rotovate or remove ryegrass prior to sowing?

philipsmith2

Hello all

I have a question regarding preparing the soil for a wildflower meadow.

I'd like to get rid of some ryegrass lawn, plant wildflower plugs and sow native grass seed. Someone told me you don't need to remove the top 10cm of soil (as per RHS recommendations) because what's there will be pretty barren anyway - simply rotovate the lawn (along with the ryegrass) and it should be fine. My concern is whether this would allow the ryegrass to reappear.

My instinct is to go with removing the top 10cm, but I would appreciate your thoughts.

Obelixx

I think the rye grass will regrow but that rotavating or removing the top 10cm will be murderous for all the soil organisms.   I would scalp it thoroughly with the mower on its lowest setting now.  Do it again when it starts to grow and then plant some yellow rattle to reduce its vigour.  Let that settle before planting your other plugs.

This is the approach I'm using anyway.

Alchemist

Glyphosate, followed by raking should do it, if you are okay with weed killers.

Lyn

You also need to sow, grow and plant Yellow Rattle.
If you google that you will get lots of information on how to do that.