How to replace the lawn with Kikuyu turf?

[suburban]

Hi all, 

I want to replace my lawn and install new instant Kikuyu turf. My idea is to prepare the garden and the bed in time before spring. 

Existing lawn - Area - 36m2

I read all the useful links below and pretty much understood the detailed steps i.e. in summary

- Weed 

- Remove top soil 20mm

- Aerate the ground 

- Add new top soil 

- Lay instant turf 

but had a few questions:

1. How do I remove the existing soil? Do I need to manually dig? Or is there an easier way? Can I dump this in the garden bin over time or will I need to order a skip? 

2. How would I know which type of soil it is? I live in the North West areas of Melb.

3. There are some weeds which i have killed growing in between papers. Not sure how to clean up that area to prevent future growth.

Useful links:

1. https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/lawn/how-to-lay-turf?srsltid=AfmBOooG63rOh7m1oydA_vLsh...

2. https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Garden/How-to-remove-existing-lawn-and-lay-new-lawn/td-p/268...

3. https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Garden/How-to-remove-existing-lawn-and-lay-new-turf/m-p/1672...

[EricL · Accepted solution]

Hello @suburban, 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your lawn.

I propose instead of removing the top portion of your soil, I suggest using a Ryobi One+ 18V Brushless Cordless Scarifier OSF1835BL. Scarifying or dethatching is a process that removes the dead layer of grass that sits on the soil and prevents rainwater, sunshine and nutrients from penetrating the soil and keeping the grassroots healthy. You can run the scarifier until the soil is nice and loose and free of solid chunks of soil. You can then remove all the grass and weeds in the soil much easier.

Your second question is answered in the third discussion you've highlighted. You'll need to use Scotts Lawn Builder 25L Organic Lawn Soil Topdress & Underlay. Please speak to your stores special orders team if you wish to order in bulk. To clean the dead weeds between your pavers, I suggest using a line trimmer Ryobi 36V 33/38cm Line Trimmer 2.0Ah Kit or manually remove it using a sharp garden tool. To prevent the weeds from returning keep spraying the weedkiller you are currently using. The container will probably indicate how long the spray will be effective for and when you should spray next. 

I also recommend having a look at this discussion - Lawn renovation by @homeinmelbourne. This an excellent example of lawn restoration. 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[suburban]

Hi @EricL,

I started out with pulling the weeds l but noticed a lot of stones have gotten into the yard. 

I was thinkinh whether its a better idea to hire a Turf cutter to get rid of it all and lay new instant turf probably buffalo as part of the yard doesnt get sun or else mix type. What would you recommend?

The area is uneven and gets really mushy at the back. You can see in the pics. This part doesn't get sun. 

Photos below. 

[JacobZ]

Hi @suburban,

Given the condition of the area, especially with the uneven surface, the amount of stones and how mushy it gets at the back, I think it’s best to go ahead and hire a turf cutter to remove everything properly. That way, we can start fresh and get a better result.

Once it’s cleared, I’d suggest adding around 100mm of top soil to level it out and improve drainage. After that, we can lay new buffalo turf, which will be better in the part of the yard that doesn't get much sun.

Overall, I think a full reset with proper preparation will give the best long-term outcome.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob