new lawn

 


Hello Everyone
Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
First off, I will admit to knowing nothing about gardening.
We bought a house with a badly overgrown back garden. It measures about
30ft  X
30ft, and was a mixture of rotten sheds and weed filled dying
grass. I  have
cleared the sheds, and removed the old turf, which has
left a hard clay base and
areas full of sand. We went off on holiday,
and came back to a sea of ivy and
horsetail. Roundup and Weedol dont
seem to be eradicating the horsetail.
I want to lay new turf and get a decent garden quickly. Should I lay a
weed
membrane, then a layer of topsoil and then the turf on top? Or can
you recommend
something better.
Thanks in advance

Alan




--
alanbrook

 

wrote:

I am sorry I do not personally have a answer because this is a class
assignment and i pick your article.

 

wrote:

I don't think I would worry about a weed membrane. I think I would
definetly put down as much topsoil as I could get over the clay, and
then lay the sod. Then get to know Weed and Feed. Not many things
other than your grass can live through a properly applied regimine of
Weed and Feed.

 


Weed membrane is used for beds, where you put it down before covering
it with material, eg mulch, rock, etc. that weeds will not grow in.
Even there it's benefit is questionable.    It has no use in turf and
will at a minimum be useless and depending on what kind and how deep
it is, screw up the sod.

Weed N Feed is one of the worst products you can put down, especially
in terms of overusing herbicides.  It should not be needed on a lawn
established from sod.   I can see using it to get a lawn under control
that is full of weeds, but if you have scattered weeds the better
solution for typical size lawns is to apply a selective herbicide
directly to the weeds using a tank sprayer.   For the typical size
lawn, a 2 gallon one works well.   That puts the herbicide where it's
needed, which mazimizes it's effectiveness on killing the weeds and
minimizes the amount of herbicide used, which is better for the
environment, pets, etc.

The most important thing is to finish killing off the weeds and then
establish at least 6" of good topsoil.   That could be achieved by
tilling in amendments to what you have or buying good screened
topsoil.   To kill tougher weeds make sure you mix the Roundup or
equivalent stronger, 3% or so.   You are buying the concentrate
right?  Not the pre-mixed that is the least product for the most money?

 


I've seen it said that you have to crush horsetail a bit before you put
weedkiller on it, because its leaves are coated with silica and shake off
weedkiller if left intact.  Either trample it down thoroughly or beat it
with the back of a rake.  After that, glyphosate weedkillers such as Roundup
are best, but you'll have to repeat the whole process when new growth
appears.  This will probably happen several time before it admits defeat.
Yes, horsetail really is that tough.

If you don't want to slosh all that weedkiller around, repeated mowings are
also supposed to work, although that might take slightly longer.  If you've
more or less cleared the other weeds, I suppose you could try cutting off
all the horsetail, laying new turf on top and mowing the horsetail along
with the grass until it gives in.  Being thin and green it shouldn't show
too much in the meantime.  I should warn you that I've never tried this.

Best of luck!

--
A. B.
My e-mail address is zen177395 at  zendotcodotuk.
I don't check that account very often, so tell me on the newsgroup if you've
sent me an e-mail.