Using decomposed turf as topsoil?
 

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...
"mattyh" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm best off getting rid and buying some proper topsoil?

Can't I kill it off with some weedkiller? :)


If you have room to turn it upside and stack it, like building a wall
somewhere, it breaks down on its own to a super fine tilth you can put
back
onto the flower/veg beds. It will 'sprout' on the outside and all you need
to do is chop those growing bits off with a spade and turn them upside
down
on the top.

cover it with old sacking, carpet or whatever to kill off any side growth.
Let it sit as described by others and wait. Closer to the time you want to
start using it take a spade to it and chop it in to smaller pieces.
Depending what you want to plant in to it after several months it will make
decent planting material and get better with age. The only thing you may not
be able to use it for is direct seeding, small plants will be fine. If you
mulch over the top this will kill off any not fully dead grass.

rob

Using decomposed turf as topsoil?
 

Hopefully someone can tell me if this is feasible. We've recently cut
away flowerbeds from a (newly) fully turfed back garden, and currently
have all the excess turf piled up in one corner.

Our idea was to let this die off and hopefully let it break down so
that in the spring we can use it as topsoil for the flowerbeds.

The turf that's in the middle of the pile has started to die, and i've
re-piled it so that the stuff at the top that's still alive is now in
the middle etc, but is it feasible to expect this will have broken
down enough to use in the Spring? Should I be using any sort of grass
killer? Or is this a daft idea and i should just dispose of this and
order some topsoil?!

Any advice would be most appreciated, thanks

Using decomposed turf as topsoil?
 

mattyh wrote:
: Hopefully someone can tell me if this is feasible. We've recently cut
: away flowerbeds from a (newly) fully turfed back garden, and currently
: have all the excess turf piled up in one corner.
:
: Our idea was to let this die off and hopefully let it break down so
: that in the spring we can use it as topsoil for the flowerbeds.
:
: The turf that's in the middle of the pile has started to die, and i've
: re-piled it so that the stuff at the top that's still alive is now in
: the middle etc, but is it feasible to expect this will have broken
: down enough to use in the Spring? Should I be using any sort of grass
: killer? Or is this a daft idea and i should just dispose of this and
: order some topsoil?!
:
: Any advice would be most appreciated, thanks

It'll make a wonderful loam but I have no idea if it will be ready that soon

Using decomposed turf as topsoil?
 

"Robert" wrote in message
...
mattyh wrote:
: Hopefully someone can tell me if this is feasible. We've recently cut
: away flowerbeds from a (newly) fully turfed back garden, and currently
: have all the excess turf piled up in one corner.
:
: Our idea was to let this die off and hopefully let it break down so
: that in the spring we can use it as topsoil for the flowerbeds.
:
: The turf that's in the middle of the pile has started to die, and i've
: re-piled it so that the stuff at the top that's still alive is now in
: the middle etc, but is it feasible to expect this will have broken
: down enough to use in the Spring? Should I be using any sort of grass
: killer? Or is this a daft idea and i should just dispose of this and
: order some topsoil?!
:
: Any advice would be most appreciated, thanks

It'll make a wonderful loam but I have no idea if it will be ready that
soon

No it won't. Where we have done this operation and piled the turf up, it has
taken up to 3 years to break down. Please note 'UP TO' :-)

Mike


--
.................................................. .........
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk
www.nsrafa.com

Using decomposed turf as topsoil?
 

So I'm best off getting rid and buying some proper topsoil?

Can't I kill it off with some weedkiller? :)

Using decomposed turf as topsoil?
 

"mattyh" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm best off getting rid and buying some proper topsoil?

Can't I kill it off with some weedkiller? :)


If you have room to turn it upside and stack it, like building a wall
somewhere, it breaks down on its own to a super fine tilth you can put back
onto the flower/veg beds. It will 'sprout' on the outside and all you need
to do is chop those growing bits off with a spade and turn them upside down
on the top.

We stacked/layered ours under the hedge. The secret it, upside down :-)

Not a hard job and certainly not exhausting work! Don't use weedkiller,
won't be required.

Mike


--
.................................................. .........
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk
www.nsrafa.com

Using decomposed turf as topsoil?
 

"mattyh" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hopefully someone can tell me if this is feasible. We've recently
cut
away flowerbeds from a (newly) fully turfed back garden, and
currently
have all the excess turf piled up in one corner.

Our idea was to let this die off and hopefully let it break down so
that in the spring we can use it as topsoil for the flowerbeds.

The turf that's in the middle of the pile has started to die, and
i've
re-piled it so that the stuff at the top that's still alive is now
in
the middle etc, but is it feasible to expect this will have broken
down enough to use in the Spring? Should I be using any sort of
grass
killer? Or is this a daft idea and i should just dispose of this
and
order some topsoil?!

Any advice would be most appreciated, thanks

Whatever you do don't waste it. I normally dig out the bed and put the
chopped up turf in the bottom.
All you need to do is cover your heap with some black plastic or a bit
of old carpet, then it'll be fine to use on your borders etc after the
grass has died and rotted. Composted turves used to be the basis for
true John Innes compost made to the JI institute recipe.
--
Rod

My real address is rodthegardeneratmyisp

I don't like throwing away my topsoil either, cos its good stuff and the stuff you buy is expensive and source unknown.
I've thrown turves from new planting areas into a composting bin. Now in theory if you have the mix right, ie lots of non-soil to mix with it, then it ought to compost quickly. But in practice I didn't have enough of the other stuff for the right mix, so it has taken a good two years to become lovely stuff.

Using decomposed turf as topsoil?
 

"mattyh" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm best off getting rid and buying some proper topsoil?

Can't I kill it off with some weedkiller? :)

Have a little patience, in time it will be suitable to spread on the top,
but you could dig it into the ground now.

Alan

Using decomposed turf as topsoil?
 

"mattyh" wrote in message

So I'm best off getting rid and buying some proper topsoil?

No. Use it. I don't have more than about an inch of stuff that could
be described as "topsoil" and even then it is only a darker colour
than underlying poor, decomposed ancient rock or clay.

When I make a new bed, I just turn everything and leave it in place
and then start adding manure and sand. sometimes I'll top it all with
leaves and anything else that has ever lived and leave it and
sometimes I jsut add all these things and start turning and turning.
Any weeds or old grass that pops up alive is weeded out and its all
turned again etc. Virtually a situation of sheet composting or big
sloppy compostng on top of the ground.

Can't I kill it off with some weedkiller? :)

You could but you also do it by some hard work of turning that breaks
it up too.