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Laura
Laura asked in Home & GardenGarden & Landscape · 1 decade ago

My rather large garden has through lack of care become more like a meadow than a lawn, anybody got some advice

I have a large garden. It was once upon a time an orchard & the previous owner took out all the apple trees (such a shame) & replaced them with a variety of badly judged trees (the Oak is 5m from the house, sadly it just has to go!)

We bought the house three years ago, but it was empty for 1 months before I could move in. The house is still being renovated & the garden is suffering.

I tried to mow yesterday only to over heat the mower on all the moss & weeds that have grown through.

As the ground isn't level, & moss and weeds have taken over, I think the best thing I can do for the poor thing is to take up all the turf, treat the ground for all the weeds & then reseed (it's much too large to returf, far too expensive!).

What's the best way to take off the turf?

What's the best way to stack the turf to compost it?

Any general advice on doing what I'm suggesting?

Thanks.

Update:

that should say the house was empty 18 months ( my 8 key is temperamental, sorry!)

Update 2:

Suzi, I always wanted a garden. Sadly since the house was bought, my partner has returned to the Uk and I'm a self employed single mum, makes things like gardening a lesser priority! And I love gardening normally.

I intend to make my small front garden (about 9m x 4m) into a mediterranean sun trap since it is south facing. The meadow at the back is huge, that I'm going to put some veg and herb gardens into and a wild meadow area (although we back onto a grass field!)

Also trying out various ideas for running water, need to avoid a pond because of my son, and it also gets to minus 16 in the winter here so ponds aren't ideal!

Update 3:

Julia, I have a huge petrol mower, but it has died (I suspect the spark plug is gone, but I have cleaned it off and still nothing). A friend of mine who has a tiny city garden insisted that I try her 1000W flymo type. I did my best to nurse it along, but after and hour of stopping and starting it eventually gave out and I've had to put it away to recover!

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  • hairy.caterpillar
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    I've renovated quite a few gardens like this and trust me, it doesn't take long to get it back to being a nice lawn. When you look at it now it will seem impossible but please follow these steps and you could have a lush green carpet again by summer.

    All it takes is a little smart work. What you're doing sounds hard and hard work kills horses. You really don't need to take off the turf! A mower is definately the wrong tool at this stage, everything will just get clogged and the blades will jam and stop the engine. Depending on the size of your grassed area I would strim it down first and collect the waste with your rake. If it's a huge area you can hire a special machine for this type of grass called a flail mower http://www.tracmaster.co.uk/Pedestrian_Flail_Mower...

    This won't collect the grass for you but it will take it down to a manageable level.

    The weeds and moss are also nothing to worry about yet.

    It's the wrong time of year to treat moss, wait till the end of the season.

    The more you cut, the more you will weaken the majority of your weeds and the more you will encourage the existing grass to spread from it's root, grass is the ultimate ground cover plant and will outcompete weeds through regular cutting.

    So once you're at a height that a good mower can cope with, just keep cutting as normal.

    When it gets to autumn time you can scarify and aerate your lawn. This will tackle the moss problem.

    If you're still worried about weeds in your lawn then the time to treat them will be next spring, but by then, they won't worry you the same way they do now.

    I really hope this makes life easier for you, I would hate to see you breaking your back and wasting your time when there is no need to.

    If you want any further advice please feel free to e-mail me at hairy.caterpillar@yahoo.com

    Good luck with the renovation project Laura, hope it all works out for you.

    Source(s): I run a garden maintenance business and have worked in horticulture since leaving college 10 years ago.
  • Julia H
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    Take off some using a strimmer or scythe leaving a height of about six inches. Then a petrol mower should be able to handle it. Electric mowers can't handle long grass, so I'm not surprised it died.

    I got rid of turf by applying weed killer (round up). About a month later took the turfs off using a spade. I now have a ugly mound of turfs up a corner, which I'm growing shrubs in front of. If someone comes up with the answer to 'compost it'- I'd be interested.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    First answer, if you are stacking turf, always stack it upside down. If you can afford to hire a rotavator, or one of those turf machines then I think thats the best way to do the turf.

    If you are going to re-seed, maybe you should mix some wild flower seeds in with them it will make a great haven for wild insects and birds, and it will look pretty as well.

    If you have enough room set aside some space for veg and flowers.

    Wish I had a garden. Good luck

    Suzi

  • robl861
    1 decade ago

    Sounds daft but we "borrowed" 3 sheep from the next door farmer.after a week or so they had cleared he lawn area once it was choped nice and short like this it was surprising how much of it was saveable. took about a year of top dressind and feeding to bring it back.Much quicker than seedind.

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