why is there plastic meshing under my lawn?

[ApuskiDusky]

This may be a stupid question, but...

I've recently moved into a new house and have started to try to sort out the garden - as a complete novice, the first time I have a house with a garden.

I started to rake the lawn to get out the moss etc, and the rake gets constantly caught on green plastic mesh that the lawn seems to be growing through. Is this how turf is sold, is it meant to stay on, and how am I supposed to rake it now?

[SorenLorensen]

They may have put it on to try and keep cats off - I've read that as a tip (on here probably). I guess you can pull it up - the grass should recover.

[dustystar]

Its probably what the turf was grown on. I have this in my garden and its a pain. i'm going to dig it up this year and get it all out.

[Saturn74]

Oh no, you've ruined the pixie tennis courts!

[ApuskiDusky]

I've tugged to no avail, I guess I need to tolerate it until I can face relawning. Or wait for 18 years until ds has left home and do it then!

[Pixel]

It probably cost someone a fortune to put down, if it's this stuff.
I'd have it in my back garden like a shot because it gets so wet you only have to step on it and it turns to a mudbath.

[nailpolish]

is it a brand new new-build house? if so then all new builds have this under the ground. its standard

[Trifle]

it's because it's cheap crappy grass. No decent turf (such as Rolawn or Tillers for example) would dare to use such rubbish. Good quality turf doesnt need a plastic mesh under it to hold it together. It's not standard in new build but standard by cowboys who want to make a fast buck cheaply. After all, turf when it's laid down tends to look fab but can mask a multitude of problems, usually builders rubble that is buried underneath and not discovered until the grass dies a few months later when the developer has vanished.