Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Sep 19, 2014 4:48 pm Ok, I swear I've read the lawn threads (or a lot of them anyway - they are huge) but basic though they may be they are still beyond me. We are building a new house in Perth metro and will have two small areas where we want to put down lawn. About 44 sq m total. My question is about soil prep. I wouldn't call the existing stuff soil. To me it looks like stone and sand. I can't see how it could be turned into anything useful, no matter what we add to it. I'm not a native aussie so maybe that's part of the problem, but to me I think the only choice is to start from scratch - i.e. scrape off the rubbish and trek in new soil. Everything I read in the forums and on soil websites seems to be about improving existing soil, rather than starting from scratch. Can I scrape off our rubbish and replace it with something good? If so, what? I just want a straightforward solution - something like use soil x and soil conditioner y, install retic, lay lawn z good to go. I would be very grateful for any advice. Also any advice for a lawn that is soft for kids to play but can handle the shade? Thanks guys, Maggie Re: Really stupid soil lawn question 2Sep 20, 2014 7:27 am If you are laying turf .... and your soil description is correct ... I'd be taking off some - ripping the rest and levelling slightly - then getting some good top soil. Then the turf rolled out on that. I'd also put in a good watering system - ie pop ups. Its not that dear and really means the lawn can be watered properly. A simple auto device on the tap - you can water the lawn every second morning for 5-10 minutes at - say - 4 am. No evap and it will really sink deep. You need the turf to deep root - not shallow. You're only talking - say - 8 x 5 - so shouldn't be too expensive. But if you want a good long lasting lawn - that grows and lives well - you must look after it. If you can afford it - I'd also go turf not seed. AND - speak to the experts - what is the best turf for your area. Do you have drought times, long periods with no water etc. Some of the turfs have very different "abilities". Mind you - synthetic lawns can look very nice too - and over time are cheaper ... Depends what your lawn is used for - where it is etc. Re: Really stupid soil lawn question 3Sep 20, 2014 11:03 am If your lawn area is on the south side of the house, nothing much will work... except plastic lawn... dada. Yeah I know it sounds funny but that's what they're doing in well worn area too in Melbourne Leonardo_23 Re: Really stupid soil lawn question 4Sep 20, 2014 11:12 am Hi Maggie 10, Lost my opportunity to add at the end of the plastic lawn idea... ask a silly question and you get a silly answer... small joke Leonardo_23 Re: Really stupid soil lawn question 5Sep 21, 2014 11:31 am Leonardo_23 Hi Maggie 10, Lost my opportunity to add at the end of the plastic lawn idea... ask a silly question and you get a silly answer... small joke Leonardo_23 Nothing silly about "good" synthetic grass. In the right spot etc. We have some - the top line - and people always start by saying - "oh, I thought it was real ... " ... do not pay until you are satisfied with workmanship windows require flashing over the head archithrave and up under weatherboards 3 28355 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 4945 We were lucky in that our old house was so small (86 square metres) compared to the new house, they were able to take enough readings around the old backyard house before… 8 37515 |