New turf - is this to be expected?

[WellTidy]

We had part of our lawn returfed at the end of last week. It is a big rectangle of new turf about 5 metres by 4 metres, with two sides of the rectangle backing into existing grass, and the other two sides backing into a gravel path, which was laid a few days before as part of the same job. There is a plastic barrier between the turf and the gravel to contain it.

I am not happy but need help to know whether things will settle or whether I am right by ask the gardener who did it to come back.

1 the plastic used to contain the gravel path came in sections of about a metre. Some sections have been laid at a different depth to the others. So you can see a big plastic lip between the edge of the grass and the gravel in some parts. I don’t want to see the plastic and I am concerned that it will be a trip hazard.

2 the plastic hasn’t been laid in a straight line. So the gravel path is wider in some places than others quite obvious to the naked eye.

(I am assuming I am right about 1 and 2 needing to be rectified!)

3 gaps have started to appear between the sections of turf that weren’t there when it was paid last Friday. I think this is called shrinkage. I have watered it with a hose pipe every day but not drenched it and will continue to to water.

4 there are quite large undulations in the turf, certainly obvious when you’re looking at it but less obvious from the house which is about 50 feet away.

The turf didn’t sit around after delivery, it was laid within a few hours. He did level the ground before he laid but obviously I don’t know how good a job was done. It looked level to me but I don’t really know what standard to look for!

The gardener has agreed to come back tomorrow to look at it. I haven’t paid for the labour yet but I have paid for all materials as he wants payment up front for those.

I will invite him to comment but I just need to know if I am right to be concerned?

There really should be a hard edge like a strip of bricks/paving between the grass and the gravel, to prevent spread both ways and to make it easier to mow up to the edge of the grass. We had a window smashed by a neighbour who mowed over the edge into gravel

The turf should not have big gaps as it should be well butted together, and it should be level.

Over all, it doesn't sound like a very good job.

Thanks Hard. No hard edge, I didn’t know we would have to. This is something we can put down though, so now that I know I can sort that out.

It did look butted together when it was laid. The gaps appeared today. It was only laid on Friday. I wonder if it was as well butted together as it should have been.

It doesn’t help that an animal of some nature seems to be tying to either burrow under it or eat it as the side that is up against the plastic that adjoins the gravel is folded back in parts. I’ve laid it back down and given it a good water.

The edging doesn't sound right- it should all be the same level and in straight lines.
Turf will shrink if you don't water it enough. It needs a surprisingly large amount of water until it gets its roots down.

You mention an animal burrowing- and lumps in the lawn? It sounds like you may have a mole.
Good luck getting rid of that! - definitely not the gardeners fault if you have.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=93mgyE2ctwg

In two sections, the turf round the edge is folded back. There isn’t a hole or a tunnel after the folded back part. I don’t think anything has been able to get underneath the turf, I just think something has tried to. I don’t know though, that’s why I am asking for advice.

The turf also isn’t at the same height at the edges On the sides that meet the existing grass. Those edges of turf sort of dip down. It is as if the turf has been laid too deep?

It really does sound very shoddy. Was he a recommendation?

Yes, he was. I will ask him what he thinks and take a step back. I am not happy with the job but I don't know what can be done at this stage. I don’t know what is reasonable to expect.

The plastic dividers should be straight and at the same level. This needs to be corrected.

We have turf and gravel and we have wooden barriers, the gravel should hide it from one side and the turf when it grows the other.

The shrinkage though sounds like it's not being watered enough. Turf takes a shit load of water. As in get the sprinkler on it morning and night for at least thirty to forty mins at a time.

Sorry just re read, if you're watering with a hose pipe it's highly likely it is not getting enough water. Buy a sprinkler attachment and use that instead.

He has come back today and straightened out the plastic dividers and hammered them in to the same depth. That makes it safer and looks so much better.

Yes, the turf was drying out. He said it was bone dry despite me watering once a day since Friday. I’ve spent 30 minutes each time I’ve watered, which was daily, with a hose. It clearly wasn’t enough. I now have proper instructions as to how often to water it and for how long each time. He has left me with his sprinkler which I am using and moving round so that the whole area is uniformly watered. I am to water morning and evening for another week or so as we aren’t having any rain and it was 22 degrees this afternoon. Fingers crossed it isn’t already dead. He has laid soil in between the gaps with seed in the soil.

How does this all sound?

That sounds fine. Grass is highly invasive so it will grow in thr cracks. It would take you ages and ages to water it long enough with a hose. I'd just order a sprinkler attachment from amazon, they are very cheap. As depending on the water you might need to keep the sprinkler on it for the next couple of weeks.

Depending on the weather not water!

Thanks so much Bluntness. I ordered the sprinkler attachment from Amazon yesterday and it is arriving today. DH spent half an hour watering it with a hose at 7am, and I will put the sprinkler on and move it around for about an hour this evening. Does that sound right to you? It is an area of about 6 metres x 5 metres I think.

Another 22 degrees day forecast today so it will need it. I am just hoping that it hasn't already been damaged beyond repair. We haven't had any rain since Friday and none is forecast for the next week according to the BBC. I think the sprinkler will more than pay for itself!

I doubt it's damaged beyond repair and it's fairly easy to over seed it if you do have bald patches,Just chuck some seed on basically and keep it watered.

We had ours laid three years ago, basically every morning and night we put the sprinkler on it, I think I made sure every area had twenty to thirty mins water on it. It's a pita but needs doing. It dries out really quickly then doesn't take otherwise. You'll need to do it for the next couple of weeks depending on the weather.

I found ours fine the first year, then last year, possibly due to the weather it looked a bit sparse, this year it's in rude health. If it hadn't been we'd have over seeded.

Make sure you don't do it in the blazing sun, your timings sound good, and also make sure you don't walk on it yet. I can't remember the timings but you need to wait a month or something before you cut it, and even then it's just the very top. Leave it as long as you can bear it basically.

Thank you. I shall spend longer watering it. Even now, I was planning on spending an hour in total watering it each time, but that wouldn't give each area 20-30 minutes. I need to be more generous. Thank you for spelling it out to me, I find that I need that!

Yup, just switch it on, leave the sprinkler, then go out and move it twenty to thirty mins later to thr next spot. The hotter it's been the longer to leave it. It really is a pain in the backside and if you're on a water meter not cheap.but a lot cheaper than having to replace the whole lot and go through it again.

It's not like a plant pot, the water basically drains into the ground, so you need to make sure it's had a good drink otherwise it really will just die on you.