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Is putting the job back due to weather an option?
Make the call tomorrow to turf supplier, the probably won't even cut/lift it till Friday.
Hi. Thanks for replying to my post. To be honest, I have work booked in after the weekend so not actually sure when I would be able to fit it.
I'm sure you could postpone the turf till the weather improves........ even if you are booked up, I'm sure you could move a less urgent job or do it perhaps in the evening? I really wouldn't attempt it with everything so wet............. you could end up with a right mess with neither you or the customer being happy.
Hi Lee
So you didn't trust my advice then:)
Here's what I wrote in my email reply to you this afternoon:
"First of all, don't try to rush the process otherwise you won't get the finish you're looking for.
Turf will keep for a while so there's no immediate panic. Why not lay what you can on Saturday - use scaffold boards and/or plywood sheets to lay on the soil and/or turf as you lay. This way you won't get ruts by walking over prepared ground or laid turf - and if you're forced to wait another week to lay the rest then I don't see a problem.
Just make sure that the unlaid turf is kept out of the sun and is not allowed to dry out (although don't water the rolls) Just keep the rolls in a stack and cover with something that doesn't let light through. A plywood sheet, an old carpet or hessian sack cloth is OK. If it's the latter you may be wise to keep the cloth moist.
After a week the remaining turf that you will still have to lay WILL have started to yellow. Don't be concerned. This is a result of a lack of sunlight. It's the root-zone that is important and as long as the turf has not started to rot then you should be OK. Believe it or not, I've laid turf over two weeks after it had been delivered.
The yellowed turf will not look right against the freshly laid turf of the previous week. Rest assured that after a while the yellow turf will go green and catch up. Just treat the whole lawn in the same way. Don't be tempted to fertilise the yellow turf to green it up. Be patient and only fertilise the (whole) lawn once you're certain that the turves have rooted through sufficiently - this is normally gauged when you physically can't pull a turf from the soil.
This advice is given in good faith and I accept no responsibility for any loss should you decide to follow it (sorry, had to add that:)
Good luck and I look forward to seeing the end result."
Hi Phil. I hope I did not offend you. I was just asking around as people's advice are really different.
Thanks again though for posting your reply. I believe this will be what I try. I am just worried about the muddy mess I will have to lay my turf onto. To be honest, I am just scared full stop. Eeek
Hi Lee
Not offended at all.
Of course, re-scheduling is a good option too. Can you split the delivery so that you can make the most of this Saturday and do the rest at a slightly later date?
BTW the photo you sent to me didn't show the puddling that the ones you uploaded do.
Just be a bit careful that you don't turn the soil into soup.
Having said that, turf is very resilient and will root into most root-zone conditions. If you do make any mistakes you can rectify the root-zone area after with some remedial maintenance. Even the most compacted of soils is capable or regaining/forming a perfectly acceptable soil structure, in time.
I'm in a similar situation, I have prepared the ground, lightly compacted and levelled.
Had a week of huge storms and the ground has drained perfectly but if it not a case of simply raking the top soil and laying of after so much rain is the ground compacted too much?
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