lawn advice

[Rob Roy]

Hi, I'm a newby on this site.
My lawn is on clay and compacted, requiring lots of TLC, and because it's prone to flooding during the winter months, really needs raising 6inches above the local water table.
Not being a real gardener, I was wondering would I really need to take up the old lawn before putting down some gravel for drainage, followed by top soil and turf? Won't the old stuff just.....stay there?

Regards
RR
__________________________________
moderator

rob roy, please note 17

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

You can bury it, some may grow through, but if you have a wet lawn now that you are willing to raise put some big holes in it using a fork and rocking action, fill with v. sharp sand (grit), level new ground with half decent soil with plenty of drainage (grit) added and turf on top. But if you're talkin less than 2" build up, maybe a re-dig

 

[mrgrumpy]

You don't have to rip up your old lawn, just put in place some drainage system. The most expensive is perforated pipe, running to a soakaway.
Or for cheapness just 'Herringbone' style French drain, that's gravel buried under a layer of inverted turf, then sandy topsoil, then the turf.
There are several methods with varying cost. It would help if you told us the size of lawn, and how much effort you want to put into it.

 

[Dewy]

I'm on solid blue clay and only raked the top level then covered in turf.
Drainage trenches were later dug along the far half of the garden which had no turf.
A few years later I used a fork every 4-6" on the lawn then brushed in sharp sand and at other times peat.
Put the fork in 6-9" and move it front to back to form a hole.
This could also be done with a hollow lawn tyne.
Do this every year and the drainage should improve no end.

 

[sandwell]

The trouble is you cannot win with lawns.

If you increase the drainage, then you often have the problem of having to water it in the summer.
I would try aerating it with with a lawn aerator, and after a few years it will improve. There is no quick fix
Another option is to kill off the existing grass with weedkiller, then lay a new lawn with good quality turf over the top. You are then adding another layer which should improve it.

 

[mrgrumpy]

You can win with lawns 'sandwell', It's all down to how much effort you are prepared to invest in your lawn. The best solution is to hire a turf remover, remove old turf, add new better soil, and perhaps improve drainage, then re-lay new turf. However all this cost money, time, and effort, that a lot of people are not prepared to do! So my post is a in between idea, that can be done in a weekend, and cost only a few bags of shingle. Your idea to add new turf on top of old, only adds another layer to the existing problem IMO.

 

[breezer]

The trouble is you cannot win with lawns.

don't tell wimbledon that then will you