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Remove bark and grow a lawn
michael.rawlings
Posts: 3
Hi
I have very little gardening experience and would really appreciate some help
having moved into a new property which has a garden ( first time ever) I have been putting off looking after it for some time now. The garden is full of bark which rest on top of dirt and I'm a little unsure on how to go about removing it and growing grass instead
underneath the bark and dirt is a ground sheet which covers the whole garden, please can someone advise on how to start and the best course of action
much appreciated
michael
Last edited: 05 June 2017 23:22:14
0
Posts
Last edited: 05 June 2017 23:19:18
Last edited: 05 June 2017 23:21:12
I assume your garden is quite small (if it is all covered in bark). Rake up the bark and dispose of if you do not intend to make borders. Lift the membrane, dig all over, rake and rake, tramp the soil down and rake again. This is not the best time to sow seed, you can of course put down turf as long as you keep it well watered. If you want to sow seed, put all the above off until the autumn.
That is just a summary of what needs doing. Have a look on youtube or any good gardening book for more details.
Just to flag that there are many lawns that are easier to care for than the grass variety - which needs mowing every week or two in the summer and doesn't do much for wildlife. There are a wide range of plants that can create a lawn such as thymes, camomile, many mat forming creepers like veronica and clovers. They smell lovely to walk on and can talk a good amount of footfall. Just a thought. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/10/leendertz-gardens-lawn-advice-gardening
I had to smile when I read your heading..............I purposefully put bark on my lawn in March to kill the grass and weeds, as I find it an nightmare to keep it looking good and an absolute drudgery to cut it weekly/bi-weekly. I am going to try a patch of creeping thyme lawn to see how that goes, doesn't need cutting and as firefy say it smells lovely when stepped on, a it takes light footwear.
Yes there are alternatives to grass - but the conditions have to be right first. I wouldn't be trying to grow thyme there by the look of it. It needs really good drainage to do well.
I'd agree with hogweed about the prep, but you could lay turf if it's not too big an area and you have the budget, but I would prep it now and sow seed. I'd also add that it will need a feed prior to seed sowing or turf laying, as it will probably be a bit nutrient deficient. Unless you have a hosepipe ban, it wouldn't take much watering, and seed would germinate quickly. An important consideration is the aspect and what else is round you though. If it's very shady, you might struggle to get grass looking good and growing well.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...