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Best way to get rid of grass

davidloughrandavidloughran Posts: 7
in Problem solving
Hi all
basically the subject line. I’m going to remove all the grass off my front lawn and eventually replace it with lots of small bushes and ground cover (creeping thyme, heather etc).

would it be best to try and remove the grass completely, or just cut it short and smoother it all with fabric, which I would then cut into to plant through. 

Also recommendations on fabric would be good if that’s the route to go.

thanks, David 

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    The fabric will be plastic based and eventually the soil beneath it will become compacted and fairly lifeless.   

    There are alternatives. 

    You could hire a turf cutter from a DIY or tool hire store and use it to lift the turf which you can then stack in blocks - grass to grass and soil to soil - in a quiet corner to rot down.  It will make really good soil given time. 

    You could lay cardboard - minus any plastic tape or metal staples - over the grass to cut out the light and then wet it.  It will rot down and add to the general mix of soil structure whilst allowing your soil to breathe and plants to grow.  Much easier also to add plants as and when you can rather than trying to do it all in one go.

    Either way, you then pile on a few inches of well-rotted garden compost and/or well-rotted manure mixed in with some cheap MPC from a garden store or even buy in some top soil to cover the area.   Plant thru that, watering each plant well before and after planting and then apply a mulch of something like chipped bark to cut out the light to the soil to reduce weed seeding and retain moisture.
    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
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    How big an area? Handkerchief or football field?
  • davidloughrandavidloughran Posts: 7
    Ah thanks very much - as it happens I’m also making some raised beds in the back garden so I can use the turf cuttings for the base layers there? Assuming same approach, grass side down and then stacking soil to soil grass to grass. 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Yes, that would be fine.
    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
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