If you stepped foot on the GoTurf farm, you’d find over 150 hectares of turf. You’d see wildlife, tractors, dams, harvesters, forklifts, trucks, paddock after paddock, and views of the Glass House Mountains. But you could search high and low and not find a seed.
Because premium turf does not come from seed, it’s a common misconception, and honestly, we don’t blame people for thinking it. Some grass varieties are grown from seed, just not the premium turf varieties you’ll find in our paddocks.
You see, we grow premium turf… from turf. Let us explain.
Before There Is Turf
We don’t just go planting turf into any old patch of dirt and hope for the best. We’re always telling people how important it is to get their prep right before they lay turf, and the same applies on the farm.
There’s a whole process that happens long before planting day is even discussed.
Preparation usually takes 4–6 weeks.
First, the old crop is sprayed out so there’s no organic matter left behind. Then we bring in the machinery. We plough the paddock, then run a power harrow over it to soften the soil and make it fluffy. That soft, fluffy soil allows the new turf to establish roots easily and gives it a great kickstart.
We also take this opportunity to improve soil health by adjusting the pH, adding lime, and organic compost. This helps increase microbial activity deep in the soil and build a healthier foundation for the crop. Then a pre-emergent treatment goes down to stop weed seeds from taking hold.
All of this effort is done for one reason: to create a healthy, consistent turf crop.
No Seeds. All Turf.
We take whole slabs of mature turf and feed them into a machine that uses a conveyor belt system to break them down into small pieces called stolons.
These stolons are what allow the turf to regrow and spread across the paddock. So in essence, we’re planting turf to grow more turf. Our planting rate is usually around 5%, meaning roughly 500 square metres are planted per hectare, before the turf slowly spreads and fills the paddock over time.
Early Starts, Heavy Watering, and a Lot of Waiting
We typically start planting early in the morning, around 5:30 am to 6:00 am, depending on the time of year. That’s to avoid heat stress on the turf while it’s being planted.
Once it’s in the ground, there’s no established root system yet, so we irrigate two to four times a day for several weeks. It’s a lot of water. The turf needs to stay consistently moist while establishing, so we ensure it doesn’t dry out.
From there, it’s a long growing cycle, usually 8 to 10 months, before that paddock is ready for harvest. During that time, it’s constant management: mowing, fertilising, watering, monitoring, then doing it all again the next day.
Picking the Right Turf
We don’t use just any turf to start a new paddock. Only the best, most consistent, highest-quality turf gets used for propagation. Only turf that’s great enough for a home lawn is good enough for planting day. If it’s not up to our standards, it goes to compost instead.
Because better planting material creates a better crop.
Certified and Controlled
We’re AusGAP-certified, which sets strict standards for everything we do.
That includes:
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variety purity
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weed and contaminant checks
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regular field inspections
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consistency across crops
It’s a system designed to ensure what we grow is high quality, consistent, and reliable. It also gives people peace of mind that they’re getting exactly what they ordered.
Getting From Farmland to Your Land
When turf is ready, we harvest it fresh to order.
We’re no strangers to early starts; sometimes, the alarm goes off as early as 2:00 am. The cooler morning air means we can reduce the stress put on the turf and ensure it’s harvested, loaded, and on the road in time to be laid that day. From harvest to delivery, it usually takes around six hours.
Speed really matters here as turf is a living product, and the fresher it is, the better it performs once it hits your soil.
Why This Matters
Most people think premium turf is instant, but it’s a living crop that’s been:
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grown for months
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heavily watered and maintained
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carefully selected
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harvested fresh for delivery
So when you lay new turf, you’re laying something many, many months in the making. And we hope its new home takes just as good care of it!
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