Preparing for new lawn

JRJ · 10 Aug 2020 at 10:18

I need to tackle the lawn and get it seeded before winter to have any hope of a semi decent lawn by next summer, the lawn area is just under 400m2 we had a digger scrape all the top soil off and level the clay before relevelling the top soil when the initial ground works were done but has since become a dumping ground. I've slowly been removing all the rubbish and almost ready to start preparing, I've bought a bottle of Roseate 360 to kill everything but which order should I do it in -

Kill everything
Rotavate and rake level
Seed

or

Rotavate then kill everything?

j.col · 10 Aug 2020 at 10:35

Be careful using a strong weedkiller before seeding as it can often still be active weeks after using.
I would kill every thing first, as the weedkiller is better if its absorbed through the leaves.
Then rotavate.
What's the soil like?
If there is a lot of clay, u would be better to put down a layer of sharp sand first to help with drainage, then a layer oftopsoil with 25% sharp sand mixed through it.
Also wait until late September to seed

JRJ · 10 Aug 2020 at 21:02

Great thanks, the soil is great with probably about 6-10 inches of it on top of the clay, I'll need to rotavate and rake out the large mounds and level off may need to bring some soil in.

muttclugg · 11 Aug 2020 at 16:39

Definitely leave the weedkiller on for 7 to 10 days before turning it over. The spray needs to get down to the roots to really kill it all off.

Nutty_Death · 11 Aug 2020 at 20:23

Either way you're gonna get weeds. I would just get the seeds on then use a selective weed killer once lawn has established if it's a problem. It's essentially what I did throughout this summer.

Reread your post. If you've already got loads of weeds then kill those first.

JRJ · 11 Aug 2020 at 21:30

Deaths_Calling said:
Either way you're gonna get weeds. I would just get the seeds on then use a selective weed killer once lawn has established if it's a problem. It's essentially what I did throughout this summer.

Reread your post. If you've already got loads of weeds then kill those first.

It's wild at the moment so needs killing, I was hoping to seed September and hopefully have it half decent through winter, maintaining and selective weed killer from then onwards is no problem.