I’m putting in a new lawn. I want the soil underneath to be as fine as possible cos the fewer lumps, the more ground will be in contact wit hthe turf and keep it more moist.

I’ve been raking it, but what about a hoe? Would that help? The ground is pretty hard, I used a fork to dig it over but it took some battering to break up.

If a hoe down doesn’t help, try a hootenanny.

Prep time is everything when laying new turf. It needs to be turned, raked to a tilf and then rolled, racked again till level and then laid. You’ll need to repeat that several time depending how level you want it. Water daily, twice if hot and stay off it for 2 weeks ideally.

Turfed my front garden 3 1/2 months ago and it’s taken really well. I got some extra topsoil in and it worked a treat.

IMG_1221 by -Cheesyfeet-, on Flickr

More pics here

Hoeing won’t do anything – get your fork’n rake on it, and put your fork’n back into it!

Piedi di formaggio you need to acquaint yourself with Highway Code #201. Then teach all your neighbours.

Better still, move to a neighbourhood where the inhabitants CAN drive.

Piedi di formaggio you need to acquaint yourself with Highway Code #201. Then teach all your neighbours.

Better still, move to a neighbourhood where the inhabitants CAN drive

Most STW post of the year?

acquaint yourself with Highway Code #201.

Nah pedant. “When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.”. Where does it say do not, or must? You must be a right laugh. I’d suggest all of the houses in this street frequently have children playing in the gardens and on the driveways, such that it’s far safer to have direct sight of them when maneuvering into the driveway.

Hire a rotovator, get a fine seedbed, rake it level, big boots on and consolidate it down and rake level as a snooker table. As said already, you can’t skimp on the prep time..forget the hoe..

Is that a crime scene at opposing property?

Smacking the ground with the back of the fork might help, along with more raking. Though this is not a good time of year to be laying turf.

A hoe would certainly help, though a good one will be very expensive and it would seem an awful waste to spend all that money then put her to work in the garden

I keep my hoe chained to the bed and use a rotivator to till the soil..

Did it with the fork and rake in the end. Pushing it around with the rake breaks up the small stuff quite well, as does scuffing it with my booots. I’ve trampled it down a lot this time which was the mistake I made last time. Also dug in 250l of compost to 6-8″ for 15 square metres which has made a bug difference.

I can see why the old grass was so shit though. Roots were about two inches deep, below that the ground was rock hard even though it was still damp. I think I’m going to have to get a sprinkler as may go away at the weekend!

wet it up. then batter it it with the flat of a shovel. then wet it up again. then rake it with a grass rake. then wet it up. basically just wet it up would be my advice

once top soil is broken up rake to level and also turn the rake upside down and drag, this will act as a leveller and also help drag larger bits into piles so you can remove them

Yeah I wet it up on the other side and trampled it. It made a nice clay slurry that looked a bit like wet concrete.. 😯

I’m happy though actually – I’ll post up another picture in two months so you can see how I got on 🙂

My mower though only has two heights – one is too high, so the grass gets flattened when the kids play on it, and the other is too short and I end up cutting the dirt where the bumps are.. 🙁

Only one thing for it molly – new mower time!

Lol.. turning circle might be an issue…

Bit on the right is now finished, 10pm last night, and the boards are in place ready for turf today when Homebase get their delivery. It’s hard to see on the picture but most of the lawn slopes down at about 30 degrees.

Reversing into the drive.

When I arrive home, I reverse in. When Mrs Feet arrives home, she doesn’t 🙄

Next door have a paving slab monstrosity of a front garden. Therefore reversing doesn’t conform with their ‘Terry & June’ aspirational lifestyle.

Crime scene across the road – thats a mobility scooter. However it is also a crime scene as they are alwasy leaving wheelschairs, bikes, etc in the front garden unsecured. Unsurprisingly they got nicked!

How disappointing. I thought this thread would involve you announcing your new career