This article has been viewed 296,393 times. Laying new turf over old lawn is possible, but results will not be satisfactory in the long run. Then lightly rake over the surface, to loosen just the surface. Use a landscaping rake if the grading adjustments are minor. NO Chemicals. If the area being covered is uneven or has poor quality soil, you will need to add more top soil for the new turf to bed into - this will cost around £30 per m2. Start around the border, overlapping any rounded edges and trimming the excess turf once it’s all been laid. Three times the cost of seed, BUT with turf you get the top soil as well all in a roll. A. Although turf can be laid at any time of the year the best seasons are definitely spring and autumn as these seasons generally avoid problems of ice and flooding. There are 32 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Broadcast spreaders are best when you have to spread seeds over a large area—more than 4000 square feet. Often this means digging up and disposing of an existing lawn. For Couch use Fusilade Forte (Fluazifop-p) and for all other weeds, use Roundup (Glyphosate). Step 1: Remove Old Turf, Plants and Weeds. The laying of new turf on old turf compared to grass seed. The drop spreader is good for most lawns under 4,000 square feet. Make sure you lay the turf in strips and once the entirety of the ground has been covered use a small roller to help it bed into the soil and to encourage the roots to embed themselves into the ground. Clover or zoysia are good choices. Now it's time to choose your turf type. One of the most important things about laying gravel is the process of installing a weed membrane. unlocking this expert answer. . To hire a small, easily manoeuvrable digger, it will cost you around £200 for the first day, and £50 - £75 for each additional day, but it will work out cheaper overall if you need to hire it for an entire week. You should also make sure it’s laid within 24 hours of delivery in order to ensure it’s in the best condition. Make sure your first mow … Will this require purchase of more topsoil, should I buy some form of fertilizer to mix in etc. Choose a day with little to no wind to avoid drifting. If it’s a heavy soil then consider adding grit or sharp sand to open it up. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Adding soil over grass can be another effective form of repairing a lawn. Label each one clearly. A rotavator or tiller will be useful at this stage to break the soil into a fine tilth. But solarizing your lawn is also environmentally-friendly, so this isn't a specific benefit of smothering. This device slices through the soil and grass to create an easy-to-remove roll. In general, it's a lot faster and easier to use a drop or broadcast spreader to seed your new lawn. Our bestselling books for growing success! In tight corners or confined spaces, sprinkle seed by hand for best placement. Step 2 New grass will grow over old turf, however, your lawn’s condition will deteriorate over time as the old grass dies. On average, two people can remove and haul away up to 300-square feet in an hour. If you encounter a particularly dry spell then make sure you water it more regularly otherwise you could find yourself laying more turf next year. my front garden is 5/4m so 20m sq. This way, you won't have to work over your fresh new turf whilst tending to other jobs. Lay in a cross bonded pattern like house bricks. I live in Greater London, just got in a quote to remove slab paving and lay new lawn turf in my garden. Related To: Lawn Care. Follow all safety instructions when using herbicide. They supplied the turf for several episodes of Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Garden on ITV. For large lawns, consider renting a sod cutter. Removed turf - you'll have loads of this, pile it up out of the way somewhere with the grass side down, water it well with several watering cans worth and cover with old carpet or something and weight it down - bin bags at a pinch. Find out what grass type grows best in your area. Black plastic also works. They're about $70.00 per day. Removing grass can expose pest problems you didn't know you had. How to lay turf. Removing your old lawn before laying new sod is crucial for a healthy root system. If the lawn has a lot of weeds, spray it with a weed killer and wait about 48 hours for the weeds to die so they’re easier to remove. If you’re adding amendments to the soil than adjust the grading depth to about 2 inches (5 cm) lower than the fixed surfaces (such as a patio) bordering your new lawn. First of all, a few of the reasons why NOT to lay turf over old grass. Lay your first piece of turf, making sure you butt it up nice and firm against the corners – it’s important not to kneel on the turf or stretch it. 6. Prepare the soil by skimming off any old grass, removing large stones and weeds, and then roughly levelling by flattening humps and filling hollows. Once the new Sir Walter buffalo lawn was established, some simple rules were followed to keep the grass in optimum shape. Wait a week, then spread some topsoil over area. What's the benefit of smothering your old lawn over solarizing it or killing it with herbicides? When ordering the turf for your garden you should add an extra 5% onto your order so that you can allow for any waste. Over time, the grass on your lawn can become discolored, thin and drab. You want to have them as close together as possible, but still avoid overlap, because overlapping sod will make your lawn lumpy. Rake to remove dead weeds, or repeat application everyday for stubborn or tenacious weeds until they die. So, in theory, it makes sense to simply mow your lawn short and lay new sod right over the existing lawn. by email twice a month, Grow Your Own – Allotment – Gardening Help, How to Lay Turf – Laying new turf to replace a lawn, Renovating a Lawn Restoring an Old or Damaged Lawn, Monthly Lawn Care Guide, Through the Year Lawn Guide, Lawn Sand & Feed Mixes, Top Dressing, Moss Killer Recipe, Removing & Controlling Lawn Moss Improve Your Lawn. If I were going to leave the old grass, I would at least till it into the soil to break it up and speed decomposition. So what should you do with the leaves, roots and other debris that you’ve dug up? Thanks.". The ground should slope away from your house in all directions. You can cut holes in the sod for ground sprinklers if you plan on using them. Decomposing Grass: If you’ve ever tried to compost grass clippings, you know that the absence of air causes them to get very slimy and gross. Check the soil for insect larvae and deal with any you find before you reseed or plant. If your grass has gone passed revival then the laying of your new turf will have to be done sooner rather than later and it’s important to set aside enough time to make sure you get it right. Remove any new weeds … Before laying the turf it’s imperative to fertilise the ground in order to ensure the turf gets the nutrients that it requires to survive when it been laid. Personal Planting Updates & Tips Layered materials could slide on steep slopes. Two of the best ways to replace an old lawn with a new one are planting with seeds, or laying down grass that comes in strips of sod. Another option for removing these old Buffalo root systems would be to use the same Kanga or Bobcat, and to dig much deeper into the soil. Some gardeners theorize that leaving a layer of grass beneath new sod affects the sod's ability to take root in the soil and increases the chance that the new lawn will die from lack of nutrients, including the vital need for moisture. Use a knife to trim the sections of sod that abut paved areas. Cover the inverted sod in 6 to 10 layers of newspaper. They're faster and allow for a wider distribution of seeds. Even if you are removing a significant depth of soil it’s a good idea to use a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate (Roundup) with a couple of applications to kill as much of the existing grass as possible. Jeremy provides instant satellite quotes and can coordinate service from a smartphone or web browser. Either choice will work to replace your old, patchy lawn with new grass. Prep 1-spray existing lawn with a selective herbicide-weedol, kills any weed. If the lawn is 30 years old with thick roots but it is mostly crabgrass, how far down should I rototill? A plank attached to rope and dragged over is a great aid to levelling a larger lawn. Take multiple samples from different locations around the lawn and at different depths of the soil, near the surface and 8 to 10 inches (20–25cm) or more in depth. This article was co-authored by Jeremy Yamaguchi. It is possible to dump new soil over top of what you have, and prepare it for sod or seed. In either case, that's faster than smothering—or solarizing, for that matter. More Information Sod can have problems bonding to the soil. An old, patchy lawn doesn't need to be ripped up before the lovely new sod is put in place. The first thing to do is clear the area where your new lawn is going to be laid or sown. Cut the sod in half first and lay it in a staggered design (as bricks are laid). Not quite! Continue this process after each new large area has been laid down. With outdoor projects, it happens frequently, whether you are installing a front pathway, digging a garden pond, laying cable for landscape path lights, installing a fence, or just about anything else. I want to lay about 45m^2 of grass and imagine a fair amount of levelling will be required, especially if a large amount of clearing is required from underneath the patio. Think shade, mowing and access to good quality water. my front garden is 5/4m so 20m sq. Add just a few drops of dishwashing liquid soap or another surfactant to help the herbicide stick to vegetation. Seeded grass is cheaper and can be more dependable. Be sure to test your soil through a lab analysis to determine what type of sod will work best for you. I have a patch of turf in our garden that I need to remove to make a flowerbed. In spring and autumn little mowing is needed so newly-laid turf can be left relatively undisturbed for several weeks. You’ll want to avoid the soil crusting into a hard surface which prevents seeds from emerging. Get rid of the old turf debris. Rotivate the dead lawn. Nov 10, 2012 - We used a demolition derby to simulate the wear and tear a lawn can go though over a few years. While it is possible to lay turf on top of grass, it's not advised. Aftercare. Herbicides containing glyphosate are a wise choice. You should remove every last piece of plant material from the area. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Once settled, old turf can be used as compost for potted plants. The aim being to remove as much of the old matted root system as possible. In laying wild flower turf – is to lay turf on old turf first plant material from the,! One of the most important things about laying gravel is the fun bit means digging up and disposing an... Go over a bit of initial labor involved in laying wild flower turf – to... 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