Thursday 26 September 2013

Installing Putting Green in Your Backyard

There is nothing more exciting for any golfer than to have a putting green in his backyard. Apart from adding a dash of richness and color to your house, it would also help you play your favorite game, as and when you please to. Though the thought of installing a putting green might seem to be fascinating idea, there are a lot of factors to be considered – starting from where should you start, to what the process is all about, if you want to install natural grass or artificial ones etc and it may seem like too tedious a job to handle on your own. Remember – you can always hire landscape professionals to get the job done with precision and on time if you aren’t too sure about handling it on your own.
In case you want to opt for a DIY method, here is a brief guide on installing putting green in your backyard.
While considering about installing a putting green, the first decision that you have to take is whether you want to use real grass or synthetic ones. The real ones are always grown, usually, while the synthetic ones are made of nylon or polypropylene.
In case you prefer to install real grass, you need to take care of certain factors –
  • Collect the grass seeds – First of all, you need to find a retailer who offers good quality grass seeds. The seeds that are mostly utilized by the professionals are known as bent grass and that can be bought from any nursery in your locality. If you can’t find any retailer offering these seeds, consider shopping online. There are a number of nurseries that sell products online.
  • Choose the location carefully – While installing a putting green, you need to be careful enough about the location. Make sure the plot receives plenty of sunlight so that the plants can grow properly. Check out the slope of the surface and examine if the water can be drained out appropriately. Also, make sure that there is not too much of vegetation or trees in the surrounding area that can obstruct the sunlight and the airflow.
  • Examine the soil’s quality – Like any other plantation, it is important to check the quality of the soil before you start installing your putting green. Consider consulting some experienced landscape professionals who will examine the quality of your soil and tell you if the pH level needs to be improved or not.
  • Ensure proper maintenance – Another thing that you must keep in mind is that the putting green of natural grass needs to be maintained properly. You should water them, trim them and take care of the soil quality on a regular basis. In case you don’t have enough time for these tasks, you can hire the help of professionals from a reputed landscape company, who offer reliable maintenance service.
If you want to save time and effort on installing putting green, synthetic grass would be the perfect choice for you. Usually, people who are more interested in playing golf than making lawns opt for this option. Though the initial cost of installing synthetic grass is a bit higher, the maintenance cost is far less than its natural counterpart. What you need to remember always is to keep the surface of the synthetic grass free of debris and other leaves, though there is no need of daily irrigation, mowing, fertilization, rolling etc. Moreover, you won’t need to be bothered about all those possible diseases that can plague natural grass turfs or what would be the ideal fertilizer to use. While it is usually said that the synthetic surfaces don’t quite look like the actual ones, the golfers are of the opinion that the ‘feel’ of both the types is very close to each other. However, it is advisable to hire the services of a professional landscape company to decide upon what type of putting green would suit your needs and budget the best, and get it installed, if you don’t want to slog for hours, doing the job on your own.

Wednesday 11 September 2013

How to Install Artificial Grass for Your Lawn?

Installing artificial lawn can add a natural touch of beauty to your home décor without the backbreaking work that a natural turf would have demanded. Installing an artificial lawn should not be that difficult and can be done with some professional help. Though you can do it yourself as well, hiring landscaping professionals would ensure that the job is done to the best effect. Artificial grass lawns do not need a lot of care as just a little cleaning should be enough to keep them looking good. There are a few very basic points that should be kept in mind before you decide to set up your own artificial grass lawn.

A quick glimpse on the know-how’s:

Ø  Clear the signs of vegetation from the area: The area where you decide to place the turf should be free from all types of vegetation. You should clear the area totally and spray some weed killers. This is done to ensure that no vegetation grows underneath the turf after it is installed.

Ø  Measure the area and remove soil: You need to measure the area before you place your order for an artificial lawn. After you have sent the measurements, some amount of soil needs to be dug out from the area to level the ground.

Ø  Apply crushed stone and decomposed granite: After you are done with the cleaning, you need to apply crushed stone and decomposed granite on the area. You can get these ingredients from a local store or warehouse. These materials should be applied in such a way that the base is levelled, thus ensuring proper water drainage.

Ø  Level the surface: After you fill the area with crushed stone, you need to make sure that the area is as flat as possible. It needs to be levelled properly as any undulation is directly going to affect the surface of the artificial lawn. You can use a roller to level the surface.

Ø  Prevent weed growth: Next, the area needs to be covered with weed barriers to prevent the growth of weeds. There are landscape staples available, which can help you to place the weed barrier precisely.

Ø  Place the turf: Your turf is ready to be placed on the area. Make cuts on the turf with a box knife to make it suit the area measurements. To attach it to the nails, use a couple of galvanised nails. You have to make sure that the turf is tightly placed. Start from one corner and roll the turf evenly to the other. Install nails in the middle, sides and wherever necessary.  This will ensure that the turf remains attached to the base.

Ø  Infill: Nails can only hold the turf in place while infill actually weighs it down and makes it stick to the base. You can use a drop spreader to spread the infill evenly. You can also do it manually with your hands but this would take up a lot more time. The infill that’s generally used is made up of silica, sand blasting and zeofill. You have to make sure that the infill that you use does not cause any sort of lung infections. You can use a brush or broom to get the right results. It’s important to brush in the infill consistently so that it has an appearance that’s steady.

You can check your turf’s consistency by walking on it bare foot. If any unevenness exists, your feet will feel it. You should try to work the infill in the turf until you get the desired appearance. However, if the entire process seems like an uphill task, you can always hire a landscaping company to do the job.