UK gardening - New House

Author

New House - Naff Lawn!

Kevin Smith

2006-05-30, 5:21 am

Hi everyone, looking for some advice.

The lawn in my new place is a disaster - the grass (where there is grass) is
hip high. It is populated with moss, weeds and worst of all the ground
appears to be 70% brick rubble and 30% dead dirt. Its in just about the
worst condition possible. What would be the best rescue plan? I am just
looking to finish with a half decent lawn but I am unsure where to start.
The stones are so bad I am worried I will break the lawnmower if I take it
out there!

Many thanks

Kevin

Michael Crowe

2006-05-30, 5:21 am

"Kevin Smith" <kevinsmith121@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3Zqdnbrtzft7aObZRVn-qg@giganews.com...
> Hi everyone, looking for some advice.
>
> The lawn in my new place is a disaster - the grass (where there is grass)
is
> hip high. It is populated with moss, weeds and worst of all the ground
> appears to be 70% brick rubble and 30% dead dirt. Its in just about the
> worst condition possible. What would be the best rescue plan? I am just
> looking to finish with a half decent lawn but I am unsure where to start.
> The stones are so bad I am worried I will break the lawnmower if I take it
> out there!
>
> Many thanks
>
> Kevin
>
>

Dig it up and start again by the sounds of things :-((

Michael Crowe

--
------------------------------------------------
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk
International Festival of the Sea 28th June - 1st July 2007

Janet Baraclough

2006-05-30, 5:21 am

The message <3Zqdnbrtzft7aObZRVn-qg@giganews.com>
from "Kevin Smith" <kevinsmith121@hotmail.com> contains these words:

> Hi everyone, looking for some advice.

> The lawn in my new place is a disaster - the grass (where there is
> grass) is
> hip high. It is populated with moss,

unusual for such tall grass!

weeds and worst of all the ground
> appears to be 70% brick rubble and 30% dead dirt. Its in just about the
> worst condition possible. What would be the best rescue plan? I am just
> looking to finish with a half decent lawn but I am unsure where to start.
> The stones are so bad I am worried I will break the lawnmower if I take it
> out there!

Grass that tall is not a lawn variety Cut it down to 5" or so with a
hand scythe or strimmer (that high, you should avoid hitting any bricks
and flying debris etc) then either, weedkill the lot. Burn off the dead
debris if you can borrow a flame gun. Remove all the stones and rubble.
Only then will you be able to assess what needs to be done to the
remaining soil before remaking the lawn.

Are you sure you want to replace it with a lawn? It sounds like a
handy ready-made base for paving or gravel. Decide before you start
because that would affect which weedkiller you use.

Janet.

--
Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
to 26 private gardens

Kevin Smith

2006-05-30, 6:21 am

Thanks Janet,

Assuming I wanted to grow a lawn again which weedkiller should I use?

Kevin

"Janet Baraclough" <janet.and.john@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3130303039303239447C0C1203@zetnet.co.uk...
> The message <3Zqdnbrtzft7aObZRVn-qg@giganews.com>
> from "Kevin Smith" <kevinsmith121@hotmail.com> contains these words:
>
>
>
> unusual for such tall grass!
>
> weeds and worst of all the ground
>
> Grass that tall is not a lawn variety Cut it down to 5" or so with a
> hand scythe or strimmer (that high, you should avoid hitting any bricks
> and flying debris etc) then either, weedkill the lot. Burn off the dead
> debris if you can borrow a flame gun. Remove all the stones and rubble.
> Only then will you be able to assess what needs to be done to the
> remaining soil before remaking the lawn.
>
> Are you sure you want to replace it with a lawn? It sounds like a
> handy ready-made base for paving or gravel. Decide before you start
> because that would affect which weedkiller you use.
>
> Janet.
>
> --
> Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
> 5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
> to 26 private gardens

|||newspam|||@nezumi.demon.co.uk

2006-05-30, 8:21 am

Kevin Smith wrote:
> Thanks Janet,
>
> Assuming I wanted to grow a lawn again which weedkiller should I use?

Glyphosate is the tool of choice for reclaiming wilderness overgrown
lawns. Leave it all to die for two or three weeks and then when it is
tinder dry make a fire break around the edges and set light to get bare
ground. Be sure to spray on a still day - glyphosate kills anything
green that it touches (except in my experience buttercups, holly and
ivy).

Only then you can see how level it is and how much brick rubble needs
moving.

>
> "Janet Baraclough" <janet.and.john@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:3130303039303239447C0C1203@zetnet.co.uk...
[color=darkred]

Not sure I would bother strimming it if I was going to torch it anyway.
The extra long grass provides fuel to burn out any bramble or small
trees hiding in there.

Regards,
Martin Brown

note@here.thanks

2006-05-30, 12:21 pm

On Tue, 30 May 2006 08:46:52 +0100, "Michael Crowe" <not@here.thanks>
wrote:

>
>
>"Kevin Smith" <kevinsmith121@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:3Zqdnbrtzft7aObZRVn-qg@giganews.com...
>is
>
>Dig it up and start again by the sounds of things :-((
>
>Michael Crowe

http://i4.tinypic.com/10ynn87.jpg

Janet Baraclough

2006-05-30, 1:21 pm

The message <-cadnR7p_IRlmeHZnZ2dnUVZ_vidnZ2d@giganews.com>
from "Kevin Smith" <kevinsmith121@hotmail.com> contains these words:

> Thanks Janet,

> Assuming I wanted to grow a lawn again which weedkiller should I use?

Glyphosate. It won't affect either seed germination or new turf.

Janet.

--
Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
to 26 private gardens

Janet Baraclough

2006-05-30, 1:21 pm

The message <1148987055.331981.300920@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>
from |||newspam|||@nezumi.demon.co.uk contains these words:

> Not sure I would bother strimming it if I was going to torch it anyway.
> The extra long grass provides fuel to burn out any bramble or small
> trees hiding in there.

True, but burning waist-high dead, dry grass might be a bit too
exciting , especially if the OP (or the neighbours) have wooden sheds,
fences etc, or if the jungle is concealing a few old tins of paint,
barbecue canisters etc.

Janet

--
Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
to 26 private gardens

Me here

2006-05-31, 5:21 am

"Kevin Smith" <kevinsmith121@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3Zqdnbrtzft7aObZRVn-qg@giganews.com...
> Hi everyone, looking for some advice.
>
> The lawn in my new place is a disaster - the grass (where there is grass)
> is hip high. It is populated with moss, weeds and worst of all the ground
> appears to be 70% brick rubble and 30% dead dirt. Its in just about the
> worst condition possible. What would be the best rescue plan? I am just
> looking to finish with a half decent lawn but I am unsure where to start.
> The stones are so bad I am worried I will break the lawnmower if I take it
> out there!

Mini Digger,
Skip
Sand
Soil
Seed or Turf

La Puce

2006-05-31, 9:21 am

Me here wrote:
> Mini Digger,
> Skip
> Sand
> Soil
> Seed or Turf

As above plus draw up a couple of beds and use the poor soil/stony
grounds for plants that would love it. Don't keep it square or
rectangular, but create a path through your garden with a bit of lawn
at the end, or front, which will give the garden a wild but soft look.
Ho! And don't use chemicals ;o)

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