Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[CharLeila]

Im due to move house and have to return the garden to lawn. I have moved my cube onto a paved area and raked level what was their 15 sq metre run. I'v been online looking at buying turf and they all recommend buying top soil and fertiliser with the turf. Do you think I would need extra's or will the chicken poo be enough.

 

Any advice on buying/laying turf welcome.

 

Thanks

[Daphne]

Its about 15 years since I laid any turf, but I'm pretty sure we didn't use any fertilizer and I know we didn't buy topsoil. We laid it in Spring (which is ideal, hopefully warm and a bit damp) by preparing the ground - removing large stones, digging so it wasn't compacted and roots could get down and raking the top so it was quite a fine tilth, a bit like preparing a seedbed but not as meticulous - and then laying the turves, making sure you butt them up well as there will be a bit of shrinkage. I seem to remember you lay them a bit like bricks so the joins are staggered and in different places. Water them all in well, and keep doing this at regular intervals so they don't dry out and stop growing (but don't waterlog - a spray attachment on a hosepipe is ideal if you one, no worries if not). Our patch wasn't very big, but it was an awkward slope and bits of it had previously been a veg bed, but not all of it. I'd say the soil was quite good to start with, although there were some tree roots etc.

[Lavenders_Blue]

When we turfed our garden a couple of years ago, we just raked it level and then put the turf down. I don't remember putting any fertiliser down (although I suppose we might have done, but don't remember it) but definitely no top soil - although I wish we had done this as our turf is pretty much sitting on clay and builder's rubble However I reckon the chicken poo will provide more than ample fertilisation for your new lawn. I think I'd be tempted just to dig the ground over so there isn't too much fresh chicken poo on the top which might burn the roots of the new turf and then rake level.

 

If it's any help, we ordered our turf from Branch Bros in Bourne. It was really good quality turf and I seem to remember that it wasn't too expensive.

 

Which RAF base are you being posted to next (sorry, being nosey)?

[keyhole kate]

We did our garden last year but we used wilkinson value lawn seed just levelled over and scattered we had the most luxurious weed free lawn within weeks cheap and much better than any turf. The weather is mild enough now to sow seed unless you are very far north just realised you are on RAF base DS recently moved bases and scattered seed where dog had killed the lawn he was told this was okay as it shows effort and he didn't get any fines

[CharLeila]

Thanks for the info.

 

I'm moving to Leeming on promotion and couldn't of asked for anywhere better really. Closer to family and uni for the other half (due to start a midwifery degree in September).

 

I've been told that I have to turf the area as it is too large to seed! If you are unfamiliar with Housing Officers who march military personel in/out of married quarters, they are experts at everything!!! NOT. All seem to be job's worth's. I actually had a sore neck on my last march out just looking up at the HO up on her high horse!

 

I'll give the guys in Bourne a call for a quote but I've found www.turfgrowers.co.uk to be quite reasonable.

 

Thanks again.