Hi,

Can I start by apologising if this is the 100,000 time the following question has been asked but I am struggling to get a decent answer (from my in laws!)

We have a v.old lawn (60 years), and it is showing its age. Added to that the soil is very heavy clay, and the drainage is a nightmare.

We plan to dig a soakaway, and lay the special drainage 'pipes' to drain the worst areas. Once we have done this we plan to top the ground with topsoil and horicultural grit to help the drainage.

My question is - do I have to completely 'lift' the old lawn or can I :

a) leave it as is and lay topsoil + grit over it

b) rotovate it and lay topsoil + grit over it.

Sorry to be a pain

dubliner.

dubliner10 wrote:

Can I start by apologising if this is the 100,000 time the following
question has been asked but I am struggling to get a decent answer
(from my in laws!)

We have a v.old lawn (60 years), and it is showing its age. Added to
that the soil is very heavy clay, and the drainage is a nightmare.

We plan to dig a soakaway, and lay the special drainage 'pipes' to
drain the worst areas. Once we have done this we plan to top the
ground with topsoil and horicultural grit to help the drainage.

My question is - do I have to completely 'lift' the old lawn or can I
:

a) leave it as is and lay topsoil + grit over it

b) rotovate it and lay topsoil + grit over it.

You can do either.

Your existing grass will grow through unless you kill it all first. If
you want more of the same type of grass, let it live.

I would take the opportunity to mix the new soil in with the old by
rotovating.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX, USA

On Jul 18, 9:50*pm, "SteveB" wrote:
dubliner10 wrote:
Can I start by apologising if this is the 100,000 time the following
question has been asked but I am struggling to get a decent answer
(from my in laws!)

We have a v.old lawn (60 years), and it is showing its age. Added to
that the soil is very heavy clay, and the drainage is a nightmare.

We plan to dig a soakaway, and lay the special drainage 'pipes' *to
drain the worst areas. Once we have done this we plan to top the
ground with topsoil and horicultural grit to help the drainage.

My question is - do I have to completely 'lift' the old lawn or can I
:

a) leave it as is and lay topsoil + grit over it

b) rotovate it and lay topsoil + grit over it.

You can do either.

Your existing grass will grow through unless you kill it all first. If
you want more of the same type of grass, let it live.

I would take the opportunity to mix the new soil in with the old by
rotovating.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX, USA- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


I'd say the answer depends on how much new topsoil you're getting.
If it's an inch, then putting an inch of great new topsoil on top of 8
inchs of heavy clay that is already there isn't going to do much to
change the overall soil. It would be better to till what's there
together with the soil ammendments and then top it off with the inch
of new top soil and do the final grading.

If you;re going to get 7 inchs of topsoil, then it won't matter.

Thanks Steve and Trader 4 thats great.

I think i'll go the whole hog and get the 7 inches of top soil and allow the new turf to live in relative luxury.

Thanks again.

Dub