--Dave--
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who here can help me out with a gardening query?
Towards the end of our garden the grass ends and then it's just bark and mud (and a carpet the previous owners put down for their dog  )
What I want to know is can I just pull up the carpet and then lay some turf down? Or do I have to prepare the ground in some sort of way?
If so what's involved?
Cheers
Dave
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Jake
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we laid down a load of compost first, then put turf down. been alright for the past 3 weeks. Not good to do it when the weather gets warmer though
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Robin
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remove the carpet and bark chippings, turn over the soil with a fork, probably about an inch or two deep, then lay the turf on that when its all levelled
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--Dave--
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nice one lads 
That was another question I had, is it best for me to get a few bags of compost and put a layer of this down under the turf? Or should I get soil instead?
What's better and how thick should the layer be?
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Robin
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depends on the soil you have, if its clay, get some decent peat based compost, if its half decent fluffy topsoil, just leave it as it is.
where i used to work, we never used compost, we always used decent topsoil instead, works much better.
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Jake
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yeh, we used compost as milton keynes is full of clay.
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--Dave--
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I don't think it's clay Should imagine that it's gonna need something doing to it as it's been stuck under this carpet for ages not looking forward to ripping that up 
Will get some topsoil. I've heard it's better to mix it up with existing soil instead of simply sprinkling it on top. Is that true?
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Robin
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yeah, fork it in, need to airate the soil
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--Dave--
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also what's the best way to level the area I'm going to be working on? I would say it's probably about 15x15(ft).
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--Dave--
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quote:
Originally posted by robmarriott
yeah, fork it in, need to airate the soil
how much topsoil do I put down? enough to cover it?
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Robin
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doesnt really matter how much topsoil you use, just make sure its all nicely mixed in
as for the levelling, just try to get it to match the rest of the garden
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--Dave--
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Sorry for all the questions mate, just don't want it to look like crap when I'm finished!
When I've put down the topsoil and turned it all over, do I have to get the surface relatively flat before I put the turf down or can it be laid on any surface?
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Robin
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iy'll look better if youve got the soil flattish. doesnt need to be perfect, but no big rocks or anything 
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gianluigi
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this is quite a good thread, very imformative
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--Dave--
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quote:
Originally posted by robmarriott
iy'll look better if youve got the soil flattish. doesnt need to be perfect, but no big rocks or anything
I only ask because I was on lunch today and some gardens near where I work are being redone. The bloke was going round in a big tractor thing getting surface perfectly flat.  Think I'll just get it as best I can get it.
What if there are any dips or small bumps in the terrain, how would I fill these in? Just use more topsoil?
Luigi - I have learnt more thanks to Rob in the last 15mins than I have googling 
[Edited on 03-05-2006 by --Dave--]
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Robin
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if theres any big changes in level, just whack more topsoil in it, having more wont do any harm.
best thing to do is rip up all the crap thats there, fork it all, fork some topsoil in, rake it level, and lay the turf, job done
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--Dave--
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you're a star mate. Thanks for the help.
My missus is going to be well proud of me
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Robin
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no worries dude. make sure you take pics etc 
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gianluigi
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quote:
Originally posted by robmarriott
no worries dude. make sure you take pics etc
of the bush 
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--Dave--
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will take some 'before and after' pics.
None of bushes Luigi, you sick cnut
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gianluigi
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quote:
Originally posted by --Dave--
will take some 'before and after' pics.
None of bushes Luigi, you sick cnut
sorry
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--Dave--
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no wonder you get bullied on here.
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Ally
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pics 
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mwg
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My kind of gardening is getting a rope, tying it round something like a small tree that my Mum wants digging out, tying the other bit of the rope to my mums car then put the car in reverse and pull the fucker out of the ground
Mans gardening
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JadeM
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Registered: 9th Feb 06
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Fuck gardning...ive got a jungle theme going on back at mine 
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