One word of warning about buying turf is to be absolutely ready to lay it - you can't leave it rolled up until you are ready or it will die in record time. One thing we are doing with our stony pitch, which fits in with what Dove has suggested (ie. making do and mending rather than beginning all over again) is digging out the area where there is significant lumping, levelling the topsoil and removing the stones, then planting grass seed. You would be surprised how quickly the seed grows, especially at the moment - ideal planting time. I thought having dandelions was a sign that the soil was fertile, but maybe I am mixing them up with nettles. Soil doesn't have to be brilliantly fertile to grow grass. The topsoil below our lawn is the depth of one brick - then goes onto 2ft of fused iron ore and that grows well (unless the paddling pool has been on it!) We use fertiliser a couple of times a year, and that seems to work, and has done for years.
No Dove its fine! I am thankful people are taking the time to try and help me. I just felt starting again was the best way and because we will be laying bark at the bottom that is where the kids will play. The lawn will only be around 15-19m2 once finished so guess I wanted it flatter etc. My ither half has been getting quotes so I was guessing that was the route she wanted to go down. I will get out there tonight pull the weeds up and go from there!
As I was going to dig up the grass at the back felt it was the best time to do it all but take on board what people are saying and trying to save me money
Well, yes - and some work to get it firmed up and ready - there's lots of videos online showing you how to do it - but you'd have to keep off it for a good long while until it was sufficiently resilient.
I have to say that having worked with turf and seed, I much prefer the seed experience, but then, with the turf, it arrived before we had time to lay it, and we made the mistake of waiting till the next weekend, by which time it was not in good condition. Most of our 'seeding' however, we have done in September, which is perhaps the optimum time in the sense that it happens at a time when you are unlikely to use the garden that much for the next six months. Early autumn and mid-spring are the best time for seeding. With September seeding, by the following March/April, the lawn is pretty robust.
Maybe a sensible solution would be to mow and patch now - then if it doesn't settle to your satisfaction by September you can prepare it properly and seed an new lawn.
That way your children get to play on the lawn this summer, and then you can all stay off the lawn over the winter when it's new.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi there I have a problem like this.I have had a wall built and the soil got moved everywhere and it has weeds growing everywhere,I was planning on killing all the weeds off and levelling it all off them turfing the lot but,will the weed killer affect the turf from growing even if I leave it a few weeks after treating it all thanks
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One word of warning about buying turf is to be absolutely ready to lay it - you can't leave it rolled up until you are ready or it will die in record time. One thing we are doing with our stony pitch, which fits in with what Dove has suggested (ie. making do and mending rather than beginning all over again) is digging out the area where there is significant lumping, levelling the topsoil and removing the stones, then planting grass seed. You would be surprised how quickly the seed grows, especially at the moment - ideal planting time. I thought having dandelions was a sign that the soil was fertile, but maybe I am mixing them up with nettles. Soil doesn't have to be brilliantly fertile to grow grass. The topsoil below our lawn is the depth of one brick - then goes onto 2ft of fused iron ore and that grows well (unless the paddling pool has been on it!) We use fertiliser a couple of times a year, and that seems to work, and has done for years.
No Dove its fine! I am thankful people are taking the time to try and help me. I just felt starting again was the best way and because we will be laying bark at the bottom that is where the kids will play. The lawn will only be around 15-19m2 once finished so guess I wanted it flatter etc. My ither half has been getting quotes so I was guessing that was the route she wanted to go down. I will get out there tonight pull the weeds up and go from there!
As I was going to dig up the grass at the back felt it was the best time to do it all but take on board what people are saying and trying to save me money
If I seeded a new lawn instead would I still just need top soil and "throw" seed down
Well, yes - and some work to get it firmed up and ready - there's lots of videos online showing you how to do it - but you'd have to keep off it for a good long while until it was sufficiently resilient.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/lawns_sowlawn1.shtml
More info here https://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=424
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have to say that having worked with turf and seed, I much prefer the seed experience, but then, with the turf, it arrived before we had time to lay it, and we made the mistake of waiting till the next weekend, by which time it was not in good condition. Most of our 'seeding' however, we have done in September, which is perhaps the optimum time in the sense that it happens at a time when you are unlikely to use the garden that much for the next six months. Early autumn and mid-spring are the best time for seeding. With September seeding, by the following March/April, the lawn is pretty robust.
Maybe a sensible solution would be to mow and patch now - then if it doesn't settle to your satisfaction by September you can prepare it properly and seed an new lawn.
That way your children get to play on the lawn this summer, and then you can all stay off the lawn over the winter when it's new.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Dove, that's exactly what I think is best to do. Use what's already there this summer, and if still unhappy, start again in September.
Hi there I have a problem like this.I have had a wall built and the soil got moved everywhere and it has weeds growing everywhere,I was planning on killing all the weeds off and levelling it all off them turfing the lot but,will the weed killer affect the turf from growing even if I leave it a few weeks after treating it all thanks