Complete beginner - First New build garden advice needed!

Back again with a soil test.

Definitely holds together well. If I lightly prod my finger at the clump it doesn't break away. If I give it a bit of a jab with the finger then large chunks do fall off.

Cheers

 

Looks to be a clay type, but in mitigation, a) normally fertile, b)your hole contains root c) a good colour,for a subsoil
d)is not green/grey/blue, indicating an anaerobic , impervious ,saturated condition of many years.

If it were mine, I would avoid consolidating it(keep off when wet), do not bring up to surface but mulch with plenty of organic compost such as Pro-grow, which you may get in bulk 10 cu metre loads cheaply here:
www.pro-grow.com/buy-soil-conditioner-in-bulk/p28
Maybe share with a neighbour?

Presuming then to turf, depending on your requirement.

 

Tell you what, Wilks, love the way you're getting to grips with the technical gardening terms already...

 

Brilliant, thanks for the advice.

 

Sounds good to me, thanks for all your help!

Seems like a ryegrass is a recommended seed. I'm sure I can find some videos online about prepping and sowing seed but do you have any recommended pages or videos?

 

Hey! I've just spent 2 1/2 years with a 2000m2 mud patch instead of a lawn, so trust me, sowing ryegrass is very exciting Especially for the birds that are under the mistaken impression that it's an all day buffet

@Wilks, How do you feel about this chap?

 

Love him, used to watch Ground force when I was a kid with my dad.

Thanks for the link.

Would you recommend ryegrass over another type? I saw with turf they seem to mix loads of different grass type together but I presume seed is more 1 or the other?

 

Just a word or two about seed v turf. I've made lawns using both methods and would definitely recommend laying turf if the budget will run to it. As long as you've got a source of water handy in case of unseasonal, unexpected drought, it's a doddle. The main reason though is that nowadays it's becoming increasingly difficult to get hold of lawn feed'n'weed, and when you sow seed, there's plenty of time for weeds to install themselves while the grass is still thickening up.
Not to mention the damned birds thieving seed as fast as you sow it
In theory, ideally a lawn should be a mix of bents, fescues and some ryegrass for it's toughness in difficult situations. I use pure ryegrass here because nothing else survives. It's a bit more coarse than the other two but cut regularly, it gives a decent and very hard-wearing lawn. A lot will depend what you're planning on using your garden space for, and your local climate. If you go down the seed route, check the paper label attached to the bag to see what the proportions are of each type of grass. If you opt for turf, you'll be able to have a deep, meaningful conversation with the supplier about what it's made up of

 

I would love to turf but being 10 times cheaper I think I'm going to have to take the seed plunge!

 

Understood We'll look forward to seeing progress photos! I'm signing off now, .....it's 00h30 here, so bonne nuit (as they say)

 

There is something called a stale seed bed. Basically, prepare for seed and then wait ; until weed seeds produce tiny seedling weeds. Then get them with a hoe! Repeat. Once you have exhausted the top layer of soil of weedseeds, then you sow.
Personally, I would avoid weed'n feed at a seeding stage; the hormone weedkiller may not kill grass but it can set it back.