One of the most important considerations when laying turf is watering, especially if you lay your new lawn in the summer when its water needs will be high. The most common complaint with new lawns is brown edges and patches which are the result of uneven and inconsistent watering. The following tips might help.

Reduce steep slopes and consider stepping the lawn, steep slopes cause water to run off, flat areas concentrate the water at the roots where it is needed.

Create the best possible seed bed for the turf, good soil which is high in nutrients and well prepared will mean the turf will need less water than a poorly prepared area full of builders rubble and sub soil!

Water efficiency is greatly improved with the use of a sprinkler system rather than a hand held hose - Sprinklers don’t get bored! But do make sure they overlap the edges of the lawn or you will get dead arcs all round the edge where the water hasn’t reached. Turf requires up to 60% less water than seed.

Water in the early morning or late in the evening so that the water doesn’t evaporate before it has time to reach the roots.

Water more often for shorter periods. One good soaking a day where the water runs off the grass before it is absorbed is less efficient than doing it more often but with less water that gets absorbed right to the roots.

Finally remember when the weather is hot and dry to set the blades on your mower higher and make sure the blades are sharp, this means that there is more leaf to shade the roots and any moisture from dew, mist or watering is trapped at the roots of the grass. This will mean lusher, greener grass during the summer months.

If all else fails remember that it is normal for grass to get brown in the summer in the same way it is normal for trees to loose their leaves in the autumn, it will recover as soon as it rains.