Replacing pea shingle with new lawn

We moved into a new bungalow last October, which has a beautiful set of flowered borders. However a 20m square area had a membrane covering the ground, with some 50mm or more thickness of pea shingle spread over it. This has obviously been down for many years because the previous occupant was disabled and in a wheelchair. It appears he looked after the borders but the remainder was just left untouched.

We removed all of the pea shingle and the membrane to reveal the ground underneath with the intention of spreading about 1 ton of earth over it, followed by turf.

The pea shingle and membrane have caused the ground to become rock hard even though it does not appear to be clay. Small pools of water gather in the area which shows it does not drain well.

My question is, "What shall I do?" I have just been diagnosed with bladder cancer and my wife is disabled but we could both care for a lawn. We cannot dig the ground and were considering renting a rotovator but I think it would just bounce off the ground as it is.

 

I think you would find a rotavator would break it up if its soil and not a weak concrete mix.

It might take a time to do but you will get there, just hope you have the energy required to use it, just take it slowly.

 

I have never used a rotovator and from the feel of standing on a spade which does not penetrate the ground I wonder if it would. The other question is how deep to break it up? Even, would it be best to leave it and keep the weeds down until Autumn? Btw, it is soil although it gives the appearance of a weak mix lol.

 

Well the deeper, you can go the better, within reason, the depth that the rotavator goes would be enough I would think, strangely you will then need to compact it or allow it to compact before adding your topsoil to get the level you require.
The compaction will now be a lot less.

 

Do you think treading on it after a day rotovating would compact enough? I would the add about 1 inch of fresh soil.

 

Yes, sounds stupid but you need to rotavate it then tread all over it to firm it.
Its not something you rush as it will settle on its own.
After that you will have some idea how much top soil you need.

 

Thank you, i will do that with fingers crossed the rotovator is up to the job.

 

Be prepared for the rotovator to bounce! If you can, it might be an idea to go over the area with a garden fork at 12" / 30cm spacings too. Just stick it in as far as it will go. This will help with drainage if there's a pan of compacted soil that the rotovator doesn't reach.