Well I trod and raked the area twice today and I am happy with the results, so much so I put down my pre seed fertilizer. Looking at the weather I am happy to put the seed down on Friday.
One question I have is, the seed will need to be kept moist for it to germinate, I bought a sprinkler but to be honest it is rubbish so I will be watering by hand, because my water pressure is pretty poor here my hose will not spray right to the back of the garden and rear corners, Can I walk on the seed before shots appear? If so what do I do once it starts sprouting? I wouldn't want to walk on the new shots damaging them, I may get lucking with the weather and may get a few showers.
If you are an early bird try out your sprinkler at around 6am! You will find water pressure much better then. Honest! That's what I used to do with mine.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
Please, please would you come and dig out some new beds for me???? - you are clearly a real grafter and I can do cake and I do come from Yarmouth originally as well. Please, pleeeease....
Seriously tho' - I have been following this thread &, like so many others, I was a bit shocked by your plans at first. But I have to hand it to you for sticking to your guns - I think we're all dead impressed by what you've achieved and you are quite right to want a garden suitable for you and your family - after all - we're not going to come & look after it for you are we?.
There will be lots of excitement & help available (if you need it) when you're ready to start planning what to put in the raised beds. In the meantime I wonder if it's worth investing in a better sprinkler just now. So much time, effort & not a little money spent already - a decent sprinkler is not too expensive and will last a long time. I think the back and forth bar ones are best - especially as you can adjust the arc of them if you find you're watering the patio as well. They cover quite a big area and are quite soporific to watch.
Looking forward to the next instalment...
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Thanks Topbird, I bought a pulse sprinkler like the one pictured below, it is meant to have a coverage of 700sm, that to me sounds like an awful lot, when I use it it does not reack the outer edges of the garden even though my garden is about 90-100 sm, it also leaves a pool of water around itself when in use.
I am looking at seeding over the next two days, checking the forecast we will be due light rain showers over the next few days, Am I right in saying it will be ok to seed? My thoughts are light rain will save me watering, drainage is pretty good in the garden and the garden is pretty flat so the seed will not run down a slope.
My only concern is heavy rain as I may get a bit of pooling but when this has happened in the past and pools have drained off pretty quick.
Thanks, That was my thinking, my main concern is if it turns to heavy rain it could wash the seed out or the seed getting so wet it prevents germination. Living in Manchester the rain can fall pretty hard, but I am putting my faith in the weather forecast.
Just make sure you keep a little seed back in reserve Mr T. Someone round the corner from me did their little front lawn a couple of months ago and while most of it has grown beautifully, they had one bare patch which they've had to redo. At least it was only a small area - nothing like as big as yours, so much easier for them to sort.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Well I trod and raked the area twice today and I am happy with the results, so much so I put down my pre seed fertilizer. Looking at the weather I am happy to put the seed down on Friday.
One question I have is, the seed will need to be kept moist for it to germinate, I bought a sprinkler but to be honest it is rubbish so I will be watering by hand, because my water pressure is pretty poor here my hose will not spray right to the back of the garden and rear corners, Can I walk on the seed before shots appear? If so what do I do once it starts sprouting? I wouldn't want to walk on the new shots damaging them, I may get lucking with the weather and may get a few showers.
If you are an early bird try out your sprinkler at around 6am! You will find water pressure much better then. Honest! That's what I used to do with mine.
Dear Mr Toast
Please, please would you come and dig out some new beds for me????
- you are clearly a real grafter and I can do cake and I do come from Yarmouth originally as well. Please, pleeeease....
Seriously tho' - I have been following this thread &, like so many others, I was a bit shocked by your plans at first. But I have to hand it to you for sticking to your guns - I think we're all dead impressed by what you've achieved and you are quite right to want a garden suitable for you and your family - after all - we're not going to come & look after it for you are we?.
There will be lots of excitement & help available (if you need it) when you're ready to start planning what to put in the raised beds. In the meantime I wonder if it's worth investing in a better sprinkler just now. So much time, effort & not a little money spent already - a decent sprinkler is not too expensive and will last a long time. I think the back and forth bar ones are best - especially as you can adjust the arc of them if you find you're watering the patio as well. They cover quite a big area and are quite soporific to watch.
Looking forward to the next instalment...
Thanks Topbird, I bought a pulse sprinkler like the one pictured below, it is meant to have a coverage of 700sm, that to me sounds like an awful lot, when I use it it does not reack the outer edges of the garden even though my garden is about 90-100 sm, it also leaves a pool of water around itself when in use.
I am looking at seeding over the next two days, checking the forecast we will be due light rain showers over the next few days, Am I right in saying it will be ok to seed? My thoughts are light rain will save me watering, drainage is pretty good in the garden and the garden is pretty flat so the seed will not run down a slope.
My only concern is heavy rain as I may get a bit of pooling but when this has happened in the past and pools have drained off pretty quick.
Showery weather is ideal for starting a lawn.
Thanks, That was my thinking, my main concern is if it turns to heavy rain it could wash the seed out or the seed getting so wet it prevents germination. Living in Manchester the rain can fall pretty hard, but I am putting my faith in the weather forecast.
Good luck Mr Toast - I don't think you'll get better conditions than the forecast for the next few days.
Fingers crossed for you
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks dove, whats the worst that can happen, the seed will not grow and I will try again.
Just make sure you keep a little seed back in reserve Mr T. Someone round the corner from me did their little front lawn a couple of months ago and while most of it has grown beautifully, they had one bare patch which they've had to redo. At least it was only a small area - nothing like as big as yours, so much easier for them to sort.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...