"Rats" wrote
I have recently taken ownership of my new house which was built from
scratch. During the building process almost all the topsoil was
excavated and what I am now left with is exposed clay. This clay is
now starting to harden rapidly as summer approaches here in NZ.

Fortunately my section is not big so I don't have too much topsoil to
spread. What I do however need to do is to shovel some of the clay
around the section in order to make the ground levels a little bit
cleaner and neater. Currently there are some lumps on the site where
extra holes were dug and the clay was just dumped there.

So my questions a

1) What is the easiest wayof breaking up hard clay in order to move
and spread at another location of the site.

We used an Adze to remove the hills on our allotment.

2) Once I have moved the clay can I just leave it there or should I
compact it? If so then what is a simple way of doing this?

Never compact clay unless you want to use it to make a pond. Spreading soil
over solid clay will mean that any rain will not drain away and the soil
will become waterlogged, at least it would in the UK. If this may be a
problem for you in your rainy season (our summer?) it would be a good idea
to think about drainage now before you do more work. Put in soil pipes to a
local ditch, build your own pond to take the excess rainwater again using
soil pipes, if it's clay over gravel as here then break through the clay
layer with a borer and fill the hole with shingle...


3) I'll be spreading topsoil using a wheelbarrow. Any other easier
ways of doing this? I estimate 10 cubic metres are required so that
would be about 60 wheelbarrow loads! Gonna be a tough couple of days
so any easier methods would be appreciated.

Not without machinery and youi don't want heavy machines tearing up and
compacting the clay any more.

4) Once the topsoil is spread, again, do I need to compact it before
planting grass?

Just shuffling over it pressing your heels in, then gently raking, then
shuffling again etc etc is enough.

5) How exactly do you plant grass? Do you just grab handfuls of seed
and throw them about?

Yes. You can then cover with a fine layer of soil but it's not usually
necessary. Birds might be a problem so you may have to net the seeded area.
Seeding a lawn is best done in autumn so the natural rains water the new
seedling whilst their roots get established and you don't have to.


6) I forgot to mention that there are some weeds present on site.
They've somehow grown through the clay. Should I kill these off with
some weed killer or can I just bury them under the topsoil?


Depends if they are perennial weeds, is so then use a weedkiller. If anual
weeds just bury them.


--
Regards
Bob Hobden