I need some lawn help!

[Gryfon]

Not sure where to post this! My lawn is a mix of mud, moss, patchy field grass and toys at the moment I've got 3 children and a dog I don't want to have to keep off that area but I really want a nice flat grassy bit!

So my choices as I can see is turfing but could end up expensive or seeding. Question is can I seed now and will it only take a fortnight to establish?

I'm trying to work out the best way to do it as I also have a big trampoline in the middle! Wondering whether I should take that down, dig over the whole area, put my beds in one side with paths around to you can get down to the bottom of the garden and fence off the area I want grassed.

Oh and also because we have couch grass in the patchy bits can I just turn the soil over or do I need to try and get rid of all the roots first? It doesn't have to be a perfect lawn, just good enough for the children to play on without getting full of mud!

Thanks

[Capsid]

Dig it up and start again. Turf for a quick result or seed if you can wait a few months. You'll need to keep off it for a while though. So I'd also take the trampoline down so that the light can get it. I suspect the kids won't like it. But if you turf you should be able to use it this summer.

[Gryfon]

Thanks. Been meaning to sort it for years! Dog doesn't help as in the winter she runs across it and I end up with muddy paths, she also digs

[lynda66]

i would also start again, but when i did mine it took me 6 weeks just to level it and put all the gravel that was in it underneath for drainage, seeding is loads cheaper, but turfing is much quicker.... and if you want a nice lawn the couch grass will have to go,

if you aren't overly bothered, you could give it a really good raking, and make holes all over it with a fork for aeration, add some soil to level it, then sow some hardwearing grass seed .... it will take a couple of months to be playable on though, otherwise it will just turn back to mud ........ it would also be much better if you could get a gravel, layer in for drainage, or it will probably just turn back to mud.

unfortunately there isn't really a quick fix to lawns especially if they are gonna get played on.

[lottie dolly]

astro turf ?i think thats what it's called,don't know where you get it from,or how expensive it is,but it will stop the mud,it's used i beleive on an all weather pitch,

[Gryfon]

Thanks all.

I did consider astro turf briefly, but it's sooooooo painful if you slide on it!

Will have to talk to hubby tonight about it. I hate sending the children out onto what we have at the moment so maybe a couple of months off it is preferable.

[SarzWix]

We used Easy Lawn seed to reseed our back garden, we have 3 kids and a big dog, so it was in quite a state! The seed mix contains clover which survives better than grass, but the roots also feed the grass. We've found it really good, definitely worth paying a little more for the seed.
Info here; Johnsons

[Snadger]

Thanks all.

I did consider astro turf briefly, but it's sooooooo painful if you slide on it!

Not if you use forth generation technology! I'll not bore you with the details but suffice to say it's used on top quality rugby pitches and no carpet burns at all!

One tip...........if you are wanting a hard wearing lawn you need to have a high proportion (if not 100%) turf type Perennial Rygrass seed in it! It's deeper rooting than the rest and better able to withstand kicking out and wear. Thats why they use it at Wembley!

[selfraising]

I agree, start again. You will need to dig out as much of the couch grass as you can along with roots cos it's a b...er for coming through again!