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Can I grow a lawn on a...


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Bonjour,

Any advice from green-fingered individuals would be much aprreciated.

We have a large concrete slab of about 80 sq m which we would like to cover with soil and grow a reasonably good quality lawn.  The slab used to be used as a hard standing for cows and slopes inwards to the middle and then downhill - like a 'v' shaped valley gutter - where all waste water runs away from the slab.  The slab gets full south sun and is located in south Charente.

Does anyone know if;

  • lawn will successfully grow on the soil-covered slab

  • Is it just soil that we put on the concrete slab

  • roughly how deep should we make the layer of soil

  • Is there any particular type of soil best suited to this project - in this area we have agricultural soil, clay and chalky stuff

Many thanks for your help.

 

 

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I think yes, probably...but I would put a lot of topsoil on, maybe 12 inches? The problem will be drainage if the slab is flat - you would probably have to put lengths of land drain pipe into the top soil to take surplus water away - grass doesn't like to be water-logged.

M

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Contrary to M's post, I think your biggest problem is going to be keeping enough moisture in summer.

M is right that the drainage has to be right, and your slope should be OK.  I would be inclined to put a thin layer of coarse gravel down first and cover this with agricultural fleece.   Then put down at least 12 inches of soil.  The more you add the more moisture will be retained.

 

Then be prepared to water, water water through the hot summer months.  Lawns are thirsty beasts at the best of times, but laid over concrete, it could be a bank account breaker - and remember there are often watering bans in summer.  Do you have your own well or source? 

 

 

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From our experience of trying to keep lawns on 1.5 acres of land, it impossible to expect an English type lawn.  Without frequent watering, the hot dry summers in North Deux Sevres kill all the grass and weeds flourish, irrespective of the depth of soil.

As we could not practically water 1,5 acres, we now have extensive weed patches with no grass.  We discovered that before we bought our house, the previous owner, who was a farmer, had a pump in the river and watered the grass frequently every day through agricultural sprayers.  Those big things with a moblie hose reel.

I fully agree with andyh4, and I think that even a small patch, especially one which is laid over concrete, would need watering several times a day, every day in summer.

What about planting a herb garden with those herbs which like dry conditions?

Hope this helps,

David

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Many thanks for all your replies.   .

We have two wells which should help.  The concrete slabs are sloping and drain well.

Is clay any better for retaining moisture than good earth?  There is plenty of clay in this region. 

Appreciate your thoughts on this, as 20m3 of soil will take time and money and could potentially be a waste of time.

 

Kind regards

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On balance I think breaking up and removing the concrete is the best option in the long term. The alternative of covering with soil would, in my opinion, be very expensive as I believe you would require a disproportionate depth of cover, something in the region of 1 m +. Even then the drainage / water retention would be a problem.

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I have to agree with Steve - and no clay will not help at all, in fact could even make matters worse since if it does dry out, it sets like concrete and sheds water rather than absorbing it.  When it does eventually rehydrate it forms a barrier for water draining, so you end up with the worst of all worlds - parched grass in sommer and a wet marshland in autumn.  Grass does not like either condition.
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