New lawn on clay
 

Hi there.

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I've recently levelled my garden
(best I can) as I live on a hill. All I'm left with now is hard uneven clay
and I want to put turf down. I've had advised to level the clay with stone
chipping which will also provide drainage, but I've also been told not to
use chippings but to use top soil. I've no idea which to use, can anyone
help?

Thanks in advance

Mike

New lawn on clay
 

In this sort of weather, neither. Wait until the weather is somewhat more
conducive to grass, early autumn say.

I'm not sure, but won't filling the holes in with topsoil (chippings? Never
heard of such an idea!) leave you with with some ares being straight to clay
and some topsoil? I would have thought that maybe rotavating some topsoil
in all over and then leveling would be better, to achieve a good consistent
base.

Finally, how desperate are you for this grass? I seeded my "clay based"
lawn but before that I used Winter Rye to improve the soil structure. My
lawn had been crazy paving and the clay was "pottery grade" i.e. damn big
lumps of the stuff. The rye did a nice job of breaking this up over the
winter and that, together with a concerted effort of moving worms into the
area whenever found elsewhere in the garden, seems to have paid off.

I'm not saying my lawn is a bowling green because it's coarse rye grass
anyway, I have two very active children and at the moment it's very brown
because I don't water it, but it works for me.

Paul DS.


"M Smith" wrote in message
...
Hi there.

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I've recently levelled my garden
(best I can) as I live on a hill. All I'm left with now is hard uneven
clay
and I want to put turf down. I've had advised to level the clay with stone
chipping which will also provide drainage, but I've also been told not to
use chippings but to use top soil. I've no idea which to use, can anyone
help?

Thanks in advance

Mike