moving turf

[circlecross]

now, this is probably going to have all you hardened gardeners laughing into your sleeves, but is there anything I should know about moving and laying turf? We are tentatively planning to carve the garden up, a la the Goods, (but we have children, so we have to keep SOME lawn for smalls to fall over on) so we have a turfed area, which we are going to chop up, (half of it is kind of muddy, and has a shed on which we moved to great jubilation last year!), and grow stuff on the area in front of the shed. We have two further areas which are shingled at the moment, and we plan to re-lay the turf we will cut off the lawn on one of these areas.

Is it a)possible, and b)easy?

Do we need any specialised tools, would a pair of duffers be able to do it and what after care does it need afterwards? Or is it better to get new turf (we were hoping to also ask on freecycle for old turf)

All advice is appreciated, especially in this new loved up SSish!

[MKG]

Very possible and reasonably easy. Cut around long strips of turf with a spade or a lawn edging tool, lever up the first end with your spade and begin to roll up the strip, using your spade to loosen the turf underneath. Lightly fork and level the new site (only the top couple of inches) and water lightly if dry. Roll out the transported turf, remembering the two golden rules - avoid air spaces beneath the turf (walk on it), and remember - green side up.

Gaps at turf joints can be filled with sand, soil, compost - anything handy.

[Gytrash]

Traditionally, April and September are the best months for turf-laying. In reality, we lay turf any time that there's no hard frost or snow forecast!

Batting down the turves with the back of a spade is better than walking on it - gives a more even finish. Or ramming with the flat side of a plank of wood.

Don't be tempted to feed a new lawn (or a transplanted one), it'll put on leaf growth when it should be concentrating it's efforts on growing new roots. But do keep it well watered, especially if we get a dry Spring.

[circlecross]

thanks - dh is nervous, as he moved some turf to around our compost bin, and thinks he made a bit of a pigs ear (it's ok - but that area is a bit waterlogged and ground eldery, so he was onto a bit of a losing battle).

Green side up - are you sure???