new lawn/kill old moss first?

okedoke

My mother in law's front garden is lawn (mostly moss and perennial weeds). I'm going to remove the existing sod, dig it over, lay new lawn turf and make a few mixed borders around the edge.

I've sprayed roundup to kill the grass/weeds and am wondering do i need to kill the moss seperately before digging up the sod (once the grass/weeds are dead).

thanks

standardg60

No, not if you're removing the sod.

okedoke

Thanks Standard - yea I’m removing the sod

The Continental Op

You have me slightly worried? Why get rid of your best topsoil by removing the sods. If you aren't putting in new soil then just kill off the existing sward then rotavate. If the grass is long cut it down first. Remove any grassy lumps as you level out.

okedoke

Pretty much every guide i read online about replacing a lawn (I replaced mine recently with turf) said to remove the sod before rotovating cause the rotovator wont break up the sod. My mother in laws lawn is tiny so i'll digging it over with a fork but I preume the same applies?

The Continental Op

okedoke wrote: »

Pretty much every guide i read online about replacing a lawn (I replaced mine recently with turf) said to remove the sod before rotovating cause the rotovator wont break up the sod. My mother in laws lawn is tiny so i'll digging it over with a fork but I preume the same applies?

If its that small double dig and bury the broken up sods.

In town gardens the soil often builds up over builders rubble below so once you scab the surface off you don't really have much top soil left.

Commercially you don't have the time or energy to scab the grass off but if you have a short sward/weeds and spray them off wait a few weeks (which some people don't want to do) then when you rotovate the sods break up quite well.

Rotovating isn't just 5 minutes with the rotovator. I'd normally do 3-4 passes in different directions.

okedoke

Ok thanks - I'll have a think about doing that