One of the most popular ways of installing new lawns is to use roll on turf. While you can get your landscaper to do the job or buy the turf from a garden supplies store and do it yourself, a popular choice is to buy it directly from a turf farm and either do it yourself or have a contractor look after it for you..

Before you buy your new turf, you need to prepare your block so that you can lay it immediately. There are a lot of things to do if you are preparing a raw block, so make sure that you allow plenty of time. The three main steps when it comes to preparing an area for new roll on lawn are:

• Get rid of everything else from the area:
  When it comes to preparing an area to lay lawn, the first thing to do is to remove everything else from the area. If there are existing weeds or lawn in the area, try weed spraying them with a knockdown killer weed spray for at least two weeks before you plan to lay your new lawn.
  Give them a few days, and then get to work with a shovel. Remove all existing plants, including their roots, so that they can’t grow back. Get rid of any big rocks or roots that are in the area, and then use a rake to remove as many small rocks as you can. The cleaner you can get the space, the better your new lawn will look.

• Prepare the soil for your new lawn:
  The hardest step is definitely getting the area ready to lay new lawn on. You need to make sure that the soil is in perfect condition for your new grass – if you lay roll on turf over poor quality soil, then you will find it extremely difficult to get your lawn to look good in the future.
  Start by testing your soil pH with a simple home test kit that you can purchase from any garden supplies store. If your pH is below 7, you need to increase it using lime or another similar product. Add gypsum if your soil contains a lot of clay, as this will help aerate it and keep it loose.
  If the soil is a bit sandy or lacking organic matter, spread a good potting mix over the surface and incorporate it using a shovel or a hoe. Make sure that you break up any major lumps or hard pieces of soil, and finally, spread a layer of lawn fertiliser over the area.
• Flatten the area so your new lawn is level:
  Once you have prepared and loosened the soil, you need to try and get it as level as possible so that your new lawn will be level. Once you roll your turf out, it will take the shape of the soil underneath. Using a heavy-duty rake, spread the dirt around, focusing on filling holes and removing any high points. Make sure that there is enough dirt around the edges.

Congratulations – you are now ready to lay your new turf!