Turfing Questions

Hi all,

We've just bought a new house and the garden looks like this:




I think I need to returf as I want a quick fix. The ground is not level and there are lots of weeds and bad grasses. So, I intend to dig up all the topsoil (and the plans and weeds on the borders), level the site, add a drainage channel front-back for draining water from under my decking, add new topsoil, leave it to settle, dig it, flatten it, then lay seeded utility turf on top. I've got a few questions that I really would appreciate some help with...

If I begin this process in May/June will I get reasonable results (doing it all in a few weeks?). Should I hire a digger? How do I work out how much topsoil to buy? Where is a good place to get seeded turf?

Many thanks!

S.:D

 

Hi S:D are you sure you want to lay a new lawn? Thats a lot of hard work, I would start off by cutting it and feeding it, and dig out new borders, if its uneven you can level it out by making a cross in the turf, dig out or add compost depending if its a hump or indentation then lay the turf back, making sure you water it for a week or so..:thumb: if your not happy with it after that you could lay a new one in Autumn or next spring..

 

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. Yes I appreciate its hard work but we want a really good lawn and don't want to have to wait years. I don't mind waiting one year though so I guess a repair is a good option.

I'm just concerned that most of the grass is coarse and there are so many weeds! Any ideas?

S.:D

 

"are you sure you want to lay a new lawn?"

I thought that too. I have "recovered" plenty of rough pasture to lawn just by mowing regularly (at least once a week without fail), and some weed & feed. Its amazing how well it converts in a season - don't cut it down two low though - cut on the highest setting for a while, and then gradually lower the blade, and then the rougher grasses will give up the fight and the finer grasses will take over.

However, in the pictures the grass does look pretty rough :( although turf is blinking expensive :( :(

 

I inherited a Lawn like this and with plenty TLC it recovered and looked great, Grass is pretty tough S, i would give it a year for sure, once you have cut and defined the shape you want it, you will be amazed, As Kristen said highest setting first then lower the blade..

 

"I don't mind waiting one year though so I guess a repair is a good option."

OK, here's a suggestion. Try my mowing technique above for this year. if its still rubbish in the Autumn rotavate it up and seed it (cheaper than turf) and by next spring it will be a nice, albeit young, lawn. The Weed and Feed this year will have got rid of the indigenous weeds already (although more will come when the soil is cultivated for the seed, but Autumn sowing is by far the best - fewer weeds germinate, and the grass has 6 months to establish before the weather warms in the spring and the weeds start. You could turf it this Autumn instead if you like.

"I'm just concerned that most of the grass is coarse and there are so many weeds! Any ideas?"

1. Tell it to mind its language!!

2. Apply granular "Weed and Feed". Apply this between cuts - read the packet, but normally Mow, wait 3 days, apply weed & feed, wait another 3 days, then mow. Best to apply it when rain is forecast, otherwise it will burn the grass (but you can water it in if no rain falls within 24 hours)

Apply an Autumn fertiliser in the Autumn (not the Weed and Feed Spring / Summer one)

 

I agree with the advice above, all I'd add is that the best looking grass is cut by taking a little off and often.

Perhaps a sounder investment would be a quality mower, I would go for a petrol rotary one, but each to their own.

 

Funny you mention a mower, I posted on another thread about a mower recommendation. So far I fancy a Hayter Spirit 41 with rear roller (instead of wheels) and self-propelled. This was recommended by 'which'.

However, I'm starting to think that 4 wheels will be better than a rear roller.... any thoughts?

 

Roller any day! That is my choice anyway! I feel that a roller gives a finish, I do like your choice of mower too!

Another tip for mowing......, make sure you mow in different directions up/down, side to side, or on the diagonals. That way you get a much even cut.

Hope this Helps!

 

"I'm starting to think that 4 wheels will be better than a rear roller"

Trouble with 4 wheels is if you drop one of the edge of the verge you scape the lawn edge. With a roller you can have the roller off the edge of the lawn - if that means one of the front wheels is "airborne" you may have to support the weight a bit, but the roller will distribute most of the weight.

 

Hi Kristen,

Thanks for the tip!

I'm going to try repairing the existing lawn. If I want to dig new borders, is it simply a case of digging up the weeds and laying down some weedkiller?

I have a huge weed in the middle of the lawn (you can see in the photo). If I dig that up I will be left with a big area with no turf, and it is in a bit of a rut. Should I just add some topsoil to level it and then some grass seed? What about weedkiller?

Thanks again!

S.

 

"If I want to dig new borders, is it simply a case of digging up the weeds and laying down some weedkiller? "

Either dig up the weeds or spray them with weed killer. Don't dig up the weeds and then apply weed killer.

"I have a huge weed in the middle of the lawn (you can see in the photo). If I dig that up I will be left with a big area with no turf, and it is in a bit of a rut. Should I just add some topsoil to level it and then some grass seed? What about weedkiller?"

With a spade cut four slits, star shaped, with the weed at the middle of the X. Should then be possible to tease the weed up, which will "raise" the 4 quadrants of soil between the slits, but once the weed is out you can just tread the turf back own, and the "hole" should be relatively small. Any bits of grass that get pulled up with the weed rearrange and put back before stamping down. Very resilient stuff grass / turf.