Hi all,

I have some questions about spreading topsoil and planting grass.

I have recently taken ownership of my new house which was built from
scratch. During the building process almost all the topsoil was
excavated and what I am now left with is exposed clay. This clay is
now starting to harden rapidly as summer approaches here in NZ.

Fortunately my section is not big so I don't have too much topsoil to
spread. What I do however need to do is to shovel some of the clay
around the section in order to make the ground levels a little bit
cleaner and neater. Currently there are some lumps on the site where
extra holes were dug and the clay was just dumped there.

So my questions a

1) What is the easiest wayof breaking up hard clay in order to move
and spread at another location of the site.

2) Once I have moved the clay can I just leave it there or should I
compact it? If so then what is a simple way of doing this?

3) I'll be spreading topsoil using a wheelbarrow. Any other easier
ways of doing this? I estimate 10 cubic metres are required so that
would be about 60 wheelbarrow loads! Gonna be a tough couple of days
so any easier methods would be appreciated.

4) Once the topsoil is spread, again, do I need to compact it before
planting grass?

5) How exactly do you plant grass? Do you just grab handfuls of seed
and throw them about?

6) I forgot to mention that there are some weeds present on site.
They've somehow grown through the clay. Should I kill these off with
some weed killer or can I just bury them under the topsoil?

Thanks in advance to all who will read this post and comment on it.

Cheers

"Rats" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I have some questions about spreading topsoil and planting grass.

I have recently taken ownership of my new house which was built from
scratch. During the building process almost all the topsoil was
excavated and what I am now left with is exposed clay. This clay is
now starting to harden rapidly as summer approaches here in NZ.

rats. Really, the wrong time of year mate to be planting an entire new lawn.
Unless you want to be religiously outside morning and evening right through
summer watering your new lawn, it likely won't last. The grass won't have
had time to put down roots properly to survive the summer heat in Jan
through March. Also, depending where you are, we had a massive drought in
parts of the country (here in the Waikato especially) and you may be faced
with hose bans as well.

Best time to lay a new lawn is march-april with th onset of autumn rains but
before the soils cools down too quickly. You can certainly do the levelling
work now and with a bit of luck some rian through december will help the
soil settle in a little bit.

Do you need the lawn through summer? If not, you can do the hard work now
and seed in autumn.

rob

"Rats" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I have some questions about spreading topsoil and planting grass.

I have recently taken ownership of my new house which was built from
scratch. During the building process almost all the topsoil was
excavated and what I am now left with is exposed clay. This clay is
now starting to harden rapidly as summer approaches here in NZ.

Fortunately my section is not big so I don't have too much topsoil to
spread. What I do however need to do is to shovel some of the clay
around the section in order to make the ground levels a little bit
cleaner and neater. Currently there are some lumps on the site where
extra holes were dug and the clay was just dumped there.

So my questions a

1) What is the easiest wayof breaking up hard clay in order to move
and spread at another location of the site.

2) Once I have moved the clay can I just leave it there or should I
compact it? If so then what is a simple way of doing this?

3) I'll be spreading topsoil using a wheelbarrow. Any other easier
ways of doing this? I estimate 10 cubic metres are required so that
would be about 60 wheelbarrow loads! Gonna be a tough couple of days
so any easier methods would be appreciated.

4) Once the topsoil is spread, again, do I need to compact it before
planting grass?

5) How exactly do you plant grass? Do you just grab handfuls of seed
and throw them about?

6) I forgot to mention that there are some weeds present on site.
They've somehow grown through the clay. Should I kill these off with
some weed killer or can I just bury them under the topsoil?

Thanks in advance to all who will read this post and comment on it.

Cheers
10 cubic metres 60 barrows lot more than that order some 60/40 clay sand mix
spread it evenly the returf

"Rats" wrote
I have recently taken ownership of my new house which was built from
scratch. During the building process almost all the topsoil was
excavated and what I am now left with is exposed clay. This clay is
now starting to harden rapidly as summer approaches here in NZ.

Fortunately my section is not big so I don't have too much topsoil to
spread. What I do however need to do is to shovel some of the clay
around the section in order to make the ground levels a little bit
cleaner and neater. Currently there are some lumps on the site where
extra holes were dug and the clay was just dumped there.

So my questions a

1) What is the easiest wayof breaking up hard clay in order to move
and spread at another location of the site.

We used an Adze to remove the hills on our allotment.

2) Once I have moved the clay can I just leave it there or should I
compact it? If so then what is a simple way of doing this?

Never compact clay unless you want to use it to make a pond. Spreading soil
over solid clay will mean that any rain will not drain away and the soil
will become waterlogged, at least it would in the UK. If this may be a
problem for you in your rainy season (our summer?) it would be a good idea
to think about drainage now before you do more work. Put in soil pipes to a
local ditch, build your own pond to take the excess rainwater again using
soil pipes, if it's clay over gravel as here then break through the clay
layer with a borer and fill the hole with shingle...


3) I'll be spreading topsoil using a wheelbarrow. Any other easier
ways of doing this? I estimate 10 cubic metres are required so that
would be about 60 wheelbarrow loads! Gonna be a tough couple of days
so any easier methods would be appreciated.

Not without machinery and youi don't want heavy machines tearing up and
compacting the clay any more.

4) Once the topsoil is spread, again, do I need to compact it before
planting grass?

Just shuffling over it pressing your heels in, then gently raking, then
shuffling again etc etc is enough.

5) How exactly do you plant grass? Do you just grab handfuls of seed
and throw them about?

Yes. You can then cover with a fine layer of soil but it's not usually
necessary. Birds might be a problem so you may have to net the seeded area.
Seeding a lawn is best done in autumn so the natural rains water the new
seedling whilst their roots get established and you don't have to.


6) I forgot to mention that there are some weeds present on site.
They've somehow grown through the clay. Should I kill these off with
some weed killer or can I just bury them under the topsoil?


Depends if they are perennial weeds, is so then use a weedkiller. If anual
weeds just bury them.


--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On Nov 24, 9:38*pm, "George.com" wrote:
rats. Really, the wrong time of year mate to be planting an entire new lawn.
Unless you want to be religiously outside morning and evening right through
summer watering your new lawn, it likely won't last. The grass won't have
had time to put down roots properly to survive the summer heat in Jan
through March. Also, depending where you are, we had a massive drought in
parts of the country (here in the Waikato especially) and you may be faced
with hose bans as well.

Best time to lay a new lawn is march-april with th onset of autumn rains but
before the soils cools down too quickly. You can certainly do the levelling
work now and with a bit of luck some rian through december will help the
soil settle in a little bit.

Do you need the lawn through summer? If not, you can do the hard work now
and seed in autumn.

rob

Thanks for the post mate. I was just going to stick some sprinklers on
a timer or something mate. Mind you with the amount of rain we're
getting Auckland at the moment I might not need to bother!

On Nov 25, 1:00*am, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
Never compact clay unless you want to use it to make a pond. Spreading soil
over solid clay will mean that any rain will not drain away and the soil
will become waterlogged, at least it would in the UK. If this may be a
problem for you in your rainy season (our summer?) it would be a good idea
to think about drainage now before you do more work. Put in soil pipes to a
local ditch, build your own pond to take the excess rainwater again using
soil pipes, if it's clay over gravel as here then break through the clay
layer with a borer and fill the hole with shingle...

Hi, thanks for your reply. WRT drainage, fortunately my section is
gently sloping allow for access water to run off without any issues.
Even in the torrential down pour we've had in Auckland in the last few
days I've had no drainage issues.

Not without machinery and youi don't want heavy machines tearing up and
compacting the clay any more.

So the trick is no compacting of the clay. Gotcha.

Just shuffling over it pressing your heels in, then gently raking, then
shuffling again etc etc is enough.

Some of the equipment hire places have a small roller you can hire. I
was planning on using this. So you're sure it's not necessary to
compact then?

There was one more question I forgot to ask and it's an important one.
How close to the house should I spread the soil and plant grass? I've
heard that you should allow for some clearance as too close could mean
the wood would end up rotting. Maybe I could just plant the grass
irrespective of how close it is and then once it's taken root I can
carefully spray the edges so it doesn't grow too close to the house.
What do you think?

You can try planting now if you like and see how things go. I suspect
however you'd be fighting a losing battle thru summer to keep it alive and
its a bloody waste of good water. Also, it'd cost a small fortune in seed
only to see it brown off & die. Maybe, if you want to give it a go, seed a
section, maybe a front lawn, and see how things go. I don't like your
chances mind, especially given the temperatures we are starting to get in
Hamilton already.

rob


"Rats" wrote in message
...
On Nov 24, 9:38 pm, "George.com" wrote:
rats. Really, the wrong time of year mate to be planting an entire new
lawn.
Unless you want to be religiously outside morning and evening right
through
summer watering your new lawn, it likely won't last. The grass won't have
had time to put down roots properly to survive the summer heat in Jan
through March. Also, depending where you are, we had a massive drought in
parts of the country (here in the Waikato especially) and you may be faced
with hose bans as well.

Best time to lay a new lawn is march-april with th onset of autumn rains
but
before the soils cools down too quickly. You can certainly do the
levelling
work now and with a bit of luck some rian through december will help the
soil settle in a little bit.

Do you need the lawn through summer? If not, you can do the hard work now
and seed in autumn.

rob

Thanks for the post mate. I was just going to stick some sprinklers on
a timer or something mate. Mind you with the amount of rain we're
getting Auckland at the moment I might not need to bother!

"Rats" wrote ...
"Bob Hobden" wrote:

Just shuffling over it pressing your heels in, then gently raking, then
shuffling again etc etc is enough.

Some of the equipment hire places have a small roller you can hire. I
was planning on using this. So you're sure it's not necessary to
compact then?

A small roller would be OK but even so the heel way is preferable, gets into
any little pockets etc, whereas a roller can just skip over them. It's time
consuming but if you get the whole household out doing the shuffle then it
can be quite amusing.

There was one more question I forgot to ask and it's an important one.
How close to the house should I spread the soil and plant grass? I've
heard that you should allow for some clearance as too close could mean
the wood would end up rotting. Maybe I could just plant the grass
irrespective of how close it is and then once it's taken root I can
carefully spray the edges so it doesn't grow too close to the house.
What do you think?

No experience of wooden houses but I would always put a path next to a house
if only so you can clean the windows without getting muddy. If you have to
use a ladder then it becomes essential. Cutting grass right up next to a
vertical is a pain too, you have to do it by hand or use a strimmer and that
may damage your wooden house.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:34:50 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Rats" wrote ...
"Bob Hobden" wrote:

Just shuffling over it pressing your heels in, then gently raking, then
shuffling again etc etc is enough.

I am in the UK. I've always thought there was a load of crap talked
about laying a lawn. If you leave an untouched area of cleared soil
alone, it will be quickly colonised by grasses and weeds without your
intervention. After 6 months or so a selective weed killer can deal
with the weeds.

About 4 months ago I had a load of really big Leylandii removed,
leaving a bare area of about 10 x 4 yards. I gave it a quick hoeing
over, graded it by hoeing/raking the top 2 inches and then planted two
small (different mixes) packets of grass seed followed by a brief
raking in.

I now have a very acceptable repair matching my previous lawn. Even
the weed content is minimal.

--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²

Rats wrote:
On Nov 25, 1:00 am, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
Never compact clay unless you want to use it to make a pond. Spreading soil
over solid clay will mean that any rain will not drain away and the soil
will become waterlogged, at least it would in the UK. If this may be a
problem for you in your rainy season (our summer?) it would be a good idea
to think about drainage now before you do more work. Put in soil pipes to a
local ditch, build your own pond to take the excess rainwater again using
soil pipes, if it's clay over gravel as here then break through the clay
layer with a borer and fill the hole with shingle...

Hi, thanks for your reply. WRT drainage, fortunately my section is
gently sloping allow for access water to run off without any issues.
Even in the torrential down pour we've had in Auckland in the last few
days I've had no drainage issues.

Not without machinery and youi don't want heavy machines tearing up and
compacting the clay any more.

So the trick is no compacting of the clay. Gotcha.

Just shuffling over it pressing your heels in, then gently raking, then
shuffling again etc etc is enough.

Some of the equipment hire places have a small roller you can hire. I
was planning on using this. So you're sure it's not necessary to
compact then?

There was one more question I forgot to ask and it's an important one.
How close to the house should I spread the soil and plant grass? I've
heard that you should allow for some clearance as too close could mean
the wood would end up rotting. Maybe I could just plant the grass
irrespective of how close it is and then once it's taken root I can
carefully spray the edges so it doesn't grow too close to the house.
What do you think?
I don't know what your local geology is like in Auckland NZ - is it
limestone based? Here in the UK, in the limestone areas, the sort of
concreting aggregates and sharp sands sold, cheaply, by builders
merchants are usually crushed limestone. This does wonders to clay - if
dug in it weathers the clay to soil in about a year and keeps it that
way for centuries. Worth a try.

rjbl

Have bee studying various types of topsoil but am unsure about how the certification works,does anyone know what the different types of topsoil grading mean, or is there a site dedicated to this subject.