Operation 'Lawn' is in full swing!

As some of you already know, I haven't been happy with my grass, effectively since we moved in, and this year I am wanting to do something about it.

I started by using Evergreen 4-in-1 a week ago to kill the weeds and feed the grass - so far, so good with that, although there may well be a need for another go in a month or so time; I also started the task of reshaping the grass from the two rectangles with a rough looking path up the middle, to a lawn with no path and curvier edges:

Before:



Halfway through:



I might deepen the curve on that wider part on the right, but you get the idea.

Today, I bought 12 rolls of turf from my local garden centre, so tomorrows jobs are:

- Complete the reshaping on the other side of the grass
- A light to medium mowing
- Lift the path
- Lay the turf

Any pitfalls or anything I need to be aware of?
- Lay the new turf in

 

Thanks @Sheal - I have my riddle on standby to get the soil that but finer. The turf itself looks really fresh and healthy - guy who helped me load it into the boot was a diamond too, even went and dug out a plastic sheet to protect the car

 

Will do

 

@ Sheal - when would it be best to oversees the rest of the lawn?

 

Been a hard day, and we haven't quite got as much done as we had wanted to.... but we had to chuck it for the day as we are both knackered and I was really starting to struggle pain wise.

Still there is always tomorrow - here is the 'so far' pics





Two rolls of turf have been laid so far (al the slabs are lifted, disturbing literally millions of ants nests in the process. As well as loosening the soil that has been underneath the slabs, we are levelling things up as best we can using semi-spent compost (got some vermiculite in it, and is still nice and dark).

We still have to weed all the borders and break up the soil that we have turned over in removing the grass, then its on to making the wee gravel 'step' between the step by the greenhouse and the lawn, and then its scarifying, aerating and overseeding.

I was thinking of mixing the seed with compost and then spreading that over the grass, concentrating more on the areas were things are a bit bare, but generally going all over? How best to keep the birds at bay once I have done that though?

Watering won't be too much of a problem - I can run the sprinkler daily until things settle in

 

I should have listened to my body earlier yesterday, I can barely walk this morning. A load of my joints are screaming at me in retaliation for the punishment I inflicted on them yesterday.

Worse still, I need to do more today while the turf is fresh

 

Thanks GG - I am in bloody agony now, and self medicating with Grants finest. It transpired that not only were the slabs laid in nothing but soil, but there was also a 6 inch strip of gravel at either side which had long since been consumed by grass - by God it made it hard to dig out in prep for the new turf.

I will try and get another pic tomorrow (too sore to get up at the moment)