Leatherjackets are the larvae of Crane fly (Daddy long legs). The larvae hatch from eggs laid in grass during July, August and September. They burrow down into the soil and start feeding on grass roots. As they feed and grow they do progressively more damage to the grass and by spring can have eaten enough roots to kill patches of a lawn. Damage can also be caused by birds digging the lawn in search of the grubs.

STEP 1 – ARE CRANEFLY PRESENT?

Between June and October observe whether any Cranefly (Daddy long legs) are present on the grass.

STEP 2 – CHECK FOR LEATHERJACKETS

From September through the winter check for Leatherjackets by digging 3-5cm down into the soil with a spade, especially if Cranefly were seen, and/or there are any signs of deterioration in the lawn.

STEP 3 – TREAT WITH NEMATODES

Chemical treatments for leatherjackets are now banned worldwide. Treatment with nematodes is undertaken only once leatherjackets have been observed in the autumn. They should then be applied according to instructions. They are live worms so must be used within 2 weeks of supply, with sufficient water and soil temperature higher than 12C.They will kill the grubs within a few weeks. A further application can be made if necessary.

Other measures which can be taken include covering the lawn with polythene over night to encourage leatherjackets to the surface. They can then be removed from the surface in the morning.

STEP 4 – CHECK AGAIN IN THE SPRING

Having used nematodes, especially if you notice a patchy lawn, check again for leatherjackets the following Spring (March) and treatment can be repeated once the soil is warm enough.

FINAL THOUGHTS

New turf is more susceptible to damage while its root system gets established so preventative action is advisable. But even a healthy established lawn could be affected. We saw a few instances of this in Spring 2016 after a particularly warm and wet winter. So use of nematodes following the presence of Cranefly in the summer is important.

Further sources of advice and suppliers of Leatherjacket Nematodes:

www.turfgrass.co.uk/2020/09/30/insects-in-your-lawn/

www.amazon.co.uk

www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=651

www.rhs.org.uk/advice/pdfs/biological-control-suppliers

Contact us or search Google for suppliers of Nematodes and for information about leatherjackets. Please contact us on 01392 231040 or email sales@wesellturf.com​

Newly laid lawn

After laying turf avoid vigorous use to allow it a chance to put down its new roots. This will take 2 to 4 weeks depending on the time of year. It grows a lot slower in the winter. During that time we would advise you to only walk very carefully on it, do not mow it and make sure it has plenty of water. It is easy to underwater but difficult to over water.

Once you can no longer lift up the corner of a turf it has grown in and it’s ok to give its first haircut. The general rule is only ever cut off one third of the length. So if it’s growing very fast you will need to be patient and take a few mows to get it down to the length you want it. Leave 7 days between each cut. By doing this you’ll avoid the grass looking yellow.

Mowing

Once your new lawn has settled in, you can expect to be mowing it once or twice a week from April to October. It’s very much dependent on how cold the winter is but it’s not likely to need any mowing December to February.

Annually

We treat all our turf with fertilisers and nutrients to make it healthy. To keep your lawn at its best we recommend a weed and feed type treatment each spring and autumn which garden centres can supply. Leatherjackets, which are the young larvae of cranefly or daddy long legs, can also be a problem. Please see our separate post on Leatherjackets.

Lawn care, like everything, is something which you could make into a full time job if you have the time and inclination. Other jobs which keep a lawn at its best include scarifying, aerating etc. Refer also to our seasonal advice on lawn care in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

We supply quality turf all year round. If you would like any further advice on lawn care or would like to talk to us about your order, please contact us on 01392 231040 or email sales@wesellturf.com

We now cut turf in square metre rolls. But we can work out your turf requirements whether you have measured in metres or yards and feet without any difficulty.

If your patch is square or rectangular it is a simple matter of length x width. If some of the edges of your area are a bit wiggly or slightly slanted the best approach is to “square-off” the measurements you take. That way you will certainly cover the area with just a small amount of wastage where the edge falls inside the rectangle.

Tricky shapes can be hard to estimate and inevitably you could end up ordering too few or too many turf. We will do all we can to help you get it as near as possible but please be aware that we cannot take back any turf which you have surplus. If you find you have spare rolls you could see if a neighbour could use it. Or if you unroll the turf and keep it watered, even just left on concrete the grass will remain healthy and reusable for as long as 2 weeks.

If you use up all the rolls you ordered and find you need just a few more this may be less than our minimum order quantity. However for small quantities you can go to the garden centres we supply and collect some. Please contact us so we can tell you the nearest to you and when they will have a fresh supply. Or you can see their phone numbers on our “Garden Centres” page.

For awkward shapes there are some approaches that we suggest. Where it is quite a large area and very hard to calculate, for example due to lots of curved edges, for which there isn’t really a means of calculating, you could under-order and focus on laying the most wiggly parts first. This hopefully leaves you with the final part which is easier for you to measure.

We are also happy to have a look at your sketch or detailed plan to see if we can work it out for you. You can send this to us by fax or email, or call in to the office with it. There is no charge for any of this help with ordering but unfortunately we cannot visit your site to measure. The exception to this would be if you ask us to arrange a laying service for you.

Whatever your requirements we will always advise you what different options we can identify, what the cost and other implications are and try to help with your decision.

We supply quality turf all year round. If you would like any further advice on lawn care or would like to talk to us about your order, please contact us on 01392 231040 or email sales@wesellturf.com

Preparation

Remove vegetation, roots, plants and stones ready to prepare the soil. Vegetation may need to be sprayed off to avoid it growing up through the new turf. A garden centre can advise on the appropriate product and how long before the ground will be ready after use. This may typically be 2 weeks.

The ground needs to be made ready to lay the turf on top. There needs to be sufficient quantity and quality of top soil to nourish the grass and levelled to the desired slope, flatness or other contour. We advise 5-15cm (2-6 inches) of topsoil is needed for grass to thrive. But this depends on factors such as the drainage and aspect of the land.

To prepare the soil rotivate, roll and rake over the surface. Rotivating will ensure the ground isn’t too compacted which can be bad for drainage. Grass needs well draining soil otherwise moss is likely to take over. Rolling the loose soil will speed along the process of settling it to its natural level. Use your feet to firm down the soil if you don’t have a roller. Then finally, raking it will make it easier for the growing roots to take hold into loose soil.

Laying

Start laying from a position where you won’t need to stand on the prepared soil. Then continue by placing a plank on the first rolls to spread your weight evenly.

Lay the turf rolls in a brick fashion and push them together as close as possible. This helps to avoid the joins being noticeable. In warmer weather some shrinkage is normal after laying so these steps help to make the newly laid lawn look as good as possible. Where this happens the effect will disappear as the grass grows, or you can sprinkle some fine soil or sand into any gaps.

At the end of a row of turf where a piece is cut to fit, it is best to avoid finishing with a very small piece. If necessary cut the previous piece and use a longer strip to finish. Again this reduces the problems of shrinkage.

Curved and slanted lines require the turf to be cut to fit. You could use an old kitchen knife.

Aftercare

Now refer to our guide for aftercare. Most importantly your new lawn needs plenty of water.

We supply quality turf all year round. If you would like any further advice on lawn care or would like to talk to us about your order, please contact us on 01392 231040 or email sales@wesellturf.com