Preparing ground for new lawn
 

Good morning, and greetings from Aberdeenshire, where the temp was 2.5
at 06.00 this morning!

We have an area of garden at one side of the house which was fallow i.e.
weeds when we moved here 13 years ago, and stayed that way until earlier
this year, when I blitzed it with Glyphosate weed killer. After the
weeds died, we cleared the site, dug it over, raked it thoroughly and
covered with weed control membrane pending a final decision on what
we're actually going to use it for - probably lawn.

However, before covering, I took a sifted wheelbarrow full of the soil
to top up areas elsewhere. The areas where I used that soil immediately
sprouted weeks including nettles, wild grass etc. which suggests that
the soil is full of dormant seeds just waiting for ideal growing
conditions. We are unlikely to take any action until next year now,
but, when the soil is uncovered and a lawn laid, how do we prevent a
million old weed seeds from germinating and taking over? Would turf be
better than seed, or little difference, long term?
--
Graeme

Preparing ground for new lawn
 

On 15/09/2015 08:07, News wrote:

Good morning, and greetings from Aberdeenshire, where the temp was 2.5
at 06.00 this morning!

We have an area of garden at one side of the house which was fallow i.e.
weeds when we moved here 13 years ago, and stayed that way until earlier
this year, when I blitzed it with Glyphosate weed killer. After the
weeds died, we cleared the site, dug it over, raked it thoroughly and
covered with weed control membrane pending a final decision on what
we're actually going to use it for - probably lawn.

However, before covering, I took a sifted wheelbarrow full of the soil
to top up areas elsewhere. The areas where I used that soil immediately
sprouted weeks including nettles, wild grass etc. which suggests that
the soil is full of dormant seeds just waiting for ideal growing
conditions. We are unlikely to take any action until next year now,
but, when the soil is uncovered and a lawn laid, how do we prevent a
million old weed seeds from germinating and taking over? Would turf be
better than seed, or little difference, long term?

Simplest tactic is uncover it in spring and glyphosate the first lot of
weed seedlings that come up after you have disturbed the soil. I'd go
for seeding as I am a cheapskate and if you do it right it looks nicer
than a turf laid lawn (unless you are really good at laying the stuff).

Turf would force the weeds to have to grow through it to reach the light
but would be a lot more expensive. Depends how big the area is but for
my money seed is a lot cheaper if you can stay off it for most of a
season to allow it to get established. Broadleaf specific weedkiller
applied from time to time after the first three months or hand weed the
worst offenders as needed. RHS has a good page on this.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=424

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Preparing ground for new lawn
 

In article ,
says...

Good morning, and greetings from Aberdeenshire, where the temp was 2.5
at 06.00 this morning!

We have an area of garden at one side of the house which was fallow i.e.
weeds when we moved here 13 years ago, and stayed that way until earlier
this year, when I blitzed it with Glyphosate weed killer. After the
weeds died, we cleared the site, dug it over, raked it thoroughly and
covered with weed control membrane pending a final decision on what
we're actually going to use it for - probably lawn.

However, before covering, I took a sifted wheelbarrow full of the soil
to top up areas elsewhere. The areas where I used that soil immediately
sprouted weeks including nettles, wild grass etc. which suggests that
the soil is full of dormant seeds just waiting for ideal growing
conditions. We are unlikely to take any action until next year now,
but, when the soil is uncovered and a lawn laid, how do we prevent a
million old weed seeds from germinating and taking over? Would turf be
better than seed, or little difference, long term?

You could uncover it over winter, let the surface weed seeds germinate
in autumn/spring, hand-dig out any germinated taproot weeds like
dandelion and dock, then hit the area again with glyphosate or a flame
gun right before sowing lawn seed in late spring. Giving the lawn a head
start.

However, if you're going to lay turf for the lawn, remember most
weeds need light to germinate, so turf itself will defeat germination of
many seeds on or below the soil surface.

Whichever you do, only perennial weeds will survive regular lawn
mowing, of which some are rather attractive in a lawn IMO (clover, self
heal, daisy) Those which are less desirable (docks, dandelion,
plantain, coarse grass) can be either winkled out by hand or killed with
a spot weedkiller.

Janet.

Preparing ground for new lawn
 

In message , Janet
writes
In article ,
says...

We are unlikely to take any action until next year now,
but, when the soil is uncovered and a lawn laid, how do we prevent a
million old weed seeds from germinating and taking over? Would turf be
better than seed, or little difference, long term?

However, if you're going to lay turf for the lawn, remember most
weeds need light to germinate, so turf itself will defeat germination of
many seeds on or below the soil surface.

Thank you both for your comments, which make perfect sense. I must
admit that my first thought was turf, as that will help smother existing
seeds.
--
Graeme

Preparing ground for new lawn
 

On Wednesday, 16 September 2015 11:29:24 UTC+1, News wrote:

Thank you both for your comments, which make perfect sense. I must
admit that my first thought was turf, as that will help smother existing
seeds.

It is worth making a good job of levelling and smoothing off before laying turf, partly because it makes a smoother lawn, and partly because it makes for more even rooting down of the new turf.

The old advice used to be to rotovate, roll, and rake until like a billiard table. Lot of work.