This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.

Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?

Dave

NoSpam coughed up some electrons that declared:

This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.

Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?

Dave

uk.rec.gardening might be worth a visit...

Tim S wrote:
NoSpam coughed up some electrons that declared:

This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.

Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?

Dave

uk.rec.gardening might be worth a visit...

A useful and embarrassingly obvious response (with hindsight).

Dave

NoSpam coughed up some electrons that declared:

Tim S wrote:
NoSpam coughed up some electrons that declared:

This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.

Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?

Dave

uk.rec.gardening might be worth a visit...

A useful and embarrassingly obvious response (with hindsight).

Dave

Technically, gardening is a form of DIY

And can involve equal lusting over power tools.

And the chemicals are more fun. Well, they used to be...

Tim S wrote:
NoSpam coughed up some electrons that declared:

Tim S wrote:
NoSpam coughed up some electrons that declared:

This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.

Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?

Dave
uk.rec.gardening might be worth a visit...
A useful and embarrassingly obvious response (with hindsight).

Dave

Technically, gardening is a form of DIY

And can involve equal lusting over power tools.

And the chemicals are more fun. Well, they used to be...




IME lawns usually respond quite well to being "levelled" with topsoil
mixed with grass seed. Chuck it down and use a long length of 6" x 1"
timber to tamp it down. Slice off the humps and fill the troughs kind of
thing. Best to use a hover until it establishes.
Then again, your idea of a lawn may be different to mine :-) Mine have
always had goalposts

In article ,
Stuart Noble writes:
IME lawns usually respond quite well to being "levelled" with topsoil
mixed with grass seed. Chuck it down and use a long length of 6" x 1"
timber to tamp it down. Slice off the humps and fill the troughs kind of
thing. Best to use a hover until it establishes.
Then again, your idea of a lawn may be different to mine :-) Mine have
always had goalposts

If mine did, they'd be moving around...

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 11 May, 17:34, NoSpam wrote:
This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.

Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?

Dave

The soft bumps are because grass roots have developed in the soil.
When the grass has
spread the bumps will even out.

NoSpam wrote:
This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.


Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?


Your cats only crapped in the humps, and the topsoil you got was crap.
Or rather, totally lacking crap. Or any fertiliser..

Growing grass does make humps. But it sounds like you simply either
didn't seed enough, or there soil is sterile. Since you can grow grass
in pure sand more ore less, it has to be bad if its bare after two years.

Fish blood bone, and more seed.

Dave

NoSpam wrote:
This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.

Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?

Dave

When lawns go wrong ... I blame the parents.

Gib Bogle wrote:
NoSpam wrote:
This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.

Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?

Dave

When lawns go wrong ... I blame the parents.

:-)

NoSpam wrote:
Gib Bogle wrote:
NoSpam wrote:
This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's
probably an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started,
from two different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the
grass grew in patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of
lawn is pretty awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the
grass has grown. Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can
I fix it?

Dave

When lawns go wrong ... I blame the parents.

:-)

You should grass them up to social services. Get them turfed out.


I'll get me coat...


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Tue, 12 May 2009 21:11:02 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:
When lawns go wrong ... I blame the parents.

You should grass them up to social services. Get them turfed out.

They'll probably still stay rooted to the spot, and getting rid of them
will be a complete sod.

Jules wrote:
On Tue, 12 May 2009 21:11:02 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:
When lawns go wrong ... I blame the parents.

You should grass them up to social services. Get them turfed out.

They'll probably still stay rooted to the spot, and getting rid of them
will be a complete sod.

our welfare culture really pampas them.


NT

NoSpam wrote:
This is DIY of a sort, so only slightly OT.

A couple of years ago we stripped and levelled one area of lawn and
about a year ago did the same to a second one. In all there's probably
an additional 20T of top-soil compared to when we started, from two
different sources. Both were thoroughly seeded but the grass grew in
patches rather than evenly and the overall quality of lawn is pretty
awful. The first area also has soft bumps where the grass has grown.

Any lawn experts out there? What's going on and how can I fix it?

Dave

Even with no grass seed laid down I'd expect a rough lawn after 2
years. Sounds like either your seed was bad or the ground infertile.

Fertility can be addressed by dumping kitchen and garden waste, thinly
enough that the grass doesnt lose its sunlight. And always leaving the
grass clippings on the lawn. Over a summer this should build up
fertility nicely.

If the seed was bad, just keep going, the grass will slowly take over,
and regular mowing will kill just about everything else.


NT