New House - Naff Lawn!
 

Hi everyone, looking for some advice.

The lawn in my new place is a disaster - the grass (where there is grass) is
hip high. It is populated with moss, weeds and worst of all the ground
appears to be 70% brick rubble and 30% dead dirt. Its in just about the
worst condition possible. What would be the best rescue plan? I am just
looking to finish with a half decent lawn but I am unsure where to start.
The stones are so bad I am worried I will break the lawnmower if I take it
out there!

Many thanks

Kevin

New House - Naff Lawn!
 

"Kevin Smith" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone, looking for some advice.

The lawn in my new place is a disaster - the grass (where there is grass)
is
hip high. It is populated with moss, weeds and worst of all the ground
appears to be 70% brick rubble and 30% dead dirt. Its in just about the
worst condition possible. What would be the best rescue plan? I am just
looking to finish with a half decent lawn but I am unsure where to start.
The stones are so bad I am worried I will break the lawnmower if I take it
out there!

Many thanks

Kevin



Dig it up and start again by the sounds of things :-((

Michael Crowe


--
------------------------------------------------
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk
International Festival of the Sea 28th June - 1st July 2007

New House - Naff Lawn!
 

Thanks Janet,

Assuming I wanted to grow a lawn again which weedkiller should I use?

Kevin


"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Kevin Smith" contains these words:

Hi everyone, looking for some advice.

The lawn in my new place is a disaster - the grass (where there is
grass) is
hip high. It is populated with moss,

unusual for such tall grass!

weeds and worst of all the ground
appears to be 70% brick rubble and 30% dead dirt. Its in just about the
worst condition possible. What would be the best rescue plan? I am just
looking to finish with a half decent lawn but I am unsure where to start.
The stones are so bad I am worried I will break the lawnmower if I take
it
out there!

Grass that tall is not a lawn variety Cut it down to 5" or so with a
hand scythe or strimmer (that high, you should avoid hitting any bricks
and flying debris etc) then either, weedkill the lot. Burn off the dead
debris if you can borrow a flame gun. Remove all the stones and rubble.
Only then will you be able to assess what needs to be done to the
remaining soil before remaking the lawn.

Are you sure you want to replace it with a lawn? It sounds like a
handy ready-made base for paving or gravel. Decide before you start
because that would affect which weedkiller you use.

Janet.

--
Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
to 26 private gardens

New House - Naff Lawn!
 

Kevin Smith wrote:
Thanks Janet,

Assuming I wanted to grow a lawn again which weedkiller should I use?

Glyphosate is the tool of choice for reclaiming wilderness overgrown
lawns. Leave it all to die for two or three weeks and then when it is
tinder dry make a fire break around the edges and set light to get bare
ground. Be sure to spray on a still day - glyphosate kills anything
green that it touches (except in my experience buttercups, holly and
ivy).

Only then you can see how level it is and how much brick rubble needs
moving.


"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...

Grass that tall is not a lawn variety Cut it down to 5" or so with a
hand scythe or strimmer (that high, you should avoid hitting any bricks
and flying debris etc) then either, weedkill the lot. Burn off the dead
debris if you can borrow a flame gun. Remove all the stones and rubble.
Only then will you be able to assess what needs to be done to the
remaining soil before remaking the lawn.

Not sure I would bother strimming it if I was going to torch it anyway.
The extra long grass provides fuel to burn out any bramble or small
trees hiding in there.

Regards,
Martin Brown

New House - Naff Lawn!
 

"Kevin Smith" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone, looking for some advice.

The lawn in my new place is a disaster - the grass (where there is grass)
is hip high. It is populated with moss, weeds and worst of all the ground
appears to be 70% brick rubble and 30% dead dirt. Its in just about the
worst condition possible. What would be the best rescue plan? I am just
looking to finish with a half decent lawn but I am unsure where to start.
The stones are so bad I am worried I will break the lawnmower if I take it
out there!

Mini Digger,
Skip
Sand
Soil
Seed or Turf

New House - Naff Lawn!
 

Me here wrote:
Mini Digger,
Skip
Sand
Soil
Seed or Turf

As above plus draw up a couple of beds and use the poor soil/stony
grounds for plants that would love it. Don't keep it square or
rectangular, but create a path through your garden with a bit of lawn
at the end, or front, which will give the garden a wild but soft look.
Ho! And don't use chemicals ;o)