Hi,

I recently move in to house with a large garden which was full of brambles,
thorns and big bad roses. I successfully removed then all due to having a
small children and then rotavated the ground.

I rotaveted the ground completely then ran a roller over it, then sowed some
grass seed (I think correctly)...

My problem... The grass seed has not grown properly. It is patchy some bits
are brown and I cannot get anything into it such as a fork to the point I
have to use a hammer to make a started hole for the garden swing !

I know that the problem is soil compaction but how do I get around it, do I
have to re-rotavate it, get a hole load of topsoil and forget about the
current grass, or just go b*ll*cks and concrete it all and paint it green
: )

I am going mad trying to find out what to do, I can't use a manual aerator
as I can t get the bloody thing in....

Any suggestions would be very gratefully received

Cheers
Matt

What's the soil type?





"Matt" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I recently move in to house with a large garden which was full of
brambles,
thorns and big bad roses. I successfully removed then all due to having a
small children and then rotavated the ground.

I rotaveted the ground completely then ran a roller over it, then sowed
some
grass seed (I think correctly)...

My problem... The grass seed has not grown properly. It is patchy some
bits
are brown and I cannot get anything into it such as a fork to the point I
have to use a hammer to make a started hole for the garden swing !

I know that the problem is soil compaction but how do I get around it, do
I
have to re-rotavate it, get a hole load of topsoil and forget about the
current grass, or just go b*ll*cks and concrete it all and paint it green
: )

I am going mad trying to find out what to do, I can't use a manual aerator
as I can t get the bloody thing in....

Any suggestions would be very gratefully received

Cheers
Matt

The soil is quite clayish.....


"Andy" wrote in message
news
What's the soil type?





"Matt" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I recently move in to house with a large garden which was full of
brambles,
thorns and big bad roses. I successfully removed then all due to having
a
small children and then rotavated the ground.

I rotaveted the ground completely then ran a roller over it, then sowed
some
grass seed (I think correctly)...

My problem... The grass seed has not grown properly. It is patchy some
bits
are brown and I cannot get anything into it such as a fork to the point
I
have to use a hammer to make a started hole for the garden swing !

I know that the problem is soil compaction but how do I get around it,
do
I
have to re-rotavate it, get a hole load of topsoil and forget about the
current grass, or just go b*ll*cks and concrete it all and paint it
green
: )

I am going mad trying to find out what to do, I can't use a manual
aerator
as I can t get the bloody thing in....

Any suggestions would be very gratefully received

Cheers
Matt

Wait for some rain
Then follow the steps to improve the lawn, ie. aerate, work in some organic
matter to help retain moisture.


"Matt" wrote in message
...
The soil is quite clayish.....


"Andy" wrote in message
news
What's the soil type?





"Matt" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I recently move in to house with a large garden which was full of
brambles,
thorns and big bad roses. I successfully removed then all due to
having
a
small children and then rotavated the ground.

I rotaveted the ground completely then ran a roller over it, then
sowed
some
grass seed (I think correctly)...

My problem... The grass seed has not grown properly. It is patchy some
bits
are brown and I cannot get anything into it such as a fork to the
point
I
have to use a hammer to make a started hole for the garden swing !

I know that the problem is soil compaction but how do I get around it,
do
I
have to re-rotavate it, get a hole load of topsoil and forget about
the
current grass, or just go b*ll*cks and concrete it all and paint it
green
: )

I am going mad trying to find out what to do, I can't use a manual
aerator
as I can t get the bloody thing in....

Any suggestions would be very gratefully received

Cheers
Matt

Thanks Philip,

I am quite new gardening for the fact that I have lived in a flat for some
time.....

Working in some organic matter.... do I chuck it over the top and then
aerate ? chuck it over the top and let the rain take it in or turn it over
???

I know I may sound a tad thick..... but it is something that I have never
done....

Cheers
Matt


"Philip" wrote in message
.. .
Wait for some rain
Then follow the steps to improve the lawn, ie. aerate, work in some
organic
matter to help retain moisture.


"Matt" wrote in message
...
The soil is quite clayish.....


"Andy" wrote in message
news
What's the soil type?





"Matt" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I recently move in to house with a large garden which was full of
brambles,
thorns and big bad roses. I successfully removed then all due to
having
a
small children and then rotavated the ground.

I rotaveted the ground completely then ran a roller over it, then
sowed
some
grass seed (I think correctly)...

My problem... The grass seed has not grown properly. It is patchy
some
bits
are brown and I cannot get anything into it such as a fork to the
point
I
have to use a hammer to make a started hole for the garden swing !

I know that the problem is soil compaction but how do I get around
it,
do
I
have to re-rotavate it, get a hole load of topsoil and forget about
the
current grass, or just go b*ll*cks and concrete it all and paint it
green
: )

I am going mad trying to find out what to do, I can't use a manual
aerator
as I can t get the bloody thing in....

Any suggestions would be very gratefully received

Cheers
Matt

best thing you can do is start again if it is heavy clay,rotovate or dig
over add loads of organic matter or soil conditioner & I would also add
sand,keep working it till you get a fine tilth & level .if this isn't done
you will always have problems with the grass!!then I would turf the
area,more expensive but looks great & instant!!!!!!
or sow grass seed in spring when the soil warms up.you could sow now but I
don't think the results will be as good.go for turf easy to lay & no
hassles,done in a weekend,lovely.
hope this helps
keith
"Matt" wrote in message
...
Thanks Philip,

I am quite new gardening for the fact that I have lived in a flat for some
time.....

Working in some organic matter.... do I chuck it over the top and then
aerate ? chuck it over the top and let the rain take it in or turn it over
???

I know I may sound a tad thick..... but it is something that I have never
done....

Cheers
Matt


"Philip" wrote in message
.. .
Wait for some rain
Then follow the steps to improve the lawn, ie. aerate, work in some
organic
matter to help retain moisture.


"Matt" wrote in message
...
The soil is quite clayish.....


"Andy" wrote in message
news What's the soil type?





"Matt" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I recently move in to house with a large garden which was full of
brambles,
thorns and big bad roses. I successfully removed then all due to
having
a
small children and then rotavated the ground.

I rotaveted the ground completely then ran a roller over it, then
sowed
some
grass seed (I think correctly)...

My problem... The grass seed has not grown properly. It is patchy
some
bits
are brown and I cannot get anything into it such as a fork to the
point
I
have to use a hammer to make a started hole for the garden swing !

I know that the problem is soil compaction but how do I get around
it,
do
I
have to re-rotavate it, get a hole load of topsoil and forget
about
the
current grass, or just go b*ll*cks and concrete it all and paint
it
green
: )

I am going mad trying to find out what to do, I can't use a manual
aerator
as I can t get the bloody thing in....

Any suggestions would be very gratefully received

Cheers
Matt

Matt

I agree with Keith, but he can type better than me.

If you decide not to re-rotovate then I would aerate (use one of those tools
that actually take plugs of earth out (they work like an apple corer)

Then you will have some spaces to sweep organic matter around allowing some
to fall into the holes. The rest can stay where it is and will be pulled
into the earth by worms and rain etc.

Next spring reseed the bare areas. Work the surface up to a fine tilth and
incorporate organic matter again at this time.

A longer proposition than Keiths, but i guess it depends on your patience,
circumstances and family. If you have a wife that cannot face looking at
"that brown patch" all winter then go get some turf, you'll be pleased you
did.



"keith" wrote in message
...
best thing you can do is start again if it is heavy clay,rotovate or dig
over add loads of organic matter or soil conditioner & I would also add
sand,keep working it till you get a fine tilth & level .if this isn't done
you will always have problems with the grass!!then I would turf the
area,more expensive but looks great & instant!!!!!!
or sow grass seed in spring when the soil warms up.you could sow now but I
don't think the results will be as good.go for turf easy to lay & no
hassles,done in a weekend,lovely.
hope this helps
keith
"Matt" wrote in message
...
Thanks Philip,

I am quite new gardening for the fact that I have lived in a flat for
some
time.....

Working in some organic matter.... do I chuck it over the top and then
aerate ? chuck it over the top and let the rain take it in or turn it
over
???

I know I may sound a tad thick..... but it is something that I have
never
done....

Cheers
Matt


"Philip" wrote in message
.. .
Wait for some rain
Then follow the steps to improve the lawn, ie. aerate, work in some
organic
matter to help retain moisture.


"Matt" wrote in message
...
The soil is quite clayish.....


"Andy" wrote in message
news What's the soil type?





"Matt" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I recently move in to house with a large garden which was full
of
brambles,
thorns and big bad roses. I successfully removed then all due to
having
a
small children and then rotavated the ground.

I rotaveted the ground completely then ran a roller over it,
then
sowed
some
grass seed (I think correctly)...

My problem... The grass seed has not grown properly. It is
patchy
some
bits
are brown and I cannot get anything into it such as a fork to
the
point
I
have to use a hammer to make a started hole for the garden swing
!

I know that the problem is soil compaction but how do I get
around
it,
do
I
have to re-rotavate it, get a hole load of topsoil and forget
about
the
current grass, or just go b*ll*cks and concrete it all and paint
it
green
: )

I am going mad trying to find out what to do, I can't use a
manual
aerator
as I can t get the bloody thing in....

Any suggestions would be very gratefully received

Cheers
Matt

A quick question. Does one destroy the existing grass (e.g. by Glyphosate) and
then rotovate, or can one just rotovate, turning in any existing grass? The
latter is obviously easier, but I am concerned that the poorer quality existing
grasses may dominate any better quality grass that I may subsequently sow. Do
you have to ensure that mosses etc are not simply turned in?

Laurie
Laurie (Laurence) Moseley

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