Sorry, I didn't mean level the slope, I meant make the lawn surface smooth and even (after digging it will be lumpy-bumpy and should be raked smooth).
Clay that solid won't make a good base for a lawn even with topsoil on top, but sadly it's fairly normal for new builds. They often just flatten what's left after the building is finished (all compacted by heavy machinery etc), spread a few inches of topsoil on top and lay probably the cheapest turf they can get. No wonder it dies after a year or two.
Thanks @JennyJ - I have been doing some research on youtube too. I think I will attempt to replace the lawn myself, though I'm not 100% on the process yet.
It seems like I should:
1. Remove the old lawn - I'll probably do this without a lawn stripper as it comes away very easily at the moment.
2. Remove a couple of inches of clay - I may have to hire a 0.8t mini digger for this?
3. Rotovate - will need to hire.
4. Add soil/sand mixture.
5. Rotovate again.
6. Flatten with a roller - which I have.
7. Add some sort of pre turfing fertiliser.
8. Lay new turf.
The above is just from initial research - could be completely wrong. Does anyone have any feedback on the above?
My garden is also on top of hard rubble filled clay.
if I need to dig a planting hole deeper than a foot, for anything substantial like a rose, then I have to get the mattock out, which is brilliant for breaking up clay. Remove rubble, mix in sharp sand and compost to improve it.
like you, my shovel or fork just won't penetrate it below the top soil.
I'll eventually, when I've finished filling in the planting areas, have done the whole garden.
The traditional way to consolidate the soil is to tread it down with your heels instead of using a roller, then rake to leave it level but with a crumbly surface ready for seed or turf - it's supposed to be better than a roller at getting rid of air pockets which would settle later if left, making the lawn uneven.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
If it was my garden I would make 4 raised beds in the big area with paths to do veg and flowers. The other area a patio with trellis and climbers with a water feature.
You've got your work cut out there, StillLearning, but you can get there with a bit of garft. Jenny's right - don't be tempted to use a roller - it'll just take you back to the same problem of a consolidated base which won't do your grass any favours. If you can loosen up the clay layer and mix in some well rotted manure and compost, and that will lighten up the soil a bit, and make it a better medium for the grass. It largely depends on how wet your ground is just now. You don't want to be working it when it's wet and soggy. If you plan on having a little deck in the corner, I'd do that first, and then tackle the grass after that. Concrete some short posts into the ground and make a proper base though. If it gets a fair bit of shade, it will get slippy, so be prepared for that, or at the very least, don't run and jump onto it after it's been raining
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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It seems like I should:
1. Remove the old lawn - I'll probably do this without a lawn stripper as it comes away very easily at the moment.
2. Remove a couple of inches of clay - I may have to hire a 0.8t mini digger for this?
3. Rotovate - will need to hire.
4. Add soil/sand mixture.
5. Rotovate again.
6. Flatten with a roller - which I have.
7. Add some sort of pre turfing fertiliser.
8. Lay new turf.
The above is just from initial research - could be completely wrong. Does anyone have any feedback on the above?
Thank you for the help.
if I need to dig a planting hole deeper than a foot, for anything substantial like a rose, then I have to get the mattock out, which is brilliant for breaking up clay. Remove rubble, mix in sharp sand and compost to improve it.
like you, my shovel or fork just won't penetrate it below the top soil.
I'll eventually, when I've finished filling in the planting areas, have done the whole garden.
If you can loosen up the clay layer and mix in some well rotted manure and compost, and that will lighten up the soil a bit, and make it a better medium for the grass. It largely depends on how wet your ground is just now. You don't want to be working it when it's wet and soggy.
If you plan on having a little deck in the corner, I'd do that first, and then tackle the grass after that. Concrete some short posts into the ground and make a proper base though. If it gets a fair bit of shade, it will get slippy, so be prepared for that, or at the very least, don't run and jump onto it after it's been raining
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...