Preparing and Sowing a New Lawn

First of all I must just report that Polly the Lurcher I walked this and last week at the rescue kennels has found a new home with another Lurcher.Here she is giving me the eye the day before she was re-homed.

This week I have been busy in the garden.Thinking ahead it would be better to have grass than flowers when renting a property especially as next door has one of those 'wild' gardens full of nettles and blackberry's which would take over if left for 6 months and of course if I got a dog then grass would be a lot better for a good run around.

I used some paving to make a path down the side of the bushes which would help in controlling the weeds from the hedge and enable me to mow up to the edge of the grass.

Down one side of  the central path, the left hand one in the picture, I cleared all the greenery and dug the top 5 inches of soil, removing most of the weeds,stones and roots.With a rake I levelled the earth and broke up the lumps of soil then walked over it to slightly compact the top layer and again raked over to give a fine tilth ready for the grass seed.

You can see from the picture the left hand side of the path is the same as the seed bed looked before I started. 

UPDATE ON THE LAWN AFTER 41 DAYS FROM SOWING....  03/11/12

As you can see from the picture below I removed the bushes from the left hand side of the central path and seeded the bed.Timing is so important with the weather and this was perfect as it hasn't stopped raining since I sowed the seed.The grass will fill out over the winter and spring so be ready for summer next year.

You will notice that the bed is mostly in shade from the bushes which has dictated what type of grass seed I am using. I have put a log border around the new small plum tree and cherry tree to stop the grass invading the tree trunk.

Since the picture was taken I have removed the support stakes as they were not doing much good and the trees are solid in the ground.

Rain is due this weekend so I put fertiliser down on Friday which was washed in by rain Friday night, today I have sown the grass seed, raking it in the top soil then firming it down with the back of the rake.

The picture below shows the fertiliser and seed I used.

Now all I need is the rain. The left hand side of the garden will be done in due course.

Next week who knows, if the weather is bad it will be visiting the narrowboats on the canal. 

I have just bought a new 6' leather dog lead to walk the dogs at Appledown Rescue Centre 

http://www.appledown.co.uk/