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Turf dug up, wanted artificial laying, now I am stuck!

alwhysallalwhysall Posts: 2
in Garden design
Hi, first time here and I am looking for advice. We live in a new build house with a 30sqm garden. It was all turfed when we moved in, and has never looked good, always been patchy, so as I am lucky enough to be on garden leave until November I started a project.... bearing in my mind I am not confident with DIY, never have been, but need something to try and keep busy !   

This week I've had a skip and turf cutter and have got rid of all the turf. Our plan was to lay artifical turf - we had quotes to have it done professionally, but £2K was too much.

I've now got all the turf up but i'm on my own for help during the day and digging down the required depth for the turf is impossible. I've been at it 2 days solid and have made no impact.

What should I do - get new normal turf relaid professionally? Gravel it all instead?

I've spent £350 so far and realistically have another £600-700 to play with. The picture shows the area I'm dealing with - expect now an inch or so or turf has gone!

Thanks.


Posts

  • alwhysallalwhysall Posts: 2
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Are you in the UK?  If so, the long weeks of dry heat we've all had will have baked the soil to a crisp. No wonder it's hard to dig.  If you wait until there's been a worthwhile drop of rain, you should find it easier.  For most people who use this forum, gardening means growing plants, so brace yourself for some satirical comments about the use of fake grass.  The people who supply and install the staff would like you to think it's maintenance free, don't be fooled.  Dirt of all kinds accumulates in it, enough for weed seeds to germinate and grow, and their roots will penetrate the fake turf if you don't get them out pronto.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    You cannot lay turf in this heat. I would wait until september to lay turf or reseed. That gives you a couple of months to dig a square metre a day, remove any half bricks , and have a really good substrate to lay your turf on. Incorporate some humus if you can... mushroom compost, leaf mould, well rotted farm yard manure.  If you prepare it well, it's a lot cheaper to seed, and you won't be walking on it in winter will you?
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Lawns don't just grow.  They need care.   I'd have been inclined just to water in dry spells and use some fertiliser to improve the grass.  While your kids are small you're not going to have, or need, a perfect lawn, just a space to play safely.   I'd stop now, wait for rain and cooler weather - September/October - and do an autumn feed application.  In the meantime, keep the mower blades raised high so you don't cut it too short because short grass can't feed its roots in summer and it will get stressed.

    As Jo says, we're gardeners here and plastic lawns are more a DIY question.  Think about the cost, emissions from the plastic, the cost to the planet to make it, how/if it will be recycled at the end of its life, the fact that it will need regular sweeping and washing to remove debris that can grow weeds....
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Oooh, someone how daring fake grass on here, lots of good advice though, yes, dont lay turf in the heatwave, you will never be able to water it enough, wait till autumn or next spring, gravel isnt practical with small kids.I have always wondered how folk with the fake stuff do the "doggy" pick up, do you have to disinfect it?Was the gardening leave  pun?
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    I mentioned before that  I have artificial grass which we laid ourselves, fed up with mowing as been doing it for 46 years.
    You need at least a 150mm subase and 50mm  granite or limestone dust on top.
    With us we raised our levels so only took off the grass and a bit of top soil but in your case I would take fidgetbones advice and returf or seed. 
  • IamweedyIamweedy Posts: 1,364
    I would get seed down ASAP when we get some proper rain. Do not despair. My grass as in the picture has been down over 30yrs. It has recovered from this state before. 
    Some planting will be needed when the rain comes. 



    'You must have some bread with it me duck!'

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    What is your plan for laying the artificial turf? How far down do you intend to go and what substrate will you be using and how deep? 
    Are you definite that you want to go down the artificial route? 
    If you have no kids or dogs, you may want to consider gravel. 
    Or you may want to reconsider your artificial turf decision............
    On the plus side, there is no hurry. The ground and weather are unworkable at the moment. I would take a month off to rethink through the whole grass/artificial grass/gravel decisions. There are workarounds for most things and lots of advice here for whatever route you go. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
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