Matilda vs. Sir Walter Buffalo Turf: Which is Right for Your Lawn?
September 10, 2024
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There’s no doubt about it… A lush new lawn adds a certain polish, comfort and liveability to any home.
It’s the first thing people see when they look at your property and a vibrant, well-manicured lawn shows a certain attention to detail and diligence that every homeowner can take pride in.
But, how much should you budget for this luxurious accessory? Is it just a matter of buying the lawn at sticker price and whacking it down?
Well, not exactly.
We took a look under the surface and uncovered the real costs behind that new lawn. Here are the main things you should be aware of:
Ok, so you’ve bought a new lawn, now you need to get it layed. A lot of companies will include this in the initial quote, but if not, here are the approximate costs per square meter of laying a new lawn.
Note: These prices do vary depending on the type of lawn used and the ease of site access.
Now, these estimates are a best-case scenario, assuming the site is all ready to go. In reality, you will often need to do some site preparation before the lawn can be laid.
In this case you could be up for some additional costs…
When preparing to lay turf it all starts with the condition of the area you want to lay your lawn.
Depending on the soil quality you may need fresh soil brought in.
Knowing how much soil to buy will depend on your soil quality.
For an area with average soil quality it is recommended that a 25 ml minimum base of fresh soil is prepared before laying new turf.
For older soil or a clay base a 50 ml minimum fresh base is ideal. If you have a clay base it is important to keep in mind that you may also need to add gypsum to ensure a strong base.
Soil is calculated at 1m3. For an area 20 meters squared 1m3 will give the area a 50 ml thick covering of soil
If the area cannot be raised 25-50 ml thick in soil you will need to look at clearing the site.
Clearing a site will incur extra costs for a skip bin to remove old lawn and soil, so that you get the correct levels needed to prepare the site.
The size of the skip bin will vary depending on the amount of old lawn and soil to be removed from the area. As a guide a 50 meter squared area will require a 4m3 skip bin on site.
Once the clearing and preparation is complete you will want to ensure your lawn gets of to a great start by fertilising the area.
Fertiliser is vital to ensuring a healthy lawn thrives and maintains its lush state.
Two types of fertiliser can be used.
The first is a lawn starter. You can buy a lawn starter that goes on top of your soil prior to laying the lawn, to minimise stress during establishment and shorten the establishment period.
A lawn starter will also minimise watering as its water crystals will retain the moisture in the roots system whilst feeding your lawn. A lawn starter is well worth the investment, as it will help minimise the costs of maintaining your lawn.
The second type of fertiliser is one you that you can apply over your lawn after it has been planted and watered. This type of fertiliser is usually used six weeks after laying a lawn and then continually applied to maintain health throughout the year.
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