Do not carry the bales from one edge of the site to another. This can cause the crumbling of the soil layer and roots.
Particular attention should be paid to the laying of the first bale because all the others will be leveled by it. The work should be performed on special wooden boards, and in strict order. Experts recommend refraining from walking on the freshly laid lawn for at least 10 days.
It is strictly forbidden to twist or bend the lawn. All superfluous areas should be cut away with a very sharp garden knife, but this should only be done after the lawn has been laid.
Important: The joints of the rectangles must be pressed tightly together, but overlaps must be avoided.
No less important is the stage following the laying. Its purpose is to easily tamp and check for the presence of various pits and bumps. There must not be any!
Agrotechniques
In the first stage, daily spraying is necessary, which should be done for at least 14 days. This action will keep the “green carpet” from drying out. It is not necessary to walk on the lawn until the root system has taken root in a new place. Otherwise, it will turn out to be a waste of time.
After 30 days the turf can delight the owner with its softness and coolness. Here is where you need to be very careful to ensure that no weeds fall on the surface of the cover. Watering should be done at least once every 10 days if there is no precipitation.
Also four weeks after planting the lawn should be mowed.
Important: Lawns should not be cut in autumn. Grass with a length of about 5 cm can safely survive severe winter frosts, and in the spring, as soon as the snow melts, the bright green lawn will appear again.
As soon as the snow has melted, the lawn should be left to dry. It is important to make sure that puddles do not form on the lawn. To prevent them, rather deep punctures are made in the ground. It is also necessary to comb the “green carpet”, it is best to use a rake for this.
Lawn planting is best done in early spring or late autumn. If it is not possible to carry out a full set of planting activities, it is worth inviting a professional landscaper. Only in this case, the most beautiful lawn will be laid out in front of the house.
Pros and cons of rolled lawns
There is a perception among plot owners that rolled lawns can solve a huge number of garden problems, so if finances allow, you should definitely buy it.
Pros
The most striking positive side of the “green carpet” is a very fast result. All in one day you can lay a lawn on a few hundred acres of land, and after a month on the lawn you can do whatever you want.
Some farmers are worried that the roll might break during unrolling. Here you can be calm, because the basis of the lawn is the interlaced roots of grass. And they are known to have excellent strength and resilience.
Another positive quality is the unpretentiousness of the “green carpet”. Especially if it was sown and grown in the same climate.
Cons
One of the main negative qualities of the coating is its cost. But that’s not all. Rolled turf requires perfectly prepared soil. If the soil turns out to be too hard or, on the contrary, loose, the “carpet” on it simply will not take root.
When choosing a lawn, you should pay attention to the price category, for example, a cheap lawn may be too young. The ideal age for sale is three years from the day of planting.
