GB2200828A - Growing turf - Google Patents

Abstract

Lawn turf is grown in standard widths determined by wooden batons by covering the ground with impervious plastic sheet, placing a hessian mat on the sheet and covering this with a mixture of peat and perlite on which grass seed is sown. The grass roots grow into and through the mat producing a turf which can be rolled up for transportation to the planting site.

Description

LIG-ITTEICvT LA$tTtTRF BY TES ROLL.

At present lawnturf comes in many different forms. The most common and widely used form is where the turf is grown in field conditions and lifted by the sauare yard/metre, taking grass, roots and valuable top soil. This is done using an expensive harvester. These turves are relatively heavy to handle and are bulky. Site usage is restricted by the depth of the top soil available.

father forms are grown soilless in large troughs, but this is very limited due to cost.

According to my invention the turf will be grown in long strips approx. 3' wide on a ploythene base, using a hessian bonding mat and a mixture of peat/perlite to a derth of 2n. The peat/perlite mixture is to add bulk and to act as a moisture retentive mat.

These strips can then be rolled up off the polythene base by hand to a length suitable for handling. Approx. IOsq.yd. to lcwt.

Roots renain undamaged and therefore transplant onto new site very rapidly.

In reference to drawing, (I!, is heavy duty polythene sheet which is fixed in at the sides by a layer of sand. This sheet remains in position indefinitely. The hessian bonding mat(3) is laid on top of the polythene and, edging batons (2) set against these edges.

These batons are to ensure straight edges, for butt joins when relaying and also to prevent peat/perlite mixture (4) washing away during the initial stages of growth. Peat/perlite mixture ratio is approx. 4 peat to I perlite, this being spread to a depth of lpfl on top of the bonding mat after being thoroughly wetted. Grass seed is then sown on top and left. These strata must remain damp at all times. The grass roots through the peat mix and the hessian mat, and binds all together. When sufficient bonding and growth have been achieved, the resulting mat can be rolled up and transplanted without the use of harvesters or the loss of top soil. The polythene sheet is then recovered with more ingredients and thn whole process reseated. This can be done indefinitely.

Claims (6)

1. A method of producing lawn turf which comprises growing a selected grass seed, or mixture of grass seeds, in a solid growth medium which is spread on a vegetable fibre mat which is restrained in width by wooden batons and contained in depth by the use of a base sheet of polythene or similar plastic film.

2. A method according to Claim 1 in which the base plastic sheet is impervious to plant roots so that the latter are contained in depth and forced to intermingle with the vegetable fibre mat to produce a flexible consolidated root system.

3. A method according to Claim 1 in which the batons, which are preferably of wood, restrain the lawn turf root system within pre-determined width limits.

4. A method according to Claim 1 in which the growing medium is a mixture of peat and perlite in a preferred ratio of 4 to 1 by volume.

5. A method according to Claim 1 in which the lawn turf strips, as grown, are separated from each other by drainage channels which lead off excess rain or water and allow space for the access of lightweight wheeled vehicles of standard track length.

6. A method according to any of the above Claims whereby a long strip of turf, of pre-determined width, can be grown on an outdoor site and then manually rolled-up as a lightweight bundle for transportation and replanting.