How to lay new Buffalo lawn?

StephenBrookes

Morning. I have an area on south side of house I want to lay buffalo. I have rotary hoe the area already, having put some gypsum on first as mostly clay. The area is 21 square mts.  I was going to purchase buffalo grass from Bunnings but I decided to have grass delivered. Should I put a covering of some thing that will help settle and help the grass? A fertiliser or booster of some kind? Does Bunnings deal with a specific wholesaler for buffalo grass? Any guidance would be appreciated! Oh, I'm located in Western suburbs. Thanks. Stephen  

JacobZ

Hi @StephenBrookes,

You’ve done a great job preparing the area so far by rotary hoeing and adding gypsum. This is exactly what you want to do for clay soil, but before laying your buffalo turf, it’s definitely worth adding a top layer to improve root establishment and drainage.

I'd suggest spreading a 2–3 cm layer of turf underlay or premium top-dressing mix such as this Scotts Lawn Builder Organic Lawn Soil Topdress & Underlay over the area and level it out before laying your turf. This layer creates a softer, nutrient-rich base that helps new roots take hold and makes levelling easier. While our stores don't stock bulk bags of top-dressing mix, if you speak with your local store's Special Orders counter, you can have it delivered from a local landscape supplier.

Before laying the turf, it is also worth applying a starter fertiliser Lawn Builder Scotts Starter Slow Release Lawn Fertiliser. Starter fertiliser products contain controlled-release nitrogen and phosphorus to promote early root growth and faster establishment. Lightly rake it into the top layer of soil before you lay your buffalo.

I note from a previous post that you are based in Brisbane. In Brisbane, our main turf supplier is Jimboomba Turf Group who are a member of Lawn Solutions Australia and are AusGAP Certified.

You might like to check out How To Lay Turf for some further guidance on your project, as well as the broader Lawn section of our D.I.Y. advice pages.

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob