I have been asked to help my girlfriend clear and level her garden (about 10
metres square)

It is all at different levels and will need the earth moved around to get it
level. So my thinking is that I would get a rotovator to break it all up,
rake it etc, then roll it flat for turf


I note that Mike says in one of his posts, not to use a rotovator.

If anyone has any advice it would be very much appreciated..

Tony

In article , POP3.demon.co.uk
writes
I have been asked to help my girlfriend clear and level her garden (about 10
metres square)

It is all at different levels and will need the earth moved around to get it
level. So my thinking is that I would get a rotovator to break it all up,
rake it etc, then roll it flat for turf

You are likely to have a few inches of good topsoil on top of a depth of
poorer soil. Make sure that in all your levelling you don't simply strip
all the topsoil off the higher areas. Not a problem if she just wants a
large patio, but it will be a problem since she wants grass - the grass
will grow better on the once-low deep top soil areas, and she'll end up
with a patchily coloured lawn with bits of it particularly liable to
browning through drought in the summer.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Tony wrote
I have been asked to help my girlfriend clear and level her garden (about
10 metres square)

It is all at different levels and will need the earth moved around to get
it level. So my thinking is that I would get a rotovator to break it all
up, rake it etc, then roll it flat for turf


I note that Mike says in one of his posts, not to use a rotovator.

If anyone has any advice it would be very much appreciated..

A rotovator will break up the soil as long as it's not heavy clay and
compacted. Kays comment about a thin topsoil is very valid though so be
careful.
But first you need to deal with any perennial weeds or the rotovator will
simply break up the roots and spread them around her garden, either dig them
out or use a glyphosate weedkiller like "Roundup" (read the instructions
carefully).
Depending on the soil you could, indeed should, also use the rotovator to
incorporate some grit / sharp sand / compost / manure to make the soil
perfect for the grass.
Why turf?It's expensive and needs a lot of TLC during it's first summer. If
you are going to all the trouble to improve the soil etc then why not grass
seed? You could then use the seed for the sort of lawn she wants, heavy
duty, bowling green, ...... etc.
It may come up with a lot of annual weeds but the first few mowings will see
them off.
A few CD's hanging about flashing in the sun will scare the birds off the
seed.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London
..

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...


A rotovator will break up the soil as long as it's not heavy clay and
compacted.

heavy compacted clay - that's what I have! and getting drier and harder by
the day. What's the procedure there, then?

Tim w

"Tim W" wrote ...

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message

A rotovator will break up the soil as long as it's not heavy clay and
compacted.

heavy compacted clay - that's what I have! and getting drier and harder by
the day. What's the procedure there, then?

Same as I'm doing with part of the allotment I didn't get round to digging
last winter, get the fork out and do it by hand a bit at a time. Then go
over it immediately with the rotovator to break up all the lumps, if you let
the lumps dry out they will be there 'till winter. In the meantime pray for
some rain to lubricate the soil and make sure your footwear has a solid
instep to cope with the force needed to push the fork in.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Tim W wrote:
"Bob Hobden" wrote ...
A rotovator will break up the soil as long as it's not heavy clay and
compacted.

heavy compacted clay - that's what I have! and getting drier and harder by
the day. What's the procedure there, then?

It'll deal with it (depending on your machine) when the soil is just
damp enough. Too dry, and it'll be very hard work, too damp and the
machine will bog down axle-deep in a mass of quaking porridge! You
can rotavate in suitable organic matter and lime, which will help
a lot. The organic matter does not need to be of very good quality
in the first instance, anything goes.