Pittwater Life November 2023 Issue

Garden Life
with Gabrielle Bryant
Garden Life
Prepare for your new lawn
and you’ll soon be on a roll
If you are planning a new lawn, now is
the best time to get going before the
weather gets too hot. New lawns take
several weeks to establish but there
is still time to establish the grass in
readiness for Christmas entertaining. It
is a simple task but there are a few steps
that are essential for success.
First, prepare the ground well. Rake
and level the surface, removing any
weeds and stones. Weeds can be easily
removed with Slasher, or another weed
killer that does not sterilise the soil. If
you have sufficient soil loosen it with a
rake or hoe to a depth of at least 10cm;
alternatively, apply a layer of fresh, sandy
soil that can be supplied by your turf
supplier. The surface along pathways
should remain 2cm below the path to
allow for the thickness of the turf.
Next, add some lawn starter fertiliser
and water crystals to the surface before
laying the turf.
When rolling out the turf lay it in a
brick pattern. By doing this it will remain
stable until it is firmly rooted. Butt the
edges firmly together, leaving no gaps
between the edges; any soil that remains
exposed will allow weeds to creep in
before the new grass begins to grow.
If you lay turf on a sloping site, roll out
the turf horizontally across the area to
keep it in position. Vertical rolls will slip.
Once the turf is laid, water it
thoroughly and roll the whole area to
make sure that there is complete contact
between the turf and the soil below.
Rollers are easily hired for the day.
Each turf roll is one square metre
and measures approx 1.7m x 6m.
When ordering, allow for extra rolls
(5-10%) to avoid using small pieces to
fill the gaps. These small pieces rarely
take easily.
Watering is essential until the turf is
growing. Make sure not to let it dry out!
Summer water
We had a few heavy showers in mid-
October, but the soil remains dry.
It is time to prepare your garden for a
hot dry summer. Automated sprinkler
systems are fantastic but expensive; a
soaker hose will give a good soaking
to the soil at minimal cost. If shrubs
are taller, try stapling the soaker hose
to the top bar of the fence. A tap timer
that can be programmed to minimise
water wastage is easy to install.
There is often confusion about the
different benefits of water crystals and
liquid wetting agents. Both can help
with the dry conditions ahead.
A wetting agent is a liquid that is
applied to the surface of the earth,
either as a ready-to-use product or
mixed into a sprayer. By reducing the
surface tension, it will allow water to
penetrate dry, hydrophobic soil and
reach deep down to the roots of the
plants. An application to all lawns
and garden beds will be beneficial in
upcoming summer months.
Water crystals are different. They
are small beads that absorb the water.
They can increase up to 500 times their
size. Mixed into the soil or potting mix
they will store water to be released
slowly to the roots as needed. Water
crystals will reduce the number of
times that you will need to water your
plants.
A quick word of warning: They work
magic for your plants but keep them
away from pets and children as they
are toxic.
76 NOVEMBER 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991