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In an ideal world, you'll lay your new turf as soon as it arrives; however, this isn't always possible. If you plan to store your turf for a few hours before you put it down, there are some steps you can take to keep it in good shape.

Split the Turf up

Once your delivery arrives, you'll end up with a big pile of turf rolls. You shouldn't leave the rolls like this.

At this stage, the grass may be under stress. If a roll has been sitting in a pile jammed up close to other rolls, then it won't have enough air circulating around it. It may be hot and dehydrated. If you leave the pile as it is, the turf could start to get damaged, rot and even die down.

So, break up the pile and spread it around your garden. Create smaller piles of five or six rolls. Try to give each roll a bit more space so that the turf isn't too tightly packed.

Cool the Turf Down

Your turf may have got a little too hot when it was loaded on to the delivery van and driven to your home. It will also be drying out, which doesn't help it regulate its temperature.

To get things back on an even keel, try to put your rolls in a shaded area. If you don't have much shade, aim for areas that aren't in direct sunlight. You can always prop a tarp up over the turf if you have one. Or, put the turf under a sun umbrella or shade. However, you shouldn't directly cover the turf itself. A cover prevents the rolls from breathing; the grass will also heat up under a tight cover.

While you might be tempted to give the turf rolls a good watering before you lay them, this is not a good idea. The water won't spread through the turf evenly. This could leave you with patchy areas and, again, the turf could overheat.

Get the Turf Down Quickly

The sooner you lay the turf, the better. Even if you take steps to separate rolls and cool the grass down, it won't fully recover until it is on the ground. At this stage, you should water it well to help it start to bed in.

These steps apply to all kinds of turf from buffalo lawn rolls to kikuyu grass. To find out more about how to handle your delivery, ask your turf supplier for advice.