This is a bit of a cheap crappy little job that we wouldn't normally bother with. However, it's on our doorstep and might be a filler for our winter gaps in the schedule.
It's a rented property that the tenants don't look after (clearly!), the landlord wants "It rotivated, levelled and seeded. With some 2x2's running down the side"
We've only got to go as far as the orange football as he's going to plant conifers across half way to make it less to manage. We may... get a regular lawn cut out of it. We don't need the regular lawn cut but it's one that could be slipped in on the way home.
So, back to the original question...could it be rotivated and seeded with any success?
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Looks like one of those jobs where you know how you SHOULD do it, but knowing landlords, they won't pay for it. Ideally, I would treat all with Roundup(but it's the wrong time of year), strim and get rid of most of the grass, remove turf and then rotavate the clean ground.
HOWEVER, a hard strim to ground level, removing grass and probably 4 or 5 passes with a roatavator should get the ground in shape to rake level. There will be plenty of tufts come out and the old grasses will re-grow, but you get what you pay for.
That looks a horrible job and I'd give it a miss. If you cut it down as low as you can get it and then rotovate, you'll end up with a right mess with clods of broken up turf etc...... unsuitable for redoing a lawn. Ideally, you'd want to "lift" all that grass, rotovate and then seed. These landlords can be very tight and I'd imagine this one is no different as he's looking at reducing the maintenance with the conifers....... don't know what he thinks will happen behind the conifer hedge! Personally, he's not looking for a bowling green, I'd just cut it down really low, level it off with some decent topsoil fillling in all the low spots........... high spots can be taken off with a spade............. and then just seed the newly soiled areas.
A big strimmer(protecting windows!) and get as low as you can. Take any lumps off with a spade as graham says and cut the edges off to lay the wood............. maybe:)
I don't think I could be bothered with it if I'm honest but if you can get him to pay the right money and it fills some time why not?
It does get a little bit worse.
Although it is local, it is in a street of terraced houses with parking anywhere in the street often being an issue. There is a narrow entry to get down, past the dead christmas tree and down a couple of steps. I don't have a rotivator so would have to hire one. He got our number from seeing the van, so it's not a recommendation from another customer. He also commented about people are probably going to want to charge £15 to cut the grass.
I think I know what the answer is....
Thanks for your input guys.
I thought about a thread I read on here last week about staying in control. I've just rang them and told them I'm going to decline to quote as the job isn't for us.
Interestingly at my biggest garden there is a paddock attached which is there's that has be left fallow for 15 years or more. The clients grandson is wanting to have his wedding reception/blessing in it. So just before Christmas we had a farmer come in with the flail and set low battered it to nothing! There was saplings wild roses brambles 6ft tall etc a right mess.
The plan is to get it looking lawn ish by the 15th of august!
So far the plan is to cut and collect about every 5 days for the first few weeks of the season hoping that the constant cutting will stop any brambles etc returning.
I'll try and remember to update
This was the thread I read. Thanks Phil!
http://landscapejuicenetwork.com/BOG/tips-on-interviewing-and-vetti...