[realtine]

Hi all, new to this forum and while I have read the articles on ‘Lawns” I have some questions for you;

I’m not a good gardener all I have are a few house plants but I plan to renovate our back garden this year hopefully with the help of folks here!!!!

Basically our back space is a typical suburban yard, it is approx 22 feet wide and perhaps 125 feet long, walled on either side and fenced off at the end with a barna shed in the corner. The current ‘lawn’ is nothing more than scrub grass and ruined even more over the years with various dogs and children to the point where it’s so uneven and practically hollowed out in many areas and totally un-walkable.

So we’ve decided a total renovation is called for, hard work but I think it’s worth it. Now my first two questions are on how to get rid of the old lawn?

Should it be killed off with an appropriate weed-killer and left for a couple of weeks?
Should we just hire a sod remover or rotovator and plough or rake it out?
And then how do we level it out?
Also what tools should I get?

Enough to be going on for now I think – I look forward to any suggestions.

oh and I tested the soil and it’s fairly neutral (7 on a ph measure).

[verge]

Welcome realtine

[realtine]

Thanks! good advice, I thought that starting from new would be the best and now I know what to do... I've posted some photos of how the "garden" is at the moment.
It needs so much work but I'm really looking forward to having a nice space out here in the summer (!) so I'm (we're) quite prepared to do the work needed.

We begin next week with a total clear out and by building a small doggy area on the left hand side along the wall, then we'll fence of f the right hand side of the path for a week or so while we kill off the grass on that side then do the same on the left, we also plan to remove the dodgy path from the center of the garden
I've posted a photo of the grass that's there at the moment - it's all so uneven and can be quite muddy in the bare patches when it rains.[img]

[Tom]

Yep it is definately worth your while sowing a new lawn from scratch. Especially since you are doing other works as well which would damage any existing lawn surface. It seems like a nice tidy size of a garden to reseed as well.
You said that you are really looking forward to having a nice space out there in the summer, are you putting in a patio as well? If so then this will throw up some free topsoil which can be used for the lawn. Come to think of it the doggy area will make some soil available also.

[GPI]

From what the grass looks like in your photos realtine, I would say you could clear it organically and safely by covering it.
I see a few nice bits of light suppressing bits of carpet in the pics which would be ideal for this job.
It would be safer for your dog too, but if you are careful with the use of herbicide/dog access then you will fare ok as

[realtine]

I've actually been thinking of not using any chemicals to kill of the old grass because of the dog, but last year we had a problem with bindweed and we killed it off successfully using round-up and keeping the area securely fenced off for a week or so preventing dog access.

The garden is just so boring though isn't it? Two walls and a fence! I'd love something like this - well a little neater but it's just so wild and wonderful - but baby steps first - huh?

My dream garden!!!

[Joaney]

: A dream garden is what we all want the fun of it is just getting there. Make your changes first then lay new lawn. Looking forward to seeing pictures of your progress.
_________________
You are closer to God in the garden then anywhere else on earth