The first two to three weeks are the "critical phase" in the establishment of a lawn from turf.

Rule No 1 - Access

Do not be tempted to walk on the turf without placing boards or planks on the surface beforehand, otherwise you will be creating depressions in the lawn. Once you have finished accessing the lawn; remove the boards.

Keep pets off the lawn and ensure that they perform their daily ritual on another part of the garden.

Rule No 2 - Moisture

Whilst the lawn was growing on our turf farms, its' roots were deep into the soil (as much as 3 feet deep) and could easily find sufficient moisture. To enable the grass plants to survive and to grow a new root system, it is essential to keep the soil on the back of the turf and the soil below it sufficiently moist for the whole period of establishment (up to 4 weeks).

To enable you to apply sufficient water to your lawn the appropriate equipment will be needed. Anything less than a hosepipe is inadequate for the water volumes required and an oscillating sprinkler attached to the end would make the job easier and would apply the water more evenly.

Rule No 3 - Mowing Heights

The old adage - a little and often - can be applied to grass mowing. The more you mow the more individual grass leaves will grow and therefore your lawn will have a denser sward and conversely, the more infrequently you mow the thinner the sward and the more mossy, disease ridden and weedy it will become.