[AJW]

We are novice, or totally inexperienced gardeners, who have a back garden with approx half an acre. The grass is scutch grass and the ground very uneven.

We wish to sow a lawn and plant hedging. I am about to buy some round up to kill off the existing grass but will also need to rotovate and level the ground before we sow grass seed and plant hedging.

I have found the sticky with all the grass info very, very informative - thank you.

Are there any 'easy' ways to rotovate (my other half has bad childhood memories of hand picking stones and rocks from rotovated gardens) and level that we can do ourselves. We have been quoted very high fees for getting this job done professionally.

I am bewildered by the amount of equipment - and not sure what, if any, I should hire to make this easier.

Thanks a million for reading and any advice / recommendations you may have.

Also what is a reasonable budget to under take sowing a lawn this size ourselves?

AJW

[kindredspirit]

Would it be possible to get a local farmer to rotovate, level and harrow it for you?

They'd be cheaper than a professional landscaper but it wouldn't be as perfect.

A generic weedkiller, such as Touchdown, would be a lot cheaper than Roundup and it has the same constituent.

When I was younger, I dug, levelled and seeded a half acre by hand myself. It took me a lot of Sundays. Wouldn't do it now! In fact I've now got rid of my lawn totally and I'm absolutely delighted.

[AJW]

Thanks kindredspirit, having spent the morning looking at all sorts of websites I am convinced that we will need outside assistance I feel that this will be too big a project for us. Will try and locate a farmer, not easy in Dublin but there must be someone.

Thanks for the tip about Touchdown - off to google that now.

AJW

[kindredspirit]

Don't know if you can google Touchdown.

It's available in Farmer's Co-ops. Doesn't have to be Touchdown: any generic glyophospate (did I spell that right?) grasskiller will do. You can get it in 25 litre drums.

Could I ask the question? Do you need ½ an acre of lawn?

Could you make some of the area a wildflower meadow with mower-cut paths through it?

Or plant a copse of trees in some of it?

(Just asking.)

[Maeve Drogheda]

I have seeded and rotovated two lawns in my life time and the biggest mistake we made was not to plan out the garden first. Plan what you want shrubs and trees, a veg garden,herb beds, fruit trees, trees for a wind breaker if the site is exposed. what kind of plants and flowers you like, easy maintenance etc (although all gardens take work) Patios, seated areas etc. Once you have decided what you want in the garden you then may find that you don't need a big lawn!! And then it doesn't seem impossible. Have fun drawing up the plans together!!

[AJW]

Thanks kindredspirit - a meadow is looking more appealing by the hour planting needs to be low level so as not to block the view - lawn is the preferred option at the moment with a house full of small children and a menagerie of animals!

Now I need to google Farmers Co-ops and head off to suss out same. Big garden seemed like a great idea at the time

[AJW]

Thanks Maeve, that is a valid point - we hadn't thought beyond grass and hedges in the short term and I want to put in a vegetable patch.

Thanks for all the replies.

[michael brenock]

too early to spray on Glyphosate note the spelling (pat kenny always pronounces it Gly phosphate. ) Spray in late march /early April when growth is getting good and allow 4-5 weeks to work before ploughing or rotavating it. A quarter of an acre is about the biggest size a person would do on their own. An agricultural contractor not a landscaper would be the person to do the job of rotavating. as an alternative after sprayng fill in the hollows and allow natural grass seeds to grow (a tumble down) . Lawns take a while to settle down after rotavation and the results can be dis appointing sometimes.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

[Maeve Drogheda]

There is a series of books under the title Expert, and it may be a good idea to go to your local library and get the 'Garden DIY Expert', and the 'Lawn Expert', these books are very informative and will help you out. They are not expensive to buy if you want and the entire set covers a lot of questions.

[AJW]

Many thanks for all your replies, appreciate it.