New Lawn

K09

Hi,

I am in the process of seeding a new lawn. I have spent the past few weeks/months removing rubble, weeds, and rotavating the existing soil.

I now have added topsoil to this. The topsoil contained a lot of small pebble size stones. Ate these OK or should they be removed?

I thought I had the topsoil all nicely levelled but am now finding bumps and dips. Any recommendations on how best to even it? The area is about 70m2

Thanks!

Seve OB

I'm not an expert but have been working hard on my lawn over the last few years.

I think the pebbles are fine. If I were you I would try and mix in a lot of sports sand with the top soil before laying the seed.
I take it you are going to lay seed and not just roll out stuff? I use no. 2 seed, buy big bags of it not small boxes as they are rip off and stay away from cheap seed as you will just end up with loads of weeds.

Bumps and hollows will happen for ever in my experience. It is just the land settling. Get a decent heavy roller and roll it a good few times. as hollows appear, just fill them with the sand.

and lastly I think the most important thing is the ongoing maintenance. if you want a nice lawn, it is not just a question of cutting the grass. you need to aerate the soil a couple of times a year, and fill the holes with sand. you need to scarify it a couple of times a year to remove the thatch. I've got a machine called a verticulator which does a good job.

I throw down some Gouldings lawn feed weed and moss killer, give it a good dose in April and September maybe 10 days before a heavy raking and scarifying. would also give it a gentle spread throughout the growing season.

Dr4gul4

Seve OB wrote: »

I've got a machine called a verticulator which does a good job.
.

Any details, all in one machine maybe ?

Seve OB

Dr4gul4 wrote: »

Any details, all in one machine maybe ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0030BERK0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this is the one I have

K09

Seve OB wrote: »

I take it you are going to lay seed and not just roll out stuff? I use no. 2 seed, buy big bags of it not small boxes as they are rip off and stay away from cheap seed as you will just end up with loads of weeds.

Yes I plan to lay seed. What is the no.2 bag? Is it something I can pick up in woodies? All the different seed boxes has me confused.

Thanks a million for all the info!!

FlipperThePriest

You could try your local agro supplier. I recently renovated my lawn and that's where I picked up the lawn seed and fertiliser. It was half the price of woodies. I spread the fertiliser about a month after the seed germinated and it has brought it on great.

Seve OB

No don’t buy in woodies.
No.2 is the type of grass seed I laid. This will explain a bit. https://seeddirect.ie/lawn-seed.html
Not sure that was the site I bought from. Buy a big bag 10 or even 20kg as you will throw a bit down every time you scarify so always good to have spare and it’s as cheap to buy in bulk early than to keep having to get small amounts

Dr4gul4

Seve OB wrote: »

No don’t buy in woodies.
No.2 is the type of grass seed I laid. This will explain a bit. https://seeddirect.ie/lawn-seed.html
Not sure that was the site I bought from. Buy a big bag 10 or even 20kg as you will throw a bit down every time you scarify so always good to have spare and it’s as cheap to buy in bulk early than to keep having to get small amounts

I've used these folks before, and they are magic ! the only thing i found is you really need to open the soil a little for the seed to really take.

Interested to know what fertiliser folks are using on their lawns ?

Seve OB

Dr4gul4 wrote: »

I've used these folks before, and they are magic ! the only thing i found is you really need to open the soil a little for the seed to really take.

Interested to know what fertiliser folks are using on their lawns ?

yes a good rake to level and loosen the soil before planting seed

I use Goulding lawn feed weed and moss killer

Dr4gul4

Seve OB wrote: »

yes a good rake to level and loosen the soil before planting seed

I use Goulding lawn feed weed and moss killer

Ahh ok, I've used something similar. thanks

FlipperThePriest

Dr4gul4 wrote: »

Interested to know what fertiliser folks are using on their lawns ?

I told them what I was doing and he gave me a 50kg bag of 20-10-10 stuff, it was only about 18eu. The grass is flying, my guess is it's more of an agricultural fertiliser so it might not be ideal, I might have a hard time keeping the grass cut?

I also bought a bag of Green Force weed and feed (I think it's the same stuff as the Goulding's) but I then realised it's a bad idea to use it on new grass so might use it next year.

Dr4gul4

zippy84 wrote: »

I told them what I was doing and he gave me a 50kg bag of 20-10-10 stuff, it was only about 18eu. The grass is flying, my guess is it's more of an agricultural fertiliser so it might not be ideal, I might have a hard time keeping the grass cut?

I also bought a bag of Green Force weed and feed (I think it's the same stuff as the Goulding's) but I then realised it's a bad idea to use it on new grass so might use it next year.

It'll certainly grow with 20-10-10 on it

FlipperThePriest

Yeah, the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking what am I going to do with 45kg of 20-10-10!? Get a few sheep maybe

Squiggle

7 6 17 is better for grass in that there is only 7% Nitrogen so less growth and less cutting. 20 10 10 will generally mean fast growth with 20% Nitrogen and lots of cutting !

K09

Seve OB wrote: »

No don’t buy in woodies.
No.2 is the type of grass seed I laid. This will explain a bit. https://seeddirect.ie/lawn-seed.html
Not sure that was the site I bought from. Buy a big bag 10 or even 20kg as you will throw a bit down every time you scarify so always good to have spare and it’s as cheap to buy in bulk early than to keep having to get small amounts

Got a bag of this and I used it all in 72m2! May have put out too much.
The soil bed was fairly flat and compact so I watered a lot after seeding and walked around to trod the seeds in.

Is this fine or will I need to cover seeds?

Thanks.

K09

This is the current situation

GreeBo

It looks dry...are you watering at least twice per day?

If the seeds dry out after getting wet they are dead and won't come back.

K09

GreeBo wrote: »

It looks dry...are you watering at least twice per day?

If the seeds dry out after getting wet they are dead and won't come back.

I have been watering in the evening only

Hope they haven't dried out! Can't face going back raking compact ground again

GreeBo

K09 wrote: »

I have been watering in the evening only

Hope they haven't dried out! Can't face going back raking compact ground again

Its unlikley, but not impossible!, that they have dried out.
Typically this results in a patch lawn that you can overseed again.

Did you rotovate or till the soil before spreading the seeds?
I'm afraid if the seeds were just put onto bare, compacted ground and only watered in the evening, at least based on the weather I have had over the last month, I'd expect most of your seed to be now dead.

How long ago did you spread the seed? You should be seeing shoots within 7-10 days this time of year.

DavyD_83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/110915556#Comment_110915556

Thanks for the info. Now that I know this exists I think I might have to get one. Moss has been my main problem with the grass since we got the house 10yrs ago.

Dog lover the last 3yrs really hasn't helped things

GreeBo

If you can afford it, get a battery one as the cord will drive you demented (the trick is to always be working away from where it is plugged in, but its stilla annoying)

I have an electric Einhell one and use it twice a year, but I inherited a lawn with 2inches of thatch so its a multi year project for me.

If its just moss then something like mobacter can save you a lot of work as scarifying will leave you with bags and bags of stuff to dispose of, even on a moderate lawn. Far more than you would get from just cutting it. however moss is usually due to lack of drainage and poor sunlight, so you might be better off hiring an aerator for a day to get some oxygen into your lawn, you can fill the holes with sand if you want, or just leave them and they will look after themselves.