Help me rescue my new lawn

[garden_gal2]

Hi all Bit new to this so any help appreciated.

I had new turf laid in my garden on Monday. It looked amazing at first, so pleased with the result!

However, we have had very hot dry weather since and despite watering, I think part of the lawn may now have died. When I returned home from work yesterday (having watered for 2 hours the night before) two of the turf 'slabs' were a different colour from the others, looking straw-like and an odd blueish shade of green. They felt really dry. I watered it for a further two-and-a-bit hours focusing mainly on these areas, but this morning the discolouration was still there :(

My mistake may have been waiting until dusk to water (as the gardener told me to do this to avoid scorching) or possibly a faulty sprinkler - I'm not sure it has covered all areas. However my neighbours did not water on the first day at all (we both had the turf laid on monday) and their still looks in better shape.

Has the turf died or can I revive it somehow with more watering? I'm so worried about it as this was an expensive and long-awaited project and I can't believe I've ruined it so quickly. Please help!

[Old Wellies]

Keep the turf wet. Water as much as possible. If layed correct, it will recover.

garden_gal2;923098 Wrote:

[garden_gal2]

That's good to know! It rained biblical amounts here in London today, which I'm hoping will have helped. It still looks a different colour to the rest of the lawn, but not quite so dramatically paler, so I will keep up the watering and cross fingers. Thanks.

[trader4]

Wrong. I agree with Bob. You need to keep water available at the roots, but no need to over do it. What exactly would watering as much as possible mean? 24/7 with the largest flow rate you can support?

Just water it at least once a day and keep an eye on how quickly it dries out. Also, the advice to not water during the day or you will "scorch" it, is rubbish. If water could harm it that way, what would happen with passing showers that nature provides? The reason not to water during the day is that a lot more water will be lost to evaporation.

[willshak]

garden_gal2 wrote the following:

Scott's lawn watering page (short video)

[Robby1]

You really need a sprinkler. Water over night and turn of in the morning. The lawn may need aerating if it has got to dry. Dry, hard soil will resist watering as it compacts as it dries.

[trader4]

More cluesss advice. Aerate sod that was laid a week ago? Watering should be done just before the sun comes up. That way you minimize evaporation and also don't leave the grass wet for most of the night. Watering at say 8PM and keeping it wet at night in summer is prescription for disease and fungus.

[Old Wellies]

I think you have to make a decision between people who do this for a living, or the DIY gardeners who have read Doctor Hessions 25 year old garden book.

Techniques have changed in the professional industry over the last few years; remember Saturday football, with teams so muddy you could not tell what team was playing.

Water conservation is important to some people, but not everyone. If you have a new turf area you need to keep it wet. If you don?t, watch what happens. Shrinkage and damaged areas within days. Morning or mid afternoon it makes no difference it?s a percentage game with saving water. Everyone seems to try to better the last person?s comments.

I have trained green and grounds men for years, regardless of what anyone says, some one always knows better. I always tell my class "Advice comes cheap, but you have to pay for experience".

' snipped-for-privacy@> ;924558']On May 28, 2:01*pm, Robby1 [e-mail] > wrote:-

[trader4]

If you have to PAY for water by the amount used, which is very common, losing a significant portion to evaporation does make a difference. Even if you don't pay for it in most parts of the educated world, efforts are being made to conserve water where you can. So is it that unreasonable to water a lawn before dawn to reduce evaporation?

Including you, n*****ts who added nothing so far.

I'm sure if they got as much info from you as the OP asking the question, they are still clueless.

[Old Wellies]

Amazing Mr Trader. You know so much. Especially on saving water and things. Can we post you off to Africa? What is cheaper turf or water? Before you answer and rattle on about scales of economy and saving factors read the post again.

You sir would not last 5 seconds in the real world of making money as a business when only results are paid for.

- Everyone seems to try to better the last person?s comments.-

Including you, n*****ts who added nothing so far.

-

I have trained green and grounds men for years, regardless of what anyone says, some one always knows better. *I always tell my class "Advice comes cheap, but you have to pay for experience".-

I'm sure if they got as much info from you as the OP asking the question, they are still clueless.

[trader4]

Actually, I take that back. You did add this one gem:

"Keep the turf wet. Water as much as possible. If layed correct, it will recover. "

Let;'s say I took your advice. I have a sprinkler system capable of delivering 1/2" an hour. So, according to you, I should run it 24/7 and put down 12" of water a day. See a problem with that, regardless of the cost of water or any need to conserve?

Y

[Eggs Zachtly]

I'm tellin' ya man. Ditch Google for a newsreader, and k/f gardenbanter and google. The signal to noise ratio improves, dramatically. =)

[Old Wellies]

My little friend, I thought you had gone to Africa there for a moment trader.

I think you do need everything explaining to you in more detail. You and your little imaginary hose pipe.

If you make a coffee do you fill the cup until it over flows? When driving your car, do you keep the throttle down until you hit something? That?s the gas pedal before you ask.

Like I said, I deal with people in the class like you. ?Thickies? we call them in the UK.

Do people always have to explain everything to you in fine detail? If I asked you to keep something wet as possible you think it means drowned it until it washes down the road. How about keep it dry as possible then, would set fire to it?

I go to the gym as much as possible. I don?t go every day all day until I drop. Its called common sense, and it?s not common with you. I will try and explain in fine detail for you in future trader, now I know you have leaning difficulties.

I think a village is missing an idiot near you. I knew you could not resist the word conserve. You just could not help yourself.

Well I think your conserving a little too much with your toilet visits, maybe this is why you are so full of it.

' snipped-for-privacy@> ;925823']On Jun 5, 7:41*am, Old Wellies Old.Wellies.

[Annada]

Don't be desperate, if you maintain your lawn, like you should do...

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[Robby1]

The dry weather will have a negative affect but don't worry to much. Is the soils underneath hard? If it is the turf can only rely on what it can hold and in the unseasonal weather won't hold much water. To be fair what I would do is replaced the affected area. Before laying the new turf I would check the soil to make sure it absorbs rain and water. If it doesn't then I would dig I few inches and replace with half sharp sand and composed. Hope this helps