Relay a new lawn

freeman3030

https://ibb.co/hMDCVa
We're finally getting round to doing up our garden (please see picture in the link). As you can see its an absolute wreck! We've got someone coming to cut down and remove the tree (including grinding the stump too) as its breaking our fence. That said, the fence has had it anyway and will get replaced in time. We had to remove 2 sheds to expose the tree and roots, hence all the piles of wood and rubbish. The grass is awful, its patchy, its uneven - it needs to be ripped up and start again. The previous owners had a few dogs and they just churned it up.
I was wondering what the best way of getting the grass up would be? I've looked into rotavators (Homebase hire them out for a weekend at £130 - is that good? How do you do it? Will i have to go and collect the clumps of grass up afterwards? Do I need some kind of wacker to level out the garden? I just think I need to get the garden seeded this side of summer so its got this summer to grow and give it a couple of years, we might have a nice lawned area!
This is all so new to me!

EssexExile

http://www.lawnsmith.co.uk/topic/creating-new-lawn/preparing-the-ground
Good luck, you'll be a while.

glasgowdan

It's quite a small area so you'll manage it just fine.

Spend time getting the basics sorted...Tree and roots away, decide how you're going to define the edges and if there are any issues with slope or boundaries between lawn and paths for example.

Find a local independent tool hire place...You should be able to hire a rotovate for £50 for a weekend (not speedy/hss). Rotovate it (a ten min job), then go pick out all the stones. Rotovate it as deep as you can.

Then, get rakes and start flattening it all a bit. Trample every inch with your heels in a penguin shuffle, the rake (with the back or a soil rake) again. Pull soil into the hollows.

Oh, if you're not fussy about it being a fine lawn then just leave the bit of grass in it. If you are, then spray with weedkiller a couple of weeks prior, and after rotovate get try and remove as much grass by hand as you can.

Once you've done the rake/trample enough times that you're happy with it being level, turf it! Seed takes ages. Ok, it's cheaper, but you've only got a small garden. Turf and you'll be using the lawn 4-6 weeks later. Done.

MX5huggy

£130s a bit steep https://www.hss.com/hire/p/power-digger-rotavator

My local independent tool hire centre is even cheaper

Nile

Hi, we move threads if we think they’ll get more help elsewhere (please read the forum rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board. If you have any questions about this policy please email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.

I’ve moved your thread from the ‘In my home’ board to the ‘Greenfingered’ board, where it is better suited.

Regards

Nile