selling house - any advice from my front garden

asp746

I've got a nice sized front garden - part of it is flagged and the rest is turfed. However there is not a cm of the turf that doesn't have a dandelion on it. Because i want to sort the kerb appeal issue out i was wanting to maybe sort the turf part out - its about 15ft x 10ft. I was thinking about digging it all up and then laying plastic and then bark. I was also thinking of getting some planters to put around the edge that is besides the wall and put marigolds and panies in it.

Any pointers? Should i use stones instead of bark? Is there a special type of plastic i need to stop weeds breaking through it?

Or, should i just get it returfed - my only problem with that is turfers tend to just rip the old stuff up, leave the weed roots in and lay fresh stuff on it? Also a pain watering fresh turf and if the house doesn't sell for a few months then i'm into having to mow it again which i hate doing.

thanks

amcluesent

Just water over with a grass fertilizer/weed killer combination.

asp746

i've tried doing that but they keep coming back. I don't mind putting some effort into my original idea its just i need to keep costs down and i want to make sure i do it properly so the weeds don't come through the plastic.

rhiwfield

Its peak season for dandelions flowering atm. Mow regularly now to keep turf v short and when the main flowering season is over the problem will seem much less.

Then next year let the new purchasers decide whether to tackle them.

Alternatively skim off existing turf (use it elsewhere or lay it grass side down) and because you'll have left in all the roots that will try to regrow, lay a layer of cardboard (boxes free at homebase), followed by a layer of weed suppressant membrane (wickes or wilko). Then some bark chippings with your planters kept fresh by seasonal plantings and artistically arranged (though not the Lotus -Eater way )

Any superdandelion that manages to break thru the cardboard/membrane/bark combination zap with glyphosate.

Kay_Peel

I would forget trying to weed the turf at this stage and I would go for different jobs entirely.

I would mow the grass once a week and keep it very short.

I would get out my lawn edger and a plank of wood and make the edges of the lawn straight and neat and defined (using the plank of wood as a ruler).

I might even think about cutting the turf well back from the paved area, covering it with some topsoil before cramming some bedding plants into the new bed.

You want something that attracts the eye and makes a wow! first impression - a neat short grassed area, surrounded by colourful plants, will do the trick. If you start killing weeds or digging them up, your lawn will look messy and offputting.

asp746

i can keep mowing the back lawn cos although its got dandelions they're a manageable amount so i will definitely mow once a week to keep the rotters at bay - one question the grass looks very pale - it gets a fair amount of sun so is there anything i can spray on it to make it more green?

as for the front, it definitely needs lifting - its beyond the point of being saved, so i'll take rhiwfields advice with the cardboard, membrane & bark suggestion. Thanks