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New build garden turf advice (extremely clay soil)

#1 · 11th June 2023, 5:55 pm

Hello all,

I recently Brough my first house with a nice size garden. I opted for them not to lay law in the garden (which looking at my front lawn and neighbours law was a smart choice) because our soil is very clayie.

As I was excited I stupidly just raked the garden some way flat and just sowed grass seed over the soil. It doesn't look to bad but the soil has so much clay in it and the builders just piled soil in the garden so it sits at a slope towards the house. I also have a fair amount of weeds that have popped up in the garden. When it's rains the garden get water logged and I get a massive puddle at my back door.

I enjoy planting flowers and was looking forward to turning the garden into my little project.

My question is how do I tackle getting my lawn to look it's best and make the soil less clayie, sort out the water log and de-weed the garden. I do have a dog so need to be careful what I put down.

I do go full on and dig up all the law and and start from scratch or is there a better way of sorting this out

Thanks in advance

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#2 · 11th June 2023, 6:02 pm

Hi @mutabear

Thanks for your question about your new build lawn and soil conditions.

Can you please post some pictures to assist in us answering?

Many thanks!

mutabear has reacted to this post.

#3 · 12th June 2023, 2:53 pm

Thank i have updated the post with Photos

#4 · 14th June 2023, 8:06 am

Hi @mutabear

Thanks for the pictures for clarity. Upon closer inspection, it looks like the earth beneath the turf is very heavy clay. See those cracks and holes? That's baked clay soil which split apart in heat waves as it has little air so as soon as it drys out it pulls apart. Turf doesn't easily get on with heavy clay soil. In the winter its too wet and boggy, in summer it cracks and breaks. Whilst standard turf is tough these clay conditions result in a patchy lawn.

Given your soil, it's best to work with a grass seed mix that's specifically chosen for clay. Grasses like fescues that have deeper rooting structures etc. Like this lawn mix here. (This is an affiliate link so if you do choose to buy receive a small commission that helps keep this blog free to use!)

You have two other options in my experience:

Option 1: Remove the turf and then add at least a couple of tonnes of compost and decent topsoil to the area and then returf (expensive and time consuming)

Options 2: Work with the clay and create a design that reduces the size of the lawn, lift the rest and borders for herbaceous and trees which many will thrive in heavy clay. Then replace a smaller lawn maybe within a metal lawn edged area where you can improve the soil by adding plenty of organic matter and then lawn with an ornamental grass mix.

Another thing to note is that watering your lawn in heat waves and summer is a waste of time and still won't stop the clay from cracking and pulling apart. It's also a precious waste of water, so best improving the soil or creating a suitable design instead of hoping to keep the ground saturated!

I hope that helps.

Good luck!