Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Sep 15, 2010 9:24 am After a year of living with a weed infested, undulating backyard lawn we have decided the best way to tackle the issue is to start again. The area is in Bayside Melbourne (somewhat sandy soils), 88m2, North facing and some areas get winter shade from the back fence and a very large Oak tree in a neighbors yard. I just wanted some advice on a couple of key questions, 1. I have sprayed the existing lawn/weeds with a glysophate mix. Unfortunately I mowed before I did this and now reading some posts in here am not sure I should have...should I spray again? 2. I have to bring in about 6m2 of soil and plan to rotary hoe this into the whole area and level. What fertiliser and wetting agent would be best to mix in (if any). 3. We have used "Sir Walter" in the past and it went really well, like both the look and feel. Is there any other option we should consider? Any other helpful hints would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Re: Laying New Turf 2Sep 15, 2010 9:52 am Hey Melrich, I think most of that has been covered over in the TURF LAYING SUMMARY and what has become many things turf thread http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=21938 Our Build - Places Fairhaven 23+ - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28045 Our Landscaping - Belial's Backyard - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=45375 Re: Laying New Turf 3Sep 15, 2010 10:36 am Belial Hey Melrich, I think most of that has been covered over in the TURF LAYING SUMMARY and what has become many things turf thread http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=21938 I'm sure it has but I sort of wanted to avoid sifting through 350 posts to get some specific answers to my situation. I have had a bit of a look through there but it is tough to follow which responses are to which circumstances and where. Whilst I think it is good to have a central repository, once a thread gets so big it becomes difficult to navigate. Cheers Re: Laying New Turf 4Sep 15, 2010 11:34 am Fair call too. Weed sprays are absorbed through the foliage and the more foliage, the more effective they are Spraying weeds before laying turf isn't too necessary anyway. I just dig them in and they will rot down nicely to make for more organic material in the soil. It's been covered many times, fertiliser should not be mixed into soil. The roots need to find it via moisture so that means on the surface and water takes it through. Wetting agents are the same. Fertilisers won't make the lawn fantastic in domestic applications. A controversial way of looking at things for many. I prefer in domestic applications to focus on organic means of feeding the soil microbes and particular wetting agents to maximise soil moisture availability. Zeolite will be excellent to add to your soil prep list. Forget fertiliser for quite a while. Seasol once it is laid or Seamungus. Re: Laying New Turf 5Sep 15, 2010 11:53 am Melrich The area is in Bayside Melbourne (somewhat sandy soils), 88m2, North facing and some areas get winter shade from the back fence and a very large Oak tree in a neighbors yard. I just wanted some advice on a couple of key questions, 1. I have sprayed the existing lawn/weeds with a glysophate mix. Unfortunately I mowed before I did this and now reading some posts in here am not sure I should have...should I spray again? 2. I have to bring in about 6m2 of soil and plan to rotary hoe this into the whole area and level. What fertiliser and wetting agent would be best to mix in (if any). 3. We have used "Sir Walter" in the past and it went really well, like both the look and feel. Is there any other option we should consider? Personally 18 pages doesnt worry me, there is a LOT of good discussion and it covers a lot of different situations, I personally think its worth the read. That said seeing as I have gone through it, here's a few thoughts and links to some more specific bits that might be helpful. 1. I would think it would depend on how short you mowed down to, my understanding is that glysophates are absorbed majoritively through the leaf area, hence if there isn't much of that less will be absorbed, but equally there is a shorter distance for it to travel to reach the roots and have its effect. If you sprayed using the recommend amount/mix then going back might be overkill, maybe wait to see how effective it is and then maybe just go over the patches where it hasn't been absorbed as well. Also a infosheet for reference http://www.amlrnrm.sa.gov.au/Portals/1/Taking_action/Docs/RCU_-_Using_Glyphosate.pdf And now for the echo in the room from lots of other posts by Fu. 2. http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=21938&start=85 Direct post link to turf laying thread for sandy soils (WA Fu style) though the only main difference between this and the clay soil version is the additions of gypsum and sand. 3. Empire Zyosia Can't link to a fu post without mentioning that one. Direct post link to soem variety discussion http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=21938&start=125 Grasstree comment regarding mowing between EZ and buffalo http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=21938&start=141 More discussion on turf variety http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=24314 And another related post http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=21938&start=326 Our Build - Places Fairhaven 23+ - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28045 Our Landscaping - Belial's Backyard - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=45375 Re: Laying New Turf 6Sep 15, 2010 1:20 pm Fu Manchu Fair call too. Weed sprays are absorbed through the foliage and the more foliage, the more effective they are Spraying weeds before laying turf isn't too necessary anyway. I just dig them in and they will rot down nicely to make for more organic material in the soil. It's been covered many times, fertiliser should not be mixed into soil. The roots need to find it via moisture so that means on the surface and water takes it through. Wetting agents are the same. Fertilisers won't make the lawn fantastic in domestic applications. A controversial way of looking at things for many. I prefer in domestic applications to focus on organic means of feeding the soil microbes and particular wetting agents to maximise soil moisture availability. Zeolite will be excellent to add to your soil prep list. Forget fertiliser for quite a while. Seasol once it is laid or Seamungus. Thanks Fu. So given I have already sprayed herbicide, don't worry about second spray and just rotary hoe what is left in. Don't add fertiliser or wetting agents to soil....all good. Any comment on Sir Walter? or any alternative? Thanks so much for the help. I'm about to put down some Merbau. Is it necessary to oil underneath the boards before laying? 0 2240 Hey There. No problems re jumping in. 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