My lawn is in a poor state partially caused by the ground collecting
water in the winter which kills off a big patch of grass. Also the
grass seems poor quality and is thin with many weeds (and different
types of grass).

I want to rotovate the lawn to try and get it level but would
appreciate some advice on how to do it best.

Things I was thinking off we

Maybe kill off the original grass first by covering it

Add sand to the soil and mix it in for better drainage.

Mix the seeds into the top layer of soil rather than putting them on
top.

Will a rotovator chop the soil small enough?

Does the soil need rolling flat after doing this?

Maybe check the soil PH?

"405 TD Estate" wrote in message
ups.com...
My lawn is in a poor state partially caused by the ground collecting
water in the winter which kills off a big patch of grass. Also the
grass seems poor quality and is thin with many weeds (and different
types of grass).

I want to rotovate the lawn to try and get it level but would
appreciate some advice on how to do it best.

Things I was thinking off we

Maybe kill off the original grass first by covering it

Add sand to the soil and mix it in for better drainage.

Mix the seeds into the top layer of soil rather than putting them on
top.

Will a rotovator chop the soil small enough?

Does the soil need rolling flat after doing this?

Maybe check the soil PH?



I've done a similar thing on a largish lawn. First of all I borrowed a
backpack sprayer and zapped it with Round-up.
£25 for a litre from a farm shop.

After a couple of weeks to allow the vegetation to wither (and respray the
missed bits!) I got a man in with a chunky rotavator. Cost me £35/100
sq.yards.

This left the soil quite fine but with lots of stones and plant debris on
the surface. So the next job was to rake and rake and rake.
Next I got two lengths of 4" by 2" fixed about a foot apart. then a rope
fixed so that I could pull them sideways across the area. This was
successful at levelling out the bumps etc. I found that dragging one length
of timber sideways it would tend to roll

I didn't roller it as I didn't have one but just left it for a couple of
months to settle.

Sprinkle and rake in grass seed. Can't remember but I probably did the usual
tramping it down afterwards.
I ended up with a level lawn so must have done something right.


mark

I went through that a few years back when we had a new septic system
installed (I have some before and after photos on one of my gardening
webpages) A large lawn area and some of my gardens were going to be
demolished. I walked the area with the fellow doing the work and the day
before the job was to begin, I dug up all the flowers, shrubs and trees
I wanted to save. Needless to say, he excavated beyond the marked areas
and I had been running around his front end loader, digging up more
plants as fast as I could...

And where the lawn had been, a zillion big and small rocks were
unearthed. I spent about a week cleaning the rocks out and used bright
yellow spray paint to mark off a long curving border for the new garden
areas and then, for INSTANT GRATIFICATION, I had a sod lawn put down.
Within two hours I had a gorgeous lawn to play croquet on. I would
advise you to get a few quotes to have a sod lawn put in or do it
yourself. Those rolls of grass are kind of heavy though!

Also, I want to mention the benefit of "work poop". You can get this in
liquid form in bottles that attach to your garden hose and the stuff
really gives you a lush, emerald green lawn!!

Denise

Tour my gardens:

http://web1.in4web.com/mtcdrc

"405 TD Estate" wrote in message
ups.com...
My lawn is in a poor state partially caused by the ground collecting
water in the winter which kills off a big patch of grass.

So first step is to fix the drainage. Best bet is probably to lay a french
drain or similar.

Then I'd nuke the weeds with a short life weed killer. One that allows you
to plant soon after.

Rotavate and remove any stones that come to the surface. Repeat.

Profile the level so that the water will run off the way you want.

Roll it.

Turf it. Much better results than seeding and well worth the extra.

Water it, water it, water it.

Did I mention watering it? In hot windy weather the turf can dry out and
shrink in just a few few hours! You have been warned. Make sure it's kept
damp for the first two weeks. If you go out for the day make sure someone
waters it for you.

The turf may start off looking a but lumpy and may even appear to get worse
but it will soon send down little white roots and then pull itself down.
Once the turn has fixed it self down you can afford to relax a bit with the
watering but not before.

Don't forget there is a right time of year to lay grass.

That's "WORM poop". Sorry :-)

Denise

Tour my gardens:

http://web1.in4web.com/mtcdrc

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:32:25 +0100, CWatters
wrote:

Don't forget there is a right time of year to lay grass.

When would that be?
--
John38

"John38" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:32:25 +0100, CWatters
wrote:

Don't forget there is a right time of year to lay grass.

When would that be?
--
John38

Early spring is best. Otherise Late Aug-Sep I think.