Do I have to remove grass for my plot?

[lisab]

Hi there,
I have a silly question, but i'm new to growing my own and would really appreciate your help. I have finally convinced my boyfriend to get rid of our grass to make way for some veg beds (we only have a tiny garden) and someone once told me that if i dig up the grass, turn it over and just leave it there it will rot into the ground, releasing nitrogenous goodies into the soil and I can just put soil on top. Is this a load of nonsense or will it benefit my garden? Really don't know what to do! Also, will i need to do anything to the soil, or is it ready to recieve my carrots in March?!

Thank you

Lisa B (clueless, but learning!)

[lynda66]

i dug my front lawn off and piled it round the individual beds, sort of raised beds with upside down turf, then added compost to each bed, it does turn to soil, but takes a few months, so this spring it should be lovely soil, apart from the odd grass shoot out of the sides ...... carrots need a stone free soil, otherwise they fork into weird shapes (fun but not easy to use )

[Flummery]

When I removed our back lawn I double dug. I removed the turf a spade depth down, dug out a spade's depth of soil and put it to one side, then put the turf upside down and put the reserved soil back on top. No danger of re-growth. I extended a bed the lazy way, just turned to clods upside down and it didn't give me much depth to work with - and some af the grass regrew. Harder work but it pays in the end.

[Snadger]

All I would say is that if you intend growing carrots make sure you bury the turves deep. They will have a similar effect to manure and tend to fork your carrot roots if you don't!
Take the turves off...........dig out the soil to a spade depth, fork over the subsoil, build your bed frame, add the chopped up 'upside down turves', replace the soil mixing some sand in with it if possible. Jobs a guddun!