PJ wrote in message .com...
On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 11:05:29 +0100, Tom wrote
(in message ):


"clcnews" wrote in message
...
can anyone help with advice on how to kill off a very uneven grass and
weed
covered lawn approx 60x20 feet area so I can start again. Recently moved
into a house where garden was neglected for nearly 10 years, can you
imagine, all types of rubbish dumped in it and full of broken glass etc.
Looking for some kind of fast acting grass/weed killer, spray or
whatever.
[...]
One thing which has occurred to me which might be suitable for this larger
area is to hire a rotovator perhaps? It's certainly not something I know a
great deal about, but if the rubbish etc. were removed first then would a
rotovator churn up sufficiently all the weeds etc. so that they would be
finished off?

[...]
I simply used a hoe regularly [...]

That hoeing was *caused* by the rotovator. They just make root
cuttings of the worst weeds and spread them about, creating a nice
welcoming tilth for them to grow in. Very bad things except for what
they're designed for, which is a regular digging substitute for a
vegetable patch too big to do by hand, and which has been kept
weed-free in previous years: for that, they're terrific. If there's
broken glass about, using a rotovator will make the problem much
worse. (I had to do a garden full of glass just now -- terrible
experience. All you can do is rake and pick, rake and pick until it's
done.)

The quickest way is to use one of those weed-and-feed preparations
(I'd spend the extra tenner on the spreader they sell with the stuff:
still cheaper than hiring the rotovator; and if you're short of
storage you can give it to a neighbour or Oxfam afterwards); more than
once will prob. be necessary. You'll probably be surprised how much
good grass you've actually got there. Rake over vigorously by hand or
with one of those electric "Lawnrakers", and scatter grass seed fairly
generously; rake over again more gently, and roll if you've got a
roller, or not if you haven't!

If there are clumps of rushes or very coarse grasses (often
greyish-bluish) in your lawn it's worth digging them out if you can
before sowing your new seed. Theoretically, you get fine grasses to
dominate simply by regular mowing; but I find it doesn't always work,
especially if the lawn isn't very smooth.

You say it's uneven: this may be better than it now seems once you've
got the rubbish out, and maybe the raking I suggested above will cure
it. If it was once a lawn before, it's probably going to be OK after a
year or two's mowing and a bit of slicing off the odd hump and filling
in the odd dip (a strong motor-mower may do this for you!).

And while we're at it, have you considered if you really want a lawn
at all? There's no rule saying you've got to have one, though it's
certainly the best thing for family play; otherwise there are plenty
of alternatives. Or perhaps you've got a part of the area where you
could cultivate an undisciplined assortment of wild flowers (aka
"weeds"): this kind of patch is looking wonderful at this time of
year. You put off mowing until the seeds have dropped, say in late
July. In the interests of sanity, you can't let just anything grow,
though: wind-borne menaces like dandelions, thistles, and even my
favourite orange hawkweed have to be kept out; and I don't suppose you
fancy a nice display of docks and nettles.

Sorry this is so long: got carried away!

Mike.