Lawn -

laluuk

Hey guys,

Wondering if I can get some advice.

I've got a pretty bad lawn, bumpy and  full of weed and tiny rocks / stones. Got a clay soil (I think - see images), it's pretty solid in some parts and gets quite heavy / lumpy when wet. 

Can I  put some clay breaker and compost over existing lawn then spread grass seeds and let nature take its course over a year or so or do I need to dig it over mix all the good stuff and then saw the seeds? It's a fairly big area approx 4m x 5m.

Would appreciate any assistance. 


Thanks 

laluuk

Have also thought about killing all the grass and starting over. Is Round up okay for that, have heard that it carcinogenic? Any other natural solutions? Thanks

BILLYC

If you put Roundup on your lawn nothing, including grass, will ever grow for 5 years or more. 5m X 4m is not a very big area so don't try and take short cuts they don't work. 

Hire a rotavator and, on a dry day, turn over the soil and add as much compost or topsoil that you can and rotavate in. Level area with a rake and tamp down with the edge of a plank. When weeds appear treat with lawn weedkiller, Verdone is excellent. When weeds have gone, you may need more than one application of weedkiller, sow grass seed mixture containing ryegrass. Water frequently.

In 2 months or so you should have a reasonable lawn.  

Dovefromabove

I think @BILLYC  is confusing Roundup with some of the long acting persistent weedkillers used on pathways and drives. 

You can certainly sow a lawn after using Roundup ... it’s a systemic weedkiller  which is absorbed by the plant leaves and becomes inactive on the soil once it has dried. 

It is common practice to use Roundup to kill off an old lawn before resowing. Whether that is something you want to do, given current concerns, is a matter of choice in the UK. 

laluuk

Thanks guys.
@Dovefromabove Ideally don't want to use chemicals if I don't have to. Any other way to kill off grass other than using the shovel to remove it?
@BILLYC Do I have to remove grass first before using rotavator? The soil is rock hard certain places...