Laying a lawn

Availability determines when you can lay a new lawn. In principle you can lay the lawn between April and October. Ideally you lay the grass in mid-May when the sun has already warmed the ground.

Turf can be laid at temperatures above zero. From mid-May the temperature is usually optimal for good grass growth. In principle you can lay turf continuously from April to October.

The price of a lawn depends on the type and size of the surface. For a high-quality lawn you pay about ten times as much as for comparable grass seed.

Deeply drained unpacked flat soil is best suited for turf. This means that the soil should not consist solely of sand or clay. These areas are prepared with soil improvers before the grass is laid. To ensure that the soil can retain water optimally it should be rich in humus for a rolled lawn. Make sure that the subsoil is firm and level before you begin installation.

A stable and completely flat surface is very suitable for a rolled lawn. For an optimal result it is therefore very important that you prepare the surface for the lawn. Our step-by-step guide guarantees your success.

• Rolled up lawn
• Rope and poles
• Humus such as compost or potting soil
• For sandy soils: additives such as Bentonit or Terra Preta organic starter fertilizer for lawns
• Right
• Garden hose with sprayer and spray head
• Wheelbarrow
• Waste bin
• Narrow board 23 x 62 inches long

• STIHL KM 56 RC-E by to process
• Spade
• Metal rake
• Wooden rake
• Antique kitchen knife with long blade
• Waltz of the grass
• Hammer

Working with powerful machines is fun and ensures that you can perform optimally. But you also need to be able to trust that the safety clothing is effective and safe. Always wear your personal protective equipment when working with a milling machine. This includes boots safety glasses hearing protection gloves face protection and more. For more information please refer to the product manual. Before using the machine for the first time you should know how to operate it and ensure that the machine is in perfect condition for each use. We are happy to prepare your machine for its first job and advise you on the types of safety clothing that you can comfortably try on. Please note that personal protective equipment is not a substitute for safe working practices.

Before you lay the grass you must first mark out the area with stakes. This way you always maintain an overview and work accurately. With a hammer you can hammer the stakes into the ground more easily.

Now remove the old lawn and the existing weeds. They will continue to grow even if you lay a lawn over them. The more carefully you remove the weed roots the less weeds will grow on your lawn later. Then rake the surface.

Dig up the entire area where you want to lay the grass with a spade. Have stones or other coarse dirt come to the surface? Then rake everything together with the grass and remaining roots with the metal rake.

Now take the wooden rake and level the ground by removing all visible bumps and irregularities and pushing the loose soil to a place where the holes are still visible. Use the reach of the rake handle and stay as little as possible on soft ground while leveling. Close all the impressions behind you with the wooden rake and collect the last remnants of the roots.

STIHL Pro Tip: Grass mats for a roll lawn are about two centimetres thick. To ensure that the lawn is level with the patios or garden paths thoroughly level the ground along the edges.

Then push the roller first crosswise and then onto the leveled surface. This makes the surface firmer and you will no longer leave visible fingerprints. Prepare the surface optimally for the lawn roller by pushing the roller not pulling it.

Apply humus for example potting soil or sieved compost to the rolled surface. To do this place the humus in small piles in several places and distribute it evenly over the soil surface with the wooden rake.

Then sprinkle with starter fertilizer for lawns and in sandy soil also with soil improver. For example Terra Preta or clay minerals such as Bentonite are suitable for this. Always use the product according to the manufacturer's instructions to ensure optimum coverage of the soil.

To make the topsoil as fine as possible and to process the starter fertilizer use the STIHL KM 56 RC-E combi engine with cultivator for this step. This step works perfectly even on hard or silty soil. Important: Always wear your personal protective equipment when working with a tiller.

Now press the roller down again to identify and remove any remaining bumps.

To finish the preparation lightly rake the soil with the wooden rake. Make sure you only work the top layer of soil so that the grass can root well after installation.

If the soil is very dry you can water the surface evenly with a spray nozzle or sprinkler.

Now you can lay your own turf. Start in a corner of the garden and roll out the strips. If the surface has a straight edge such as a fence or patio start parallel to it. Work strip by strip.

Do you want to lay roll grass mats along a patio? Make sure that the lanes run parallel to ensure a smooth transition. If the lawn has wavy edges roll out the strips from the patio and fill in the space that is created later with the remaining pieces.

Place the strips staggered to each other for a harmonious whole. When laying turf take into account the joints of a wall. Avoid overlapping joints and especially crossing joints because the grass dries out quickly and therefore grows poorly.

Any joints that arise between the laid strips can be filled with the wooden rake: spread the strip out slightly or push it forward a little with the back of the wooden rake.

After laying the sod roll cut off the protruding parts and corners with the knife. Just like a carpet the lawn can be cut to the desired size in small spaces. Use a narrow board as a ruler for straight cuts. The remaining pieces are suitable for filling in empty spaces for example at wavy edges.

Roll the ready-to-use turf roll over the rails. This creates optimum contact with the subsoil allowing the lawn to take root well. Then keep the soil moist but not wet for two weeks. Moisten the surface daily during this period.

Depending on the height of the grass you can mow your lawn after just five to six days.

The first time you should fertilize your lawn is about four weeks after you have established it. Then fertilize the lawn as you would any other lawn three times a year: in early May and July with a long-release organic fertilizer and in September with an autumn lawn fertilizer.

You can walk carefully on a new lawn immediately after laying it but it takes five to six weeks for the grass to become fully resilient.

When you can mow your lawn for the first time depends on the height of the grass. Normally you mow the lawn about 5 to 6 days after you have laid it. However do not use a mulching mower for the first six weeks because the soil life still has to develop.