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Returf entire lawn and start again or fix?

frijolitasfrijolitas Posts: 18
in Problem solving
We have removed lots of bushes from the side of our garden and removed a trampoline that had killed the end of our lawn (the bit where it was sited for the year). So we now have half a healthy lawn and a large roughly L shape of bare soil amounting to roughly 25sq metres.

Quotes to lay new turf on just the L shape is not much cheaper than doing the entire lawn due to the labour cost and cost of machinery. It somehow feels wrong to get rid of existing lawn but it would mean a better and more uniform finish. As it isn't an exact L shape, turfing only the bare bits would still leave some patches which would need to be filled in afterwards with seed.

Downside is extra cost (returfing is expensive!) and not being able to walk on any part of the lawn until it has rooted. 

We did consider seeding the bare bits but not sure how successful this will be. We have never done it before and there's an element of wanting an instant lawn.

Can anyone advise what best practice would be here? Is it better to just strip the existing lawn and start over again?

Posts

  • delskidelski Posts: 274
    frijolitas said:
    As it isn't an exact L shape, turfing only the bare bits would still leave some patches which would need to be filled in afterwards with seed.
    The way around this is to cut "an exact L shape" and then turf that. It's surprising that the turfing company didn't suggest that.
    If this was my garden I would be re-seeding. It's horrible and requires a lot of patience so if that's such a big problem for you then get some artificial grass so that you can get your instant lawn to walk on immediately.
  • frijolitasfrijolitas Posts: 18
    @delski nope, it wasn't suggested but we have roughly done that ourselves when working the sqm needed. Right now, none of the lawn turfing companies where we are even coming out to view. 

    We have considered reseeding. It isn't a "big problem" but it requires time. Hard work and effort we can put in but when both parents work full time (not at home either), a million other DIY jobs we're behind on and with small kids to look after, time is something we don't have much of. 

    I'm not sure what's wrong with wanting a lawn to enjoy for the summer and why this means we should consider artificial lawn? We had originally looked to get this done in Jan but companies are so back logged here, it's been hard finding a company taking on new work. So, after four months of patiently waiting I would quite like a lawn for ourselves and the kids to use. 

    Thanks for responding to the post. 


  • ElferElfer Posts: 329
    You have obviously chased up all the various options, know how much effort it takes on your part or how much it costs to have it done by a contractor & how long it takes before you can use the lawn. There is no other magic formula, it's your decision.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Welcome to the forum!  Turfing takes work and has it's own issues, but if you are looking for an instant and lovely lawn.. and you have the funds.. go for it!  On the other hand if you have kids and pets running around on the surface, and are rarely home to enjoy it.. then maybe just get a local handy-man to do the prep work and then you can rope off the areas and reseed.  Put a watering sprayer on a timer switch to go off for an hour each evening, and then pull some weeds on the weekends.  In a month or two you'll have some green patches and a slightly less manicured lawn that you don't mind kids roughing up in their play.   :)
    Utah, USA.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I’d go for the re-seeding option as described by @Blue Onion ... then you can save your funds and if you want to you can spend it on returfing at a later date when the youngsters are off at uni and only come home to lounge elegantly with their mates for a week or two.  That time comes sooner than you think ... 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    If you turf now, with the weather turning warmer and drier, it will need a lot of watering to get it established. And you should keep off it until it's well-established, for example this site suggests "Keep traffic very light for the first 3-4 months." Which is all summer, starting from now.
    As you already have some useable lawn, I would also go for the cheaper seeding option. Maybe a wildflower meadow mix if you like that kind of thing (I don't, but it's very popular just now).

    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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