Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[mullethunter]

All things being well we'll be leaving our rented property before the end of the winter. Most likely some time in January.

 

Trouble is the back 'lawn' is completely devoid of grass now thanks to the girls and I can't leave it like that.

 

To make things more difficult it gets no direct sunlight at this time of year. It's wet but not waterlogged. Does anyone have an ideas that might work?

[Beantree]

There is only one solution Mullethunter and that's to rake it over flat and put turf on top. This time of year it won't need much watering and should be established by Spring. Not sure how easy it is going to be to get turf now though, because cutting the stuff off the fields might be difficult when the soil is very wet.

 

The other problem is chicken poo kills grass. So if there is too much in the soil now the turf will die. So the whole lot will need digging over. In that case I'd rotorvate and level it, then put the turf on top. Alternatively grass seed, but that won't have grown when you leave.

 

Sorry but that's a lot of work I know but it will be cheaper than losing your deposit to pay for someone else to do it.

[sjp]

turf is the quickest solution for what you want but you need to work out which is the cheapest re laying the lawn or losing you deposit

if you do relay the grass then get the cheapest you can find, rake the top over top break it up(if it's really hard packed soil work the top couple of inches over with a fork, a Rotavator will go in to deep) and lay the turf it'll get you past the inspection at the end of the day that's all that matters

if you need at least 10 square meters then there's a company online that's selling budget turf for £1.74 a roll which is about 1sqm

[mullethunter]

Thanks both - you've pretty much confirmed what I thought and you're right Beantree it's all about the deposit.

 

There's not much poo on the ground as I've always picked it up so we don't walk through it do I should be OK on that score.

 

Just have to source some turf now...

[percy049]

How are you doing with it?

We had to re-turf our lawn last year due to the chickens!

[mullethunter]

Haven't done it yet! Have just signed mortgage acceptance, so should exchange and give a months notice in the next couple of weeks. Once notice is given I'll get the turf. I'll keep you posted!