is topsoil necessary under new turf?

binkyboo_2

hi there,
i am clueless as you can probably tell. I have read contrasting information on this, some saying topsoil is required under new turf and other information which says all that is required is to remove any debris from existing soil and rake and heel repeatedly then rake in fertiliser, water and turf.
if you aren't wanting to raise the level of what you already have then is the topsoil not needed? I am desperately trying to create a safe garden for my little one whilst keeping costs down and i looked on one website that said an inch covering of topsoil for 30 square metre garden was about a hundred pounds and i am already spending that amount on turf as it is!

gazza975526570

binkyboo wrote: »

hi there,
i am clueless as you can probably tell. I have read contrasting information on this, some saying topsoil is required under new turf and other information which says all that is required is to remove any debris from existing soil and rake and heel repeatedly then rake in fertiliser, water and turf.
if you aren't wanting to raise the level of what you already have then is the topsoil not needed? I am desperately trying to create a safe garden for my little one whilst keeping costs down and i looked on one website that said an inch covering of topsoil for 30 square metre garden was about a hundred pounds and i am already spending that amount on turf as it is!

Id say save yourself £100. When i did mine i simply raked the existing soil (as you say remove any stones, bricks) and then turfed.

Are you not wanting to do by seed?

binkyboo_2

my little girl has just started walking and is desperate to get outside exploring so i decided that seeding and waiting for it to grow would take too long!
I know you can't really walk on turf for a certain amount of time after its been laid but she isn't heavy so i would think it will be ok. thanks for the advice though i think so long as our soil is ok i will avoid the topsoil.
was i right that you have to put fertiliser in the soil before you turf?

FloFlo

I am hoping to turf our garden asap and would like more info too, so bump.

binkyboo_2

i still haven't done mine yet, but i have had a bit of a dig around and our soil is very rubbly so i think that it may take a lot of work to prepare it for turf because i think you need a spade's depth of soil free of stones so i am seriously considering bringing someone in to do it. i think using the hour a day i have spare from the little one to do it i'd still be turfless next spring!

TedLaRue

I'm currently in the process of digging over my garden to prepare it for turf.

When people say remove stones do they just mean the largest ones? It would be nigh on impossible for me to get rid of all stones (let alone having a spades depth stone free!).

Also any tips on getting the soil level across the garden? Mine's a bit 'lumpy' through getting rid of the boulders, bricks, concrete, old kitchen sinks (no I'm not joking!).

DKLS

I suppose it would depend on the quality of your existing soil, and how much prep work you put in.

A couple of years back a friend of mine asked me over to see if I could find out why her lawn and plants were dying. Typical new build had about 1" of soil covering rubble, and quite a few nasties lurking underneath.
We dug out the lot and started again with the best quality soil she could afford, two years later she has a fabulous healthy garden.

ErodedPebble

TedLaRue wrote: »

I'm currently in the process of digging over my garden to prepare it for turf.

When people say remove stones do they just mean the largest ones? It would be nigh on impossible for me to get rid of all stones (let alone having a spades depth stone free!).

Also any tips on getting the soil level across the garden? Mine's a bit 'lumpy' through getting rid of the boulders, bricks, concrete, old kitchen sinks (no I'm not joking!).

I bought a new development a few years back in Kent where the builder left a lot of rubble in the garden...ie bricks, large pieces of concrete etc.....
I was told that short of a mechanical digger these items would be hard to remove...
Anyhow I had turf layed over top soil...What i found afterward was the following.

Lumpy in certain areas
Brown patches of lawn in places..presumably where concrete slabs lay underneath....

IMHO unless you maintain it every day I'd get the rubble removed... I know it may cost but in the long run it will prove to be worthwhile ...

TedLaRue

DKLS wrote: »

Typical new build

I live in an old Victorian terrace so would hate to think how long some of this stuff has been down there! The sink was a lovely old Belfast style one all broken up into bits.

About 4 hours into digging it over yesterday I did contemplate getting a JCB but the access we've got via the alleyway allows for a wheelbarrow and not much more.

The soil is fine so I think I'll persevere, with the help of family, getting the majority of the stones out and see what happens with a bit of turf. It can't look any worse than it already does!

TedLaRue

After another good few hours digging yesterday I've found yet more bricks in another section of the garden. Looks like builders at some point over the years have just dug a big hole and filled it.

I can't even begin to imagine the effort is will take to get them all out (especially as I'll have to do most of it on my own). So what are my best options?

There was grass growing fairly well on top of the "'pit" before I turned it all over so does this bode well for me using the soil that it there and turfing on top of it?

Any advice would be appreciated.