Spongy Grass in a walled garden
Nicky Nicky
Posts: 76
Hello all. I was just after a little bit of advice before I jump in and regret it. I have been tasked with renovating a walled garden area of about 0.6acres. At the moment it has a tarmac tennis court in it, which I need to tear out and dispose of. But my main question is what to do with the ground and grass that is currently there. It has been regularly cut over the last few years but the ground to walk on is very spongy and I wonder if its better to take everything out which consists of only a hand full of trees which are ill and dying and then to rotovator the entire area before reseeding with a better grass and staking out the new paths and flowerbeds. I’m sure it’s a backbreaking job to rotovator that size of area. But I would rather spend the time and energy now before its full of plants and regret not doing it later on down the line.
Any other idea at how to get the ground in tiptop shape before planting out?
Posts
Is the lawn 'spongy' because it's been regularly mowed, but not raked/scarified and a layer of thatch has built up?
I'd try aerating/scarifying/feeding and see if that improves things.
Others may have more ideas .......
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Is it mainly moss Nicky? That springs to my mind when you say spongy. If so, Dove's advice re scarifying and raking will help anyway. The ground could be very compacted and the drainage poor, or wet and boggy, both of which will result in unsuitable conditions for good grass.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
We came to the same scenario in the walled garden. Over the years it had been just laid out to grass, presumable to have no work. When we cleared and rotavated we discovered some if the areas had wonderful soil. Years of vegetable growing we think.
we rotavated, sprayed and rotavated again. Some areas still have tendency to couch grass but it was a wonderfully rewarding challenge. Good luck!
A A Milne
This was our challenge!
A A Milne
Hello. as you say Dovefromabove im pretty sure that would work but by the time i have made all that effort I might as well have dug it over and reseeded with a higher quality grass. Im sure its exactley as you suggest and its just thatch built up.
Fairygirl if the ground is too compacted would going over the entire piece of land and starting again be the right answer?
Lily Pilly that looks amazing. how long did it take to rotavate the land was it a push along one or one that attached to back of a tractor or something? Also how old is your hedge in that picture. I would love to plant out a nice parterre of yew but fear it will take forever to fill in.
It was a labour of love that took about two years to planting and three for flowering
we had to use hand rotavator as gates too small
After planting was complete We stamped everything down and laid bark to help reduce maintenance, top it up every three years
A A Milne
Sorry, forgot to say box hedge was the only thing here. In its hay day the garden was known locally as The Italian Garden so reckon it's pretty old. We had to dig masses out but it still has blight. I must have planted hundreds of new plants. I look for good deals and get then bare root.
A A Milne
Wow Lily Pilly, where is this place
?
Our back yard!, the house was the factors house for the Douglas and Angus estate
like so many of these properties it was sold off in the 60 s and the garden went to pot. We came in 10 years ago. we hope to be able to keep going at least a few more years, but we creak more!
A A Milne
Wow Lily Pilly, you are very fortunate to have such a lovely space to work on, I hope you enjoy it for many years to come!