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Lawn help

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  • 12-06-2021 2:40pm
    #1
    coff66
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭


    Hi folks,

    Novice gardener would not come close to accurately describing my lack of knowledge or skill, so I am hoping you knowledgeable folks can help.

    New build garden, house completed in December and lawns untouched until April so some weeds had sprung up. Builder had a guy with a track digger come and scrape the lawn areas with the bucket of the digger and then seed with grass. I have attached pictures of the current state of the areas. I have asked the builder to get the guy back but no movement yet.

    Nuts wondering what the quickest and easiest way would be for me to get the lawn to a decent state as I am conscious that it's looking unkempt at present.

    Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

    Regards,

    Coff66


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    #2
    coff66
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭coff66


    More pictures


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    #3
    coff66
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭coff66


    Would really appreciate any guidance or advice anybody may have.


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    #4
    tDw6u1bj
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭tDw6u1bj


    I almost wonder if builders ask for extra stones in their "topsoil"

    TBH, probably the best thing you might actually be able to convince the builder to do is scrape away the top 100mm of that.
    After that you can find somewhere that sells properly screened good topsoil and go from there yourself.


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    #5
    Truckermal
    Registered Users Posts: 6,048 ✭✭✭Truckermal


    You will have to pick those stones then rake the bald patches then apply fresh seed plus pulling the Weeds.


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    #6
    tDw6u1bj
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭tDw6u1bj


    Truckermal wrote: »
    You will have to pick those stones then rake the bald patches then apply fresh seed plus pulling the Weeds.

    You absolutely can do that, but it's a pain.
    You kill off the weeds, break your back picking stones, and then when you rake in the seed you pull up more stones and you feel like you've undone all your good work.
    Pick stones again, curse your back, cry.

    The soil looks well short on nutrients too.


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    #7
    10-10-20
    Registered Users Posts: 6,748 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    Yeah, the 'builders-finish' of topsoil - looks like it's really a clay-type subsoil, with added '5cm grit'. ;)
    As it already looks slightly green, I'd doubt that the builder wants any more to do with it.

    If you want to work with what's there, rake it out completely to collect all of the stones out of the top 3 cm to 5 cm. Then mix in a soil improver such as this one https://www.bordnamonahorticulture.ie/home-gardening/gardening-products/soil-improvers/growise-lawn-soil/. I'd be recommending about 4 bags of that.
    Then re-seed evenly with a good quality seed mix.

    Otherwise do what tDw6u1bj said, but ask for a lawn-mix topsoil with lawn sand added and start again.
    Example:
    https://www.landscapedepot.ie/product/lawn-mix-topsoil-general-use/


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    #8
    LMHC
    Registered Users Posts: 407 ✭✭LMHC


    coff66 wrote: »
    Would really appreciate any guidance or advice anybody may have.

    Get a landscaper in or get a Rotavator. Turn the soil, Rake and Pick the stones, Repeat, Repeat, then Repeat one for time. Then dig about an inch down and bring in fresh clay, Level back out again then seed.


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    #9
    coff66
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭coff66


    Thank you all for the replies.

    As I feared there is no really simple fix.

    The soil is definitely more clay or heavily compacted, very evident with the current dry spell.

    We have tried taking and picking stones on a small area of a few square metres and after 3 hours gave up as it was back breaking work and didn't seem to be getting anywhere just uncovering more stones.

    The builder has said he will get the lawn guy he used to come and have a look and having spoken to neighbours who had issue with their lawn, he may do something to help sort it.

    If that doesn't come to pass, getting a landscaper in who knows what they are doing may be the easiest option.

    I do wish I had the patience and knowledge to sort it myself but after the few days trying to do the small section we did, I think it's a stretch too far. It might not look it in the pictures but there are 3 sections of lawn with a total area around 120m2.

    Thanks everyone again for replying.

    Regards,

    Coff66


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