Settling new soil

[robj1]

I have raised a section of my my garden by 8" using 8 tonnes of top soil, I want to grass this area using turf.

I have healed the ground down and levelled it, but I am worried that it wont be firm enough after its turfed and I will end up with an uneven lawn.

Would watering the soil and letting it dry again help the settling process before I turf it?

I don't want to end up with a compacted load of soil that the turf wont grow into, and I don't want to end up with a spongy sunken lawn after a year.

Any ideas? I don't have, and don't have access to a roller.

 

[r896neo]

A heel will give much more compaction that a roller anyway. You will probably have to face just top dressing low spots after a year or two. That quantity of soil will settle a little so just don't fret about it now and concentrate on a good bed for the turf.

I like to lay turf on 30mm ish of grit/sharp sand as it roots quickly into this and its much easier to level well.

 

[robj1]

A heel will give much more compaction that a roller anyway. You will probably have to face just top dressing low spots after a year or two. That quantity of soil will settle a little so just don't fret about it now and concentrate on a good bed for the turf.

I like to lay turf on 30mm ish of grit/sharp sand as it roots quickly into this and its much easier to level well.

Perfect, thank you, I will follow your advice.

Rob