Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Dec 28, 2010 6:04 pm Howdy all I have about 90m2 of SW lawn that I installed in April of 2009. After doing a stack of reading here recently, I see there are much better ways of soil prep than the way I did it I am in Melbourne's west, so under the fill is all clay and lovely bluestone. I added at least 100mm of a decent topsoil, adding the granules and other products supplied with the grass. If only I had known of at least mixing the soils and adding the correct products earlier. Oh well... My lawn still looks pretty good and we always get complimented on it by neighbours and friends. It is rarely watered and seems to hold up quite well. I know now though that it could and should look better, and that is what I am striving for. What steps can I now take to improve my soil structure, and is it possible with these steps to break down the crap soil and clay beneath? Or am I doomed to a layered bit of soil with bad drainage? Looking forward to any advice anyone can offer! Cheers Stripey Re: Advice on soil and SW lawn 2Dec 28, 2010 6:11 pm I forgot to add that I have applied Seasol, Powerfeed and Molasses for the first time the other day. I have also purchased some Naked Farmer and Seamungus Green which I am yet to apply. The soil was batted down with a trowel and screeded with a straightedge (tedious I know, but the tiler in me wouldn't have it any other way ). After laying there was no compaction so I can still feel where the joins between the rolls were, although they are not noticeable. Is it too late compact? Thanks Stripey Re: Advice on soil and SW lawn 3Dec 28, 2010 10:24 pm Get a top dress not of "lawn topdress" but of a certified organic compost. If its a small lawn get it in bags, if it is bigger, get it in bulk. The difference between what is certified organic and not is huge. The word organic doesn't mean poo. Spread it thinly so the tops of the leaves poke out. Don't screed it, Just rake it every few days to once a week (which ever you can be bothered with) and it will go level enough. Do that every year or two. Use not only the molasses but start making your own compost teas. These will have the organic acids which will break the clays over time. Get a bag of seamungus or sheep poo or pig poo or any poo and soak it in a bucket of water. The liquids from that get mixed into a watering can and applied to the garden and lawn area. You'll get heaps of mileage from it Add Dolomite of Lime every year to it. (Don't do this if you are reading from Eastern SA or West Aust) Avoid the temptation to use fungicides, lawn beetle killer, and chemical fertilisers. (Even noticing local councils websites here offering the same advice, nice one councils ) Am I a raving loony? No, There are many who have the same or similar point of view when tending to turf in the modern world (not the 1986 world) and they have some very big credentials behind them Getting public access to that is limited and hence why I dedicate so much of my time to getting you guys that better standard of advice Re: Advice on soil and SW lawn 4Dec 30, 2010 10:21 am Thanks Fu! I was hoping there was a way to improve the soil structure. Is there a way to test what the soil is like now, and again after a certain time to see if there is any improvement? How long should it take for this to have an effect? I'll try and post a pic or two when I get a chance Cheers Versaloc is a mortarless besser block system that still needs a properly engineered footing. If you just do a 400x200 footing it will fail in time. At 17m long you need it… 1 17497 Hi Building Expert, Thank you for the feedback, much appreciated, there is also a code of conduct for building surveyors which they need to follow as well. I am looking… 4 3671 the leaves that are now underground go yellow, the tips that poke through photosynthesise and have chlorophyll, same reason they grow rhubarb in the dark. 5 4860 |