Yellow Lawn? Don't Panic - Here's How To Fix It

Every home benefits from the kerb appeal of a lush, green lawn.  But what should you do if the roll-on lawn looks more yellow than lush and green when it's first delivered?  First of all, don't panic!  Here's how you can quickly and easily remedy the problem. 

Why has your turf turned yellow?

Every individual grass plant that makes up your turf is a living thing and is susceptible to stress following harvesting.  As soon as turf is cut and rolled, it is deprived of the fresh air, sunlight and nutrients that it needs to thrive.  The harvesting process also involves cutting off most of the plants' roots, plunging the grass into shock.  Add to this the possibility that your turf is then further stressed by being rolled and transported, possibly for several hours on the back of a truck, and you can see how the grass will quickly begin to lose condition.

So, because the grass is deprived of a means of soaking up nutrition and water from the soil and can't see the sun, it can no longer photosynthesise.  Photosynthesis is the process through which plant cells produce chlorophyll, which makes the leaves lush and green; hence, the grass fades and turns a sickly yellow colour when it can't do so.

How to green-up your roll-on lawn

First of all, quickly take pictures of your yellow turf before you begin giving it some TLC.  This will help you to monitor how quickly the turf recovers over the next few days.

It's really important to get your turf laid down as soon as you can.  In the meantime, unroll the turf so that it can enjoy some fresh air in the shade.  It's a good idea to begin with the rolls from the centre of the pallet, as these will have been deprived of air for the longest.  When you've removed the top couple of layers of turf, put them somewhere shady until you're ready to lay them; you can always roll them up again, before you put them down.

Hydration Is vital

As soon as you've unrolled your turf, give it a really thorough watering.  Don't be tempted to water the turf while it's still rolled; this will cause what air there is inside the rolls to become very humid and sauna-like, which will kill the grass.

Once you've laid the turf, you must water it daily for the first couple of weeks.  In periods of warm weather, water the grass in the cool of the morning and again in the evening to avoid evaporation.  This ensures that the water soaks right through to the roots of the grass and into the soil beneath, enabling the grass roots to become established and to draw up nutrients.

After a couple of days, take another picture of your roll-on lawn for comparison with the first.  The grass should now appear much greener and fluffier, and the grass leaves should be perky and upright.  Problem solved!

In conclusion

If your roll-on lawn appears rather sickly and yellow when it arrives, don't be alarmed.  Just follow the tips given above and you can quickly give your new grass the pick-me-up it needs.  If you have any further concerns or need more advice on lawn care, have a chat with your roll-on lawn supplier.

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