Hello - wonder if anyone could help....

I'm having some work done on my garden which involves landscaping a bit of
it. The lawn wasn't that even and as there was quite a lot of soil left over
from some excavations my contractor suggested that the area was levelled.
Great - but I have a small concern - the levelling procedure was simply to
spread the excess earth over the existing lawn to a depth of between 1 and
maybe 10 inches - is that OK to do? Just wondering what the grass dying off
underneath the soil will do to the root system of any new turf overlaid on
top. Or is it perfectly OK to do this?

Many Thanks
David

"David Wilce" wrote in message
...
Hello - wonder if anyone could help....

I'm having some work done on my garden which involves landscaping a
bit of
it. The lawn wasn't that even and as there was quite a lot of soil
left over
from some excavations my contractor suggested that the area was
levelled.
Great - but I have a small concern - the levelling procedure was
simply to
spread the excess earth over the existing lawn to a depth of between 1
and
maybe 10 inches - is that OK to do? Just wondering what the grass
dying off
underneath the soil will do to the root system of any new turf
overlaid on
top. Or is it perfectly OK to do this?

Many Thanks
David

I definitely don't like the idea of levelling your lawn with soil and
then placing turf on top of it. Ideally you should first dig your lawn
and at the same time bury the existing turf, similar to a farmer
ploughing a grassed field, then add the spare soil, level it to your
satisfaction and finally lay the new turf.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

In article , Emrys Davies
writes
I definitely don't like the idea of levelling your lawn with soil and
then placing turf on top of it.

You may not but apparently it works.

My father used to cut grass on an industrial scale and do the "odd
little job" at a smaller level. I recall him telling me just that
information which he apparently gleaned from a training course at some
association or other to do with being a professional Groundskeeper. If
it is good enough for them it is good enough for us.



--
steve auvache

maybe 10 inches - is that OK to do? Just wondering what the grass
dying off
underneath the soil will do to the root system of any new turf
overlaid on
top. Or is it perfectly OK to do this?

Many Thanks
David

I definitely don't like the idea of levelling your lawn with soil . . . .

I can see no valid reason for not liking the idea other than a gut feeling.
The buried turves will soon die off and provide an excellent sponge for
water retention - after all the best potting compost is that made with well
rotted turves.

One thing might be a problem and that's weeds in the original grass but
localised application of weed killer with a stick type applicator should
solve it.

Regards

Geoff

..
The buried turves will soon die off and provide an excellent sponge for
water retention - after all the best potting compost is that made with
well rotted turves.

our contractor did this and we ended up with a dead waterlogged part of the
lawn that is being returfed, not onto turf.

JT

Geoff writes

maybe 10 inches - is that OK to do? Just wondering what the grass
dying off
underneath the soil will do to the root system of any new turf
overlaid on
top. Or is it perfectly OK to do this?


I definitely don't like the idea of levelling your lawn with soil . . . .

I can see no valid reason for not liking the idea other than a gut feeling.
The buried turves will soon die off and provide an excellent sponge for
water retention - after all the best potting compost is that made with well
rotted turves.

One thing might be a problem and that's weeds in the original grass but
localised application of weed killer with a stick type applicator should
solve it.

Or even glyphosating the whole lot and save the hassle of spot
application


--
Kay

Yes should be fine the existing grass will die off and degrade. We do this whenever we can sometimes rotivating the existing grass back in for added nutrients. Much better than skipping into a landfill site.

One thing might be a problem and that's weeds in the original grass but
localised application of weed killer with a stick type applicator should
solve it.

Or even glyphosating the whole lot and save the hassle of spot application
Kay

WHAT!!! He'd have to take up the overlying turves first - it has already
been turved - or are you sugesting . . . . . . . ? No, you can't be!

Geoff

Geoff writes

One thing might be a problem and that's weeds in the original grass but
localised application of weed killer with a stick type applicator should
solve it.

Or even glyphosating the whole lot and save the hassle of spot application
Kay

WHAT!!! He'd have to take up the overlying turves first - it has already
been turved - or are you sugesting . . . . . . . ? No, you can't be!

Oh right - it's already been done, has it? I obviously wasn't paying
sufficient attention :-)

Still, if it were left to me ... ;-)
--
Kay

"David Wilce" wrote in message
...
Hello - wonder if anyone could help....

I'm having some work done on my garden which involves landscaping a bit of
it. The lawn wasn't that even and as there was quite a lot of soil left
over
from some excavations my contractor suggested that the area was levelled.
Great - but I have a small concern - the levelling procedure was simply to
spread the excess earth over the existing lawn to a depth of between 1 and
maybe 10 inches - is that OK to do? Just wondering what the grass dying
off
underneath the soil will do to the root system of any new turf overlaid on
top. Or is it perfectly OK to do this?

Many Thanks
David


If the soil was to a depth of 10" then fine but a 1"scattering is not ideal.
You may end up with a poor growing badly draining lawn which will make a
perfect host for weeds.
Do the job properly and rotavate the lot and start again. Tell the
contractor he can use the lawn as a waste disposal area only if he will
guarantee a good result :-)

All - thanks for the advice!

Seems there is a difference of opinion as to what the outcome may be -
currently all I have right now is the soil covering the old lawn - we
haven't arranged a date for the new turf to be laid.

One thing I would say regarding the waterlogging issue is that we live on
the coast and our soil is sandy and drainage has never been a problem so
far. I was thinking more about the decomposition of the underlying turves
and what that might do to the new root system..

On the other hand, if it was good enough for Steve's father....

Decisions, decisions....

Thanks again.
David

"steve auvache" wrote in message
...
In article , Emrys Davies
writes
I definitely don't like the idea of levelling your lawn with soil and
then placing turf on top of it.

You may not but apparently it works.

My father used to cut grass on an industrial scale and do the "odd
little job" at a smaller level. I recall him telling me just that
information which he apparently gleaned from a training course at some
association or other to do with being a professional Groundskeeper. If
it is good enough for them it is good enough for us.



--
steve auvache

Over the years I have tried to smooth of some of the humps and bumps here
and have always just laid straight on the old turf we have never had any
problems.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

"David Wilce" wrote in message
...
All - thanks for the advice!

Seems there is a difference of opinion as to what the outcome may be -
currently all I have right now is the soil covering the old lawn - we
haven't arranged a date for the new turf to be laid.

One thing I would say regarding the waterlogging issue is that we live
on
the coast and our soil is sandy and drainage has never been a problem
so
far. I was thinking more about the decomposition of the underlying
turves
and what that might do to the new root system..

On the other hand, if it was good enough for Steve's father....

Decisions, decisions....

Thanks again.
David

No mention has been made as to why a new lawn is required apart from the
fact that there are undulations. What is wrong with the original lawn.
Is it compacted, has poor drainage or, coupled with its unevenness, is
it unsightly?

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"David Wilce" wrote in message
...
All - thanks for the advice!

Seems there is a difference of opinion as to what the outcome may be -
currently all I have right now is the soil covering the old lawn - we
haven't arranged a date for the new turf to be laid.

One thing I would say regarding the waterlogging issue is that we live
on
the coast and our soil is sandy and drainage has never been a problem
so
far. I was thinking more about the decomposition of the underlying
turves
and what that might do to the new root system..

On the other hand, if it was good enough for Steve's father....

Decisions, decisions....

Thanks again.
David

No mention has been made as to why a new lawn is required apart from the
fact that there are undulations. What is wrong with the original lawn.
Is it compacted, has poor drainage or, coupled with its unevenness, is
it unsightly?

Regards,
Emrys Davies.




Emrys - it was just uneven and part of it was all overgrown when we first
moved in a couple of years ago. So, rather than just do what was really
necessary - it seemed like good idea to level it all while we were at it.
I'll ask the contractor for some assurance it will all be OK and just go for
it I think.

Again thanks to all for the advice - somewhat reassured and I know what to
watch out for.

Thanks
David