Dear All,

I presume this isn't recommended, but is it do-able nonetheless ?

I have a patch of grass that is about 5m x 15m that my dog has been busy
running around on over the winter and is now badly churned up in several
places.

I don't want to dig it all up or rotovate it particularly, but I do want to
replace it with good quality new grass.

Someone told me that at this time of year, it is possible to just rake some
good topsoil over the whole thing to level it up and then to simply lay new
turf right over the top....

Good/bad/indifferent ? Any advice ?

If this is possible, can anyone also recommend a good type of turf to use -
it needs to be hard wearing as opposed to perfect looking as I have three
boys and a large dog....

Cheers,

Alasdair

why not reseed and feed it
"H Ryder" wrote in message
...
I presume this isn't recommended, but is it do-able nonetheless ?

my friend did this and it did work although things like dandelions grew
through after a bit. She was on sandy soil but do not know it this
mattered.

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

I presume this isn't recommended, but is it do-able nonetheless ?

my friend did this and it did work although things like dandelions grew
through after a bit. She was on sandy soil but do not know it this mattered.

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

"adm" wrote in message
...
Dear All,

I presume this isn't recommended, but is it do-able nonetheless ?

I have a patch of grass that is about 5m x 15m that my dog has been busy
running around on over the winter and is now badly churned up in several
places.

I don't want to dig it all up or rotovate it particularly, but I do want
to replace it with good quality new grass.

Someone told me that at this time of year, it is possible to just rake
some good topsoil over the whole thing to level it up and then to simply
lay new turf right over the top....

Good/bad/indifferent ? Any advice ?


It may work, but it probably won't do much good for the drainage of water
from the new lawn, and you may get long term problems with moss growth in
the lawn. Better to re-seed as suggested by another post.

Bevan

"Bevan Price" mynameATTTTfreeukDOTTTcom wrote in message
...

"adm" wrote in message
...
Dear All,

I presume this isn't recommended, but is it do-able nonetheless ?

I have a patch of grass that is about 5m x 15m that my dog has been busy
running around on over the winter and is now badly churned up in several
places.

I don't want to dig it all up or rotovate it particularly, but I do want
to replace it with good quality new grass.

Someone told me that at this time of year, it is possible to just rake
some good topsoil over the whole thing to level it up and then to simply
lay new turf right over the top....

Good/bad/indifferent ? Any advice ?


It may work, but it probably won't do much good for the drainage of water
from the new lawn, and you may get long term problems with moss growth in
the lawn. Better to re-seed as suggested by another post.

Fair enough. Just rake/compress some topsoil around to fill the dips and
scatter seed and a bit of fertiliser then ?

This was raised on Gardeners Question Time last week. The person
asking the question had a lawn laid but it had dips and hollows in it
and wasn't looking well. The firm that did it had gone bust.
Two different answers were given
1. dig the lawn in and start again.
2. put a coating of top soil on top of the existing lawn to make it
level and turf over it.
Was suggested that whilst this is not standard practice it can be done.
It will depend on what your soil is like underneath and what weeds are
in the lawn. Any perennial weeds like dandilions with grow through the
new turf.

Personnally, I would turn the turf in and if necesary improve the soil,
firm, level and rake and fertilise (standard lawn laying) lay lawn and
water. water water.
You know doubt heard in the news - Chelsea's sand pitch at the momnent,
Sports turf requires a lot of water but is practically grown on sand.
For good even growth tho, there is a take home point. Good drainage.
Impeded drainage only slows the grass growth down and allows moss and
weeds in.

what turf? - how about:-
http://www.cannonsturf.co.uk/domestic.htm

Good Luck

Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, S Yorkshire

This was raised on Gardeners Question Time last week. The person
asking the question had a lawn laid but it had dips and hollows in it
and wasn't looking well. The firm that did it had gone bust.
Two different answers were given
1. dig the lawn in and start again.
2. put a coating of top soil on top of the existing lawn to make it
level and turf over it.
Was suggested that whilst this is not standard practice it can be done.
It will depend on what your soil is like underneath and what weeds are
in the lawn. Any perennial weeds like dandilions with grow through the
new turf.

Personnally, I would turn the turf in and if necesary improve the soil,
firm, level and rake and fertilise (standard lawn laying) lay lawn and
water. water water.
You know doubt heard in the news - Chelsea's sand pitch at the momnent,
Sports turf requires a lot of water but is practically grown on sand.
For good even growth tho, there is a take home point. Good drainage.
Impeded drainage only slows the grass growth down and allows moss and
weeds in.

what turf? - how about:-
http://www.cannonsturf.co.uk/domestic.htm

Good Luck

Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, S Yorkshire

"cliff_the_gardener" wrote in message
oups.com...
This was raised on Gardeners Question Time last week. The person
asking the question had a lawn laid but it had dips and hollows in it
and wasn't looking well. The firm that did it had gone bust.
Two different answers were given
1. dig the lawn in and start again.
2. put a coating of top soil on top of the existing lawn to make it
level and turf over it.
Was suggested that whilst this is not standard practice it can be done.
It will depend on what your soil is like underneath and what weeds are
in the lawn. Any perennial weeds like dandilions with grow through the
new turf.

Personnally, I would turn the turf in and if necesary improve the soil,
firm, level and rake and fertilise (standard lawn laying) lay lawn and
water. water water.

Unfortunately, I don't really have the time to do this.....too much business
travel right now, so it needs to be a quick fix before the kids can get out
to play.

The soil is pretty good though - as is drainage.

I think I'll just fill in the holes and try seeding it as soon as the
weather warms up a bit...


You know doubt heard in the news - Chelsea's sand pitch at the momnent,
Sports turf requires a lot of water but is practically grown on sand.
For good even growth tho, there is a take home point. Good drainage.
Impeded drainage only slows the grass growth down and allows moss and
weeds in.

what turf? - how about:-
http://www.cannonsturf.co.uk/domestic.htm

Good Luck

Thanks !



Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, S Yorkshire

Not advisable by any stretch of the imagination and no it just pain won’t work. These kind of story's come mostly form warm season grass such as Bermuda grass that will grow just about any where as long as its worm enough but we are not in the tropics. The easiest way to do this if your feeling lazy is to hire some one else to do it or get a turf cutter in. You'll need some RTF turf go to http://www.turfshop.co.uk/turf.php#rtf and check it out.

chow

"turf doc" wrote in message
...

adm Wrote:
Dear All,

I presume this isn't recommended, but is it do-able nonetheless ?

I have a patch of grass that is about 5m x 15m that my dog has been
busy
running around on over the winter and is now badly churned up in
several
places.

I don't want to dig it all up or rotovate it particularly, but I do
want to
replace it with good quality new grass.

Someone told me that at this time of year, it is possible to just rake
some
good topsoil over the whole thing to level it up and then to simply lay
new
turf right over the top....

Good/bad/indifferent ? Any advice ?

If this is possible, can anyone also recommend a good type of turf to
use -
it needs to be hard wearing as opposed to perfect looking as I have
three
boys and a large dog....

Cheers,

Alasdair


Not advisable by any stretch of the imagination and no it just pain
won't work. These kind of story's come mostly form warm season grass
such as Bermuda grass that will grow just about any where as long as
its worm enough but we are not in the tropics. The easiest way to do
this if your feeling lazy is to hire some one else to do it or get a
turf cutter in. You'll need some RTF turf go to
http://www.turfshop.co.uk/turf.php#rtf and check it out.

Hmmm..... a turf cutter sounds about right....I didn't know there was such a
thing, but HSS hire has one for £36 a day. That might work...

Thanks !