Kitchen Garden Forum

Morning all,

My mother has just moved and her garden in a bit barren. The lawn is in clumps and she wants to dig it all over and start again. We've discussed some decking so she can sit out with some lawn, flower beds and space for some veges.

She wants me to rotovate it to start with but I am wondering when the best time to do this would be. With the lack of rain I wonder if the ground would be too hard for it to be effective or even ending up breaking the blades.

Is it OK to do this now or should I wait until the autumn as my instinct tells me?

Many thanks for any advice.

Russell

Hello Russell
I would think about starting this job fairly soon. Do you really want decking? If you are going establish a new lawn I would start soon. After we have had a spell of rain and the grass starts to regrow, treat the old lawn with weedkiller eg Roundup or even Weedol would do if it is mainly old grass. Then rotovate it, rake, level and roll to get it ready for sowing or turfing in late September. By doing it now you will leave your prepared area as bare earth for a few weeks. It will have time to settle (re-level if necessary) and you will be able to hoe of any weeds a few times before you finally get it established.

John

depends on the soil, your rotavator and your capabilities, if the soil is baked hard clay the rotovator can be pushed by the rotating tines and take off thru the fence. as a guide if its difficult to get the spade in wait for some rain to soften the soil. here in somerset grass can be sown uptil mid sept most years. just hope that once it starts raining it stops long enough to get the seed in