Laying Lawn over weeds? The last resort! Advice Please

Looking at your photos, and description:

You haven't been mowing your lawn. If you don't do that, regularly, you will get what you now have.

If you put topsoil down the existing weeds will grow through. There will probably be weed seed in the topsoil you buy - unless you spend a lot of money on soil that has been sterilised - so you will get new weeds too.

Putting topsoil on top of an existing "plot" (lawn or otherwise) is not sufficient. The soil needs to be prepared first. I'm not sure that topsoil is needed, the weeds look healthy enough so your existing soil is fine. If you don't fancy preparing the soil thoroughly then save the money on topsoil and spend it on a good contractor to do the work for you.

From your photos it looks like it may not be possible to recover the lawn you have, but it may be that there is actually plenty of grass amongst the weeds ? If so I am with the folk who suggest renovating, rather than replacing, it.

Renovating:

Mow it. Fertilize it (I would just feed it with a high-Nitrogen lawn feed, and not use "Weed and Feed"). Keep mowing it every week (even if you appear to be mowing bare earth and/or weeds only). In 2 - 3 weeks, when the fertilizer has started to make everything grow strongly, apply a liquid lawn-weedkiller. Repeat that after 2 - 3 weeks. In the Autumn over-seed the whole area.

It will take all Summer to turn it around (which, in fairness, is probably not in your game plan).

From Year 2 (or possibly this first year) get Greenthumb to Fertilize and apply selective weed killer. Their chemicals will be stronger than you can buy, and are more likely to sort out the weeds.

Replacing:

Personally I would not seed it until the Autumn. Autumn sown will get established when the weeds are shutting down for the Winter, and be strong enough to compete with the weeds by next Spring. If you decide on that route the preparation is same as for turf (apart from then having to make a nice seed bed).

I would be thoughtful about laying turf if you have a hosepipe ban. Although your area is quite small, so you may feel you can water it with can / bucket if we get a dry summer (dunno about your water company, but I have heard that some/most/all? are allowing 28 days watering with hose / sprinkler on newly laid lawns, so if that applies to you that will get you started).

Preparation: Weed killer (Glyphosate based) to kill off all the weeds that are there. That will take two weeks to take effect. At the end of two weeks re-apply to anything that is still green (e.g. that you missed, or is stuborn). Wait a few days for that to be aborbed, and then start preparing the area. (Make sure you only apply weedkiller when you are sure there will be 6 hours of dry weather, otherwise the rain will wash it off. Don't let it stray onto any plants you want to keep!)

Rotavate (or dig) the lot. You need to open up the soil to get the new turf, or seed, established. You could spread topsoil over the now-dead weeds instead, but personally I don't think that will be enough and you will have problems getting the seed / turf established and draining well.

Get it level. I find the easiest way is to get a ladder, tie a rope to the rung at each end, and then drag it over the surface (north-south first, then east-west / front-to-back then side-to-side). It the ladder skips over the surface put some blocks on it to add weight so it drags the top inch or so - that will smooth out the bumps and hollows.

Tread it all down. Don't use a heavy roller.

Sow seed (make a seed bed with a rake, sow the seed evenly, rake the seed in, water every day [if no rain] to get the seed germinating quickly - it won't need much, enough to wet the surface reasonably well)
or
Lay turf. Water every day [if no rain] using a sprinkler for 30 minutes. Reduce the frequency of the watering over time (every other day after a week, then every 3rd day) but keep the watering time at 30 minutes - i.e. a really good soaking

Don't walk on it until it has established. Don't start mowing turf until the roots are established (i.e. it is difficult to lift a turf because the roots have grown into the soil below)

New Year's Resolutions for next year

1) Get the Weeding and Feeding regime sorted out - either yourself if you feel inclined, or contract someone like Greenthumb

2) Make sure it is mowed at least once a week.

 

You could always con yourself into believing it's a wild flower garden.

 

I took the plunge and went with my original plan.... (hopefully not going to regret it)
heres a pick of my newly laid lawn

the bloke i got the turf from says i have 28 days grace to use a hosepipe to water a newly laid lawn.. but i cant seem to find any evidence online for or against this?

A few questions for the kind people here whao have been in this position before (i havnt)....
How often and for how long should i water this for?
How long till its first cut?
Could i overseed the area to help it along?
and would any products like weed and feed or fertilizer etc help the process? considering theres evil weeds lurking below i want to keep at bay!

Thanks guys

 

Sorry to jump into a thread here but kristen... Thank you for answering every question I had about my lawn!..that's why I love forums so much