Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design Re: Backyard lawn prep 22May 07, 2011 7:50 pm Thanks Stripey ... at least our poor lawn maybe has some hope that it won't need constant regular fertilising so it doesn't die off or get smothered by weeds BTW, our "under-lawn" soil is so nice and dark brown ... a very good looking and smelling soil that will have to be "dressed" with cheap and dirty import I hope that they install only 5cm of this c*** (or even less ) so that the turf eventually gets thru it into the real stuff ... My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Backyard lawn prep 24May 09, 2011 9:53 am I'll be following this thread with interest, as we're about to install the same amount of turf into similar sounding clay soil. Fu Manchu If that is your options use the Lawn & Garden Blend Organic Soil. I prefer to use composts to add to soil to make the soil. Buying a soil is a bit different to a compost. I guess that can be open to interpretation. I wish you guys over east had access to the sorts of composts we have here in the west. I reckon. Here in Brisbane I've been calling around, including the local organic and permaculture places, and nobody can point me towards certified organic compost. Furthermore, if I mention turf they slap me on the wrist and say that the compost will be too strong for the turf to grow in, or that 'you just need a turf underlay of 100mm'. It's a very uphill battle, and it's feeling like I might have to use the general turf underlay (but with all your suggested amendments at least) just because I can't get hold of anything else. If anyone in Brisbane has had more luck than me I'd love to hear about it! Re: Backyard lawn prep 25May 10, 2011 3:06 pm http://www.lawnreform.org/ http://www.lawnreform.org/toxic-vs-natu ... -care.html They say that because they know only the chemical lawn care ways. Our lawns are costing our environments far too much. Plastic grass way more still. We will get there but re-education of the industry is tough because the teachers are often not willing to listen to or learn newer better ways. I know a few that have though, and the results are profound. Re: Backyard lawn prep 26May 11, 2011 9:44 am Keeping spreading the good word and info Fu! What you're saying makes a great deal of sense and the results some people are getting with your methods seem to speak for themselves too. Sorry Stripey - I didn't mean to hijack your thread or take it off-topic. Be sure to keep us posted with how it all comes along. Backyard lawn prep 27May 11, 2011 1:29 pm They aren't exclusively my methods. Just that this is the sort of info you will be reading in ten years as the norm. There is a large group here in the west from Edith Cowan University, water Corp, popular Hort media, conservation, enviro scientists, turf managers, permaculture, Uni of WA are working closly to look at old common landscape practices, study them and study alternative practices that reduce the impact our current practices are having on us, the enviro, the weather, and water resources as well as river and ocean health. Just payin it forward for you guys Re: Backyard lawn prep 28May 12, 2011 8:35 am Have to agree about the gypsum there Fu- I think improving the hardened and compacted clays through organic and cultivating means is much quicker and better long term than putting a dusting of gypsum on top and leaving it which is still what a lot of people do. Planned Landscape Constructions http://www.plannedlandscape.com.au Find us on facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... 9907611509 Re: Backyard lawn prep 30May 13, 2011 1:02 pm StartingOut I reckon. Here in Brisbane I've been calling around, including the local organic and permaculture places, and nobody can point me towards certified organic compost. Furthermore, if I mention turf they slap me on the wrist and say that the compost will be too strong for the turf to grow in, or that 'you just need a turf underlay of 100mm'. It's a very uphill battle, and it's feeling like I might have to use the general turf underlay (but with all your suggested amendments at least) just because I can't get hold of anything else. If anyone in Brisbane has had more luck than me I'd love to hear about it! Wish I could help - I've copped the exact same here on the Gold Coast. It's like its a Queensland thing - can't find anyone that can help with a CERTIFIED organic soil, or who won't tell me that chucking on 100mm of crappy sandy top soil on top of our rock hard clay "will do the trick". Try and tell them what you want to do and you get funny blank looks.. sheesh! If you do find any place that's a bit more helpful though StartingOut let me know! (and sorry Stripey for hijacking as well ) Re: Backyard lawn prep 31May 13, 2011 2:39 pm No worries guys I am waiting for my rotary hoe to arrive. It is an Ebay special, so hopefully it works as advertised. I might need to bring in a couple more metres of soil by wheelbarrow, then add all the goodies and give it a hoe. After that, I'll compact the area and that should be that. The forecast looks pretty good for next week, so hopefully by next weekend, the turf will be dOne! Can't wait! Re: Backyard lawn prep 32May 16, 2011 12:08 pm Good luck with it Stripey. I'll be interested to hear how the rotary hoe goes - I'm concerned it's not going to be gutsy enough to mix the goodies into our clay soil when we give it a go. Fingers crossed the weather holds out for you and then some rain sets in after it's all laid Hey PaulW, you could try these guys - http://www.enviroganics.com.au/natura-max/ They're probably who I'm going to go with. Talking to him on the phone, we figured I could use a blend of the following: 10% multi grow 20% Natura max 20% bedding sand (because of our clay soil) 50% premium compost from Steve Jones And I'll then use this mix in lieu of Fu's recommended 'certified organic compost'. Sound like the 'natura max' and 'multi grow' are concentrated organic soil conditioners that will work well when mixed through regular compost. They sell this stuff at Steve Jones so they blend it all up for us there and can deliver it like any other bulk product. We'll see though... I'm hoping it's good! Re: Backyard lawn prep 33May 16, 2011 8:06 pm Thanks. It looks like the weather will hold out just nicely. The rotary hoe arrived today. Assembled in 20 minutes and started on the second crank. So tomorrow, I'll finish off levelling the soil. Most of it is done, probably an hour to go. Fu, should I till everything to 350mm first, then add the amendments and then till again? Or should I add the amendments now and till once? I'm thinking the first way, might be fluffier and mix in nicer. I'm going to be adding Zeolite, Perlite, Seamungus and Bactivate. Once it is tilled and compacted, I'll give it some Powerfeed and Molasses, then once the turf is done, some more Powerfeed, Molasses and Seasol. I hope I'm on the right track! Finally, we're almost there. I'm going to try and get the tilling done by Wednesday, and hopefully lay down on the lawn by Friday arvo, latest Saturday Re: Backyard lawn prep 34May 16, 2011 8:24 pm Hi Stripey (sorry to interrupt), but do you have clay (heavy) soil? And how did you fing the hoeing? Hard? Did you strike any hard locations / wet/saturated areas or very heavy clay? My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Backyard lawn prep 36May 16, 2011 10:45 pm I hoed then tossed the ammendents etc around. I had very compacted soil so the rotary would just chuck the loose soil around when put on top first. If your soil is not too bad then just chuck it all on and hoe away. Re: Backyard lawn prep 38May 20, 2011 12:51 pm Pretty much finished all the prep work, having a much earnt smoke and frothie. The hoeing was harder than I had expected. In some sections, I couldn't get deeper than 200mm, unless I spent a week on it. That clay is real hard. In hindsight, a bobcat with ripper would've been the right option. Other parts went quite deep, down to at least 300mm. This will have to do I guess. I'll just have to hit it up with plenty of Powerfeed in the months to come. I added 100lt of Perlite, 100kg of Zeolite, a bucket of Seamungus, and about 10kg of Bactivate. I mixed that through nicely with the tiller, so I'm looking forward to the positive results. All that is left today is to even it all out and get it nice and flat. Later, I'll head off to pick up the compactor, and give it a quick whack, and even it out again if need be. Then tonight I'll give it some Powerfeed and Molasses, all nice and ready for the turf delivery in the morning. In the next few days, I'll post some before and after shots. A few beers and a barbie tomorrow should top it all off Re: Backyard lawn prep 39May 20, 2011 1:53 pm Ooooh can't wait to see the results of your labours!! All good info for when we are at that stage. Well done For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair That laser level looks lovely! We bought one for less than a quarter of that price off eBay. It worked really well for us and it's still going now, five years later. After… 1 16705 It's possible but a soak well is usually much larger. Your 'soak well' only holds 424 litres when full. What is your soil type? Soak wells need sandy soils. 10 8985 Need advice on the backyard plan above. Should I excavate and cut all of the dirt to level with the house slab or semi-excavate as per photo above? Both left and right… 0 24832 |