New Garden, what next?

VinylJunkie

Hey,

We just had our garden done (boundary wall and patio put in). We took the chance to level the garden and raise it with a layer of topsoil.

My question is, what should we do next? I have the topsoil fenced off, planning on seeding it at the end of March and leave it for a few months.

I assume this is basic thinking, so what else could I do now and at seed time to get a better lawn?

Sean

standardg60

Keep weeding it in the meantime, then you'll get far less weeds coming up with the grass.
And spread some general purpose fertilizer when sowing the grass seed.

looksee

If it needs to be finally levelled, do it sooner rather than later so you are not sowing onto recently softened and disturbed earth. Agree with the above about weeding. It will produce weeds when the grass come through, can't be helped but not as big an issue as it appears.

VinylJunkie

Sorry, what do you mean by finally levelled? How do I do that? What tools etc would I need? The grass area is large, maybe 30m x 8m

standardg60

VinylJunkie wrote: »

Sorry, what do you mean by finally levelled? How do I do that? What tools etc would I need? The grass area is large, maybe 30m x 8m

It just means the topsoil has been raked out and compacted to the finished level, but it sounds like that's already been done.
You may just need to lightly rake it over when sowing the seed to remove any footprints, small hollows etc.

magicbastarder

VinylJunkie wrote: »

what else could I do now

plan ahead, if there's parts of the garden which you don't want under a lawn; e.g. borders, fruit trees, etc.
in terms of planting up borders, you'll find the stock in garden centres generally balloons around patrick's weekend, many garden centres won't be holding a lot of stock at the moment.

VinylJunkie

standardg60 wrote: »

It just means the topsoil has been raked out and compacted to the finished level, but it sounds like that's already been done.
You may just need to lightly rake it over when sowing the seed to remove any footprints, small hollows etc.

Here is a pic of the garden now, the topsoil has been raked and levelled but not compacted. My plan is to spread grass seed at the end of March.

https://imgur.com/a/U6G5T9f

Lovely space,
A greenhouse would look the part where that shed is :cool:

VinylJunkie

Thats the brew shed - it aint going nowhere :pac:

VinylJunkie

VinylJunkie wrote: »

Thats the brew shed - it aint going nowhere :pac:

Tell me more:D
Looks like its going to get a lot of sun during the summer.

VinylJunkie

So I took a walk out on the topsoil today. My foot was going through it like wet cement in a lot of areas. Obviously we had a lot of rain. Is this normal? I assume when I get grass growth the soil shouldn't be that soggy?

Reckless Abandonment

Honestly I wouldn't worry about soft wet soil for now. I've puddles in my garden I've never seen before. We need a week or two of dry weather big time

looksee

Suggest you don't walk on it in current conditions, you will create little solid mud spots which will mess up your efforts.

Harry Palmr

How deep is the top soil - this weather will be a challenge with respect to "finding a level". When things have started to dry out somewhat in late spring I'd actively compact it down with a big piece of MDF type board if you can't get hold of a lawn roller (water filled push roller) - make that your reference level and then add top soil/compost mix to fill the hollows that appear. Then lightly scrub the level with a rake and sow walking in the seed (or if you prefer perform the seed dance!).

VinylJunkie

Currently have the area fenced off so no one is walking on it.

How long do you think it will take for the grass to grow? I was planning on seeding it in March once we get some dry weather to dry out the topsoil.

VinylJunkie

Hi All,

So I seeded the garden two weeks ago tomorrow. I've seeing no growth at all since. Wondering if I've done something wrong or are the conditions just not good for growth yet? When we seeded it the ground was hard, we raked the seed in as best we could but a lot/majority is sitting on the surface.

I have watered it most days, maybe not watering enough?

Picture below
http://imgur.com/a/4aXW4z9

VinylJunkie

Closer look - https://imgur.com/a/D8J2bQk

looksee

You have to have your 'eye in' to see new grass shoots! Don't worry for the moment, its been quite cool. Suddenly you will realise there is the slightest green haze and soon after begin to see the grass. Then you can worry that there seems to be more weeds than grass Then, when can I cut it?

VinylJunkie

HA - Thanks the seed sitting on top is not an issue so?

I gave it a good water there now - there are pockets of growth to be seen.

looksee

Only problem with it sitting on top is that the birds might get some of it. Just wait, it will most likely be fine.

daheff

It's still quite cool at night time. You might find some seed isn't warm enough to germinate yet.

But it's warming up...so should suddenly sprout. Make sure you keep watering it while it's dry or it'll die quickly.

Naos

Nice space Vinyl!

What size is it and how much did it cost to level & place topsoil?

Looking to do similar here.

VinylJunkie

Naos wrote: »

Nice space Vinyl!

What size is it and how much did it cost to level & place topsoil?

Looking to do similar here.

Thanks! We got a lot of work done a the same time so wouldn't be able to give an accurate price but had spoken to a lot of landscapers at the time. It's 35x8m give or take.

VinylJunkie

Just an update on this https://imgur.com/a/EMF75CR

Lot of growth in the last two weeks but very patchy, just keep watering it and wait another few weeks or is there anything I can do?

VinylJunkie

VinylJunkie wrote: »

Just an update on this https://imgur.com/a/EMF75CR

Lot of growth in the last two weeks but very patchy, just keep watering it and wait another few weeks or is there anything I can do?

I’d throw more seed in the patches but otherwise just leave it grow.

standardg60

Yep do that but looks pretty good to me anyway.
You'll be complaining about having to cut it relentlessly in another couple of weeks!

VinylJunkie

Hey all, so this is the 8th week since we seeded the garden, ive been seeding bare spots over the last couple of weeks. Some areas are great others are very bare. Overall its patchy. Ive had the garden fenced off since we seeded it but getting impatient now and want to open it up.

Does it look ok? What can I do to help the bare patches?
https://imgur.com/a/8tomyMO
https://imgur.com/a/cPMgnah

s1ippy

VinylJunkie wrote: »

Hey all, so this is the 8th week since we seeded the garden, ive been seeding bare spots over the last couple of weeks. Some areas are great others are very bare. Overall its patchy. Ive had the garden fenced off since we seeded it but getting impatient now and want to open it up.

Does it look ok? What can I do to help the bare patches?
https://imgur.com/a/8tomyMO
https://imgur.com/a/cPMgnah

Your dog has grand tall legs. Could be skewing your perspective about grass length.

Most grass I've seen growing has started like that. If you're worried about the patches you could rake up the soil in the bald areas and redistribute more seeds in the replenished soil.

Tbh I'd be too lazy and I'd just leave it. Gardening is patient work and I find that eventually, when I've forgotten all about it, my work from months ago pays off. The nice thing is that if you're tipping away the whole time, there'll be treasures every time you look outside.

Are you going to grow any vegetables?

blueskys

Hi
Just to say you have a lovely space there for a garden. Your soil looks like mine
a few years ago, a bit compacted and hard for grass to seed. I used a fork to aerate it and also spread some seaweed powder, brought it on a lot. If you have kids definitely suggest putting some raised beds in, its a great activity for little ones to be planting and watering etc.

VinylJunkie

Yea my GF has started veggies indoors will be moving them outdoors soon, first time trying our hand at that too so its all very exciting. We are getting loads done in this lockdown even started a BBQ/pizza shack over the bank hol weekend.

https://imgur.com/a/S8IvbMr

VinylJunkie

blueskys wrote: »

Hi
Just to say you have a lovely space there for a garden. Your soil looks like mine
a few years ago, a bit compacted and hard for grass to seed. I used a fork to aerate it and also spread some seaweed powder, brought it on a lot. If you have kids definitely suggest putting some raised beds in, its a great activity for little ones to be planting and watering etc.

No kids, just a doggo but have one raised bed already will be moving veggies out to it soon, will start work down the new wall side once I can get the materials.

druss

I'm interested in your progress as well. We bought a new build last year. This had been seeded prior to our arrival in Autumn last year.

When it came through, the grass crop was pretty dire. Really patchy, and a lot of it was a kind of weedy 70's combover of moss that we just raked off.

On closer inspection, the soil in our garden was of really mixed quality. Loads of rocks, parts of it were really dried out and compacted, other parts overly peaty.

Obviously, there are supply issues at the moment, but I've tried to sort out the worst areas as best i could. I've put down some new topsoil in these bits and raked in more seed, but not seeing much apart from appreciative (and increasingly fat) birds hanging around the place.

I'm hoping the voices of patience above are right and I haven't just tossed a few hundred away for no result whatsoever!

VinylJunkie

Oh forgot to update this thread - our grass is looking great. Its been looking great the last 3 weeks TBH.

druss

VinylJunkie wrote: »

Oh forgot to update this thread - our grass is looking great. Its been looking great the last 3 weeks TBH.

My fix job has been somewhat successful. The really, really bad areas where I put down fresh topsoil and seed are now stunningly verdant. The areas which I previously deemed acceptable and scattered a bit of seed look shoddy by comparison and still have weed issues. More seed and raking needed.