I grew up where we have dirt, and was taught to water until there is
puddling. In the service I was sent to California, and our house had
grass on sand. I set out the sprinkler and after a few hour realized
that it would never puddle, as the water just drains through the sand.
I started watering more frequently, but for shorter periods, and the
grass prospered. Someone told me a local polo club, recently broken up
for development, had grass with roots approaching six feet, but it had
taken years to develop.

So you can grow grass on sand, but you have to be careful of how you
water, lest you wash the nutrients away from the roots, and of course
you don't want to water too long, especially with the cost of water
going up.

jacobsdad wrote:
Hi all, this is my first post, so be gentle!

I moved into my first home in August 2005 and the garden was a concrete
jungle - paving slabs etc. so I decided that as well as planting some
flower boxes I would lay some turf. I know nothing about gardening but
wanted to be a bit more green.

I took up an area 3m x 5m of paying slabs to find about 8 inches of
sand underneath. Because I live in a town house, it wasn't practical to
dispose of the sand so I simply visited B&Q and brough enough turf to
cover the area of, now levelled, sand.

The next day I spoke to a friend who said there was no chance of the
grass surviving on sand. I was a bit upset by that notion but have
continued to water the lawn and today have cut the now very thick, long
and green grass (it's been 2 months since I laid it). It appears to have
knitted together very well and looks healthy (although I know little
about these things). I have not fed it yet as the plant food labels are
against this for the first 6 months of laying the turf. I have tried to
uproot the turf on a corner to see if it has rooted - the result is
that I actually can't pull up the turf easily becuase it has rooted so
well.

When I cut it today I left the cuttings on the lawn (this is called
"mulching" so I understand and helps?).

My question is 1.) do you think it will survive all year and, 2.)
should I feed it now? Any tips would be brill.

Thanks,

JACOBSDAD.