Sowing grass seed - stones problem

Agree with what you said Kris, but my thinking is that if there are a lot of small-ish stones (too small to realistically pick out, and of course more will keep coming to the surface ...) it might be better to give the grass seed an easier seed-bed surface to start from. Any stones will cause the seed to fall to one side, and seed that falls under the lee/shoulder of a stone may not germinate well, and the stones will move around during walking / mowing etc. and smother some of the grass ... but I may be over thinking it. Spreading 0.6 tonnes of topsoil is quite a bit of work of course, and cost.

 

Thanks for your comments. I think adding the top soil is the best option to prevent the stones hindering the germination. Although it's a lot of work its less than having to dig through all the soil to get rid of the stones, which I don't think is possible anyway. Does anyone have any tips for how to flatten the soil down once I've spread it on ie. long plank of wood, paving stone or just walking all over it?

 

What I have done in past is quite labour intensive but gives a good result.
Once you have spread soil rake it flat, then tread over it to firm it down, then use the rake to flatten out undulations, then re-tread, re-rake and continue till happy with result.

 

Walk on it, when dry so that it doesn't compress and definitely when it doesn't stick to your boots! Left foot down, right foot with heel in the in-step of your left foot (so projecting half-a-foot fowards, then left left foot and place heel in in-step of right foot. Continue that "shuffle" across the plot, turn round and do the next "row" on your way back. Rake it to get it smooth.

I then use a ladder, with a rope tied around the outer rungs, and drag it across the plot in both directions, which levels out and humps, and fills in any hollows. If the ladder skates across the top put some blocks on it to give it some weight - it needs to drag and inch or two of dirt with it.

Might be overkill, or impossible to manoeuvre , in the small area you need to do though. The widest rake you have (and probably use the back of it to drag the surface level - and do that both North-South and East-West if you see what I mean) would probably do the trick.

Then spread the topsoil on (i.e. spreading it onto an already smooth surface will make that job easier), and then level that in the same way. If only a couple of inches, and onto an already smooth surface, you should be able to spread that evenly with a rake

 

OK. I've put the top soil down, but now there are hundreds and hundreds of hard, marble sized lumps of top soil over the surface where I have crumbled the slab that came out of the bag. I spent about an hour and a half breaking each bag up so that it could be spread out and raked, but the surface is not fine like I am reading it should be, you can't even rake lines through it because it just hasn't crumbled enough. I tried yesterday evening trying to crumble the small lumps but there are too many. I don't know what to do as I am unsure whether the grass seed will grow in soil like this, so can anyone give me their thoughts on it? Is it it oK, or should I look at getting some better soil and starting again? I am also wondering about just turfing the area now as I am starting to realise that with summer round the corner our young family is going to be in the garden more and could do with the extra lawn space, in this case would it be OK to lay turf over the soil that is currently there or would I still need to put more top soil down? Sorry for so many questions.

 

Sounds like soil has been in a bag over winter and as you say has formed a slab.
Now you have spread it nature will start to work on it, you can give it a helping hand by watering it, then when still damp try raking it and it should break up.
Might well take a few repititions.
Before spreading your grass seed you need a fine tilth.
Much the same is true of turf, if there is enough soil to grow a lawn from seed there is enough soil to lay down turf.
Pros for turf quick results good time to lay.
Cons much more expensive.

 

I would tread it down - if you can catch just the right time after it rains, and starts to dry, such that it doesn't stick to your boots, doesn't compress into mud :(, but the clods shatter into fine tilth, then that's the time to do it

Put left foot down, right foot with heel in instep of left foot, then move left foot forwards so its heel goes into right foot's instep. It becomes a little shuffle, half a foot at a time. When you get to the end turn round and do the next "row" on the way back. You should then be able to get a fine tilth with a rake.

 

Thanks for your replies. Well i've given it a good soaking and a rake, so i'll see how it is tomorrow and try out kristens idea to see if I can break down the lumps some more once its dried a bit.