Gardeners question time.....

[BlackRat]

Not having green fingers.......

 

Can you lay turf over turf or an existing lawn please?

[Phil Bullock]

There seems to be some dichotomy between experts....

 

http://www.lawnexperts.co.uk/will-new-turf-grow-successfully-over-old-turf-lawn.html

 

Phil

[PatB]

Not having green fingers.......

 

Can you lay turf over turf or an existing lawn please?

Did so quite frequently in my past life as a landscaper and never experienced a problem. It was necessary to do a bit of prep work first, the extent depending on the state of the existing grass.

 

First, any weeds needed to be removed. Dandelions, for example, will drill straight through your nice new turf. Any clumpy types of grass needs to go too.

 

If the existing lawn is very compacted (and most are) it needs to be loosened up a little, at least enough to allow the roots of the new turf to get a hold and for drainage. Spiking it thoroughly with a fork was my preferred technique.

 

I'd usually put down a thin layer of new topsoil, sometimes with a little peat or fibrous material mixed in. On at least one occasion I used mushroom compost (which, on examination, was mainly straw and chicken manure) with considerable success. The purpose of this layer was basically to provide some scope for levelling  with a rake.

 

The turf would then go on, making sure that the strips were firmly butted up against each other so that any shrinkage wouldn't leave gaps. Final flattening and compaction used to be a a case of two of us repeatedly slapping down a scaffold plank. which we found gave much better results than a roller.

 

After laying it was imperative to keep the turf wet for several days. We'd absolutely soak it immediately after laying and then give it a really good daily watering for at least a week, depending on rainfall. In a hot summer, we'd leave a hose running on it (turned well down) constantly during the day. After a week the new roots should have got a decent hold on the underlying ground so you can revert to whatever "normal" watering regime may be appropriate for your particular climate.

 

I don't claim to bee an expert by any means, but Google Earth shows many lawns that I laid 25 years ago still appearing green and healthy so, hopefully, I did something right.

[Nearholmer]

The other "recovery" option is to deep-scarify, then rake a mixture of sand, fibrous compost, and seed over the lawn.

 

I bought a "heavy domestic" scarifier, which was less expensive than I feared, did the above and was astonished how effective it was, and it worked out cheaper overall that re-turfing, but it obviously takes a few weeks/months to be effective. I did it in early September, which I was told was ideal (views may differ on this), and had a "new" lawn for spring.

 

Two incidentals:

 

- after scarifying, the lawn looks terrible, like it will never survive, but it does;

 

-do not forget that you have left the scarifier on the garage floor and then back a Landrover over it (don't ask! Tyres fine; scarifier utterly wrecked; lawn in need of doing again due to son and pals playing football)

 

Kevin

[BlackRat]

Thanks all, very useful info.

 

I think I have had a prob with the topsoil, which was bought in 15 years ago.

 

Lawns ok at best, so I think I'll have to spike, scarily, put down a mix of sand and good quality compost then returf.

 

Oh the joys!.

[PatB]

The other "recovery" option is to deep-scarify, then rake a mixture of sand, fibrous compost, and seed over the lawn.

 

I bought a "heavy domestic" scarifier, which was less expensive than I feared, did the above and was astonished how effective it was, and it worked out cheaper overall that re-turfing, but it obviously takes a few weeks/months to be effective. I did it in early September, which I was told was ideal (views may differ on this), and had a "new" lawn for spring.

 

Two incidentals:

 

- after scarifying, the lawn looks terrible, like it will never survive, but it does;

 

-do not forget that you have left the scarifier on the garage floor and then back a Landrover over it (don't ask! Tyres fine; scarifier utterly wrecked; lawn in need of doing again due to son and pals playing football)

 

Kevin

Did that (sort of) too on a few occasions, although, instead of the scarifier, I scrubbed up the surface with fork and rake. I was a lot younger and fitter in those days though .

[Horsetan]

....First, any weeds needed to be removed. Dandelions, for example, will drill straight through your nice new turf. Any clumpy types of grass needs to go too.....

My old man's lawn has suffered for years from weeds which appear to have grown through from the neighbour's garden. No matter what you do to uproot them, they just keep on coming back. Same goes for moss.

[Oldddudders]

Huh. And there I was expecting to be regaled with tales of Fred Loads, Bill Sowerbutts and Professor Alan Gemmell of the University of Newcastle-under-Lyme. Standard fare over lunch at home in the early '60s. 

[jonny777]

Thanks all, very useful info.

 

I think I have had a prob with the topsoil, which was bought in 15 years ago.

 

Lawns ok at best, so I think I'll have to spike, scarily, put down a mix of sand and good quality compost then returf.

 

Oh the joys!.

 

 

Yes, the description "topsoil" seems to cover a multitude of ingredients, distributed by the less scrupulous providers of said product.

 

The main culprit appears to be spent mushroom compost which is mixed in large quantities with smaller amounts of soil taken from building site clearances.

 

The result will be a very alkaline soil with virtually no nitrogen content, and not many plants will relish growing in it.  As always, it is a case of - buyer beware.

[Horsetan]

...result will be a very alkaline soil with virtually no nitrogen content, and not many plants will relish growing in it...

...except weeds.