Growing a lawn ?

[AreseV6]

I am putting down a lawn and planning to use seed but first i need to dig up the ground approx 10ft x 30ft which is the more sensible to use :

clicky



power digger or light duty tiller ?

There is already gravel over the ground that im removing what else do I need to do to the ground to prepare it for taking the seed and when would be the best time to plant ?

Edited by AreseV6 on Tuesday 8th March 15:00

Edited by AreseV6 on Tuesday 8th March 15:02

[greygoose]

Here's a guide, a lot depends on what the soil is like already. I did mine by hand and it was totally knackering, spring is the ideal time to start the lawn.

[GreenDog]

Never used one myself but my dad used to have an allotment and he used the tiller (or rotovator as they were known then) to dig it over when he first took it on. He had to go over a few times though to get it broken down nicely.

[Jonboy_t]

Can't help much, but I laid lawn seed in my old house and found a couple of useful tips.

- Use a kitchen colander to spread it unless you have a seed spreader. Spin it in circles as you walk side to side/back to front and you get pretty even coverage.
- Cover it with a mesh suspended at the corners by metal stakes hit into the ground. If you can, suspend it about 2 feet off the ground. This stops birds that will enjoy feeding on the seed and if you get a fine mesh, it won't blow around/tear too much in our british summer wind!

Either way, good luck!

[Shaolin]

Power digger - no contest.

I used to lay lawns a long time ago from turf and seed occasionally. The big digger pulls up stuff that the smaller machine will just tickle or stall over. Drive it round, flatten it out, scrape and shuffle with your feet then dig again and repeat the levelling. Take the time with preparation, get the soil level and equally compacted and it'll stay flat, like any job, skimp on the prep and you'll always regret/see it.

[GingerWizard]

Shaolin said:

Power digger - no contest.

I used to lay lawns a long time ago from turf and seed occasionally. The big digger pulls up stuff that the smaller machine will just tickle or stall over. Drive it round, flatten it out, scrape and shuffle with your feet then dig again and repeat the levelling. Take the time with preparation, get the soil level and equally compacted and it'll stay flat, like any job, skimp on the prep and you'll always regret/see it.

Agreed, its all about tempered levels over the lawn area; allowing for side compaction and "ease". I too have laid a few, and the results have always been a direct reflection of the prep. Do it well, rewarded you shall be.