Laying some turf

Terrysdelight

Hi

I've got a front garden that has got some horrible old bushy stumps and thin tree stumps and loads of weeds. Also the ground level is too high.

I'm hiring a mini-digger for the day to scrap off the top layer of earth and grass and to get out all the roots.

I then want to lay some turf but would it be OK to put down SBK weedkiller before laying the turf. Or should I put down the SBK and then wait a few days before laying the turf.

Is there anything I should do to prepare the soil prior to putting on the turf?

Many thanks for some advice.

Terrysdelight

Have I posted in the wrong place? :-(

luckwudaveit

Guess there isn't too many turf experts. Can't advice on the weedkiller, but I laid some turf a couple of years around the edge of existing lawn. I thought I had compacted the top soil plenty, but within a few months the new turf sunk around 10-20mm. Its all a bit uneven now. I would suggest laying at a slightly higher level than you want it.

madjackslam

Sorry you haven't had many responses, but here are a couple of thoughts.

I'm not sure that two or three days is going to be long enough to leave the weedkiller. I've read that the active ingredient takes a few months to break down. Also, does it need to be sprayed onto the leafy parts of weeds in order to be taken up? Because you'll have removed those when you scrape off the earth and grass. Maybe after you've sprayed, leave it for a few months covered with black plastic or similar, aiming to turf in Spring? Then you can check the weedkiller has worked, and has had time to degrade.

As you're removing the top layer of soil, it would be good if you could replace that with some decent top soil. Local builders merchants often have dumpy bags at reasonable prices, but check on the quality first. It can be variable. But a decent layer of weed free stuff on top will knock the weeds back further and give the turf a chance to get going.

As luckwudaveit says, you can't spend too much time getting the top soil firm and even before you put the turf down. I took up some paving slabs and replaced it with lawn, but despite having started with a flat surface, the results were a bit uneven. :-( But even established lawns can change levels over time.

luckwudaveit

madjackslam wrote: »

Maybe after you've sprayed, leave it for a few months covered with black plastic or similar, aiming to turf in Spring?

That reminds me. The ground I turfed was previously a veggie patch that we'd abandoned for way too long after moving in. We cleared it in the autumn and I dug through it repeatedly during the winter months, frost allowing. Then when a warmish spring weekend came along, I got the turf down.

To keep lawns moss and weed free I can't sing the praises of an electric scarifier enough. Previously I used chemicals to kill the moss and weeds but I was spending a fortune on this every spring and still had to rake it once the moss was dead - back breaking work.

Last spring I spent around a ton on a Bosch scarifier and haven't looked back since. It gets all the weeds, moss and dead thatch up really easily. It creates a shed load of bags of waste and leaves bare patches on the lawn, but a month later...a lush green grass. Over time I will have saved by not buying chemicals.

demystified

Terrysdelight wrote: »

Hi

I've got a front garden that has got some horrible old bushy stumps and thin tree stumps and loads of weeds. Also the ground level is too high.

I'm hiring a mini-digger for the day to scrap off the top layer of earth and grass and to get out all the roots.

I then want to lay some turf but would it be OK to put down SBK weedkiller before laying the turf. Or should I put down the SBK and then wait a few days before laying the turf.

Is there anything I should do to prepare the soil prior to putting on the turf?

Many thanks for some advice.

I woudn't use SBK or any kind of lingering herbicide, use something containing Glyphosate to deal with perennial weeds, it's harmless once it's done it's job.

Beware of removing too much topsoil when you dig down, if the soil changes colour from dark colour to light, you've hit the subsoil and thats not good for growing anything much. If that happens dig out some of the subsoil below the final level, and put some topsoil back on top before you lay the turf.

Also dig or rotovate the soil before laying to help with drainage, your turf will thank your for it and it goes without saying make sure the surface is firm and level before you start laying, you won't be able to get the dips out so easily after it's laid.