Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Original poster

Is it possible to lay turf on concrete?

24 replies

Lact8 · 04/07/2006 22:55

I have a concrete area approx 2.5 x 5m. I would like to lay turf/grow grass on it. Is this possible if I lay topsoil first or do I need to hack out the concrete?

TIA

OP posts:
JanH · 04/07/2006 22:55

Yes, you do, lact8 - sorry!

Would gravel do instead?

brimfull · 04/07/2006 22:59

We laid turf on our lawn which included a new soakaway covered in cement.That area of turf is now dead even though there is about a foot of topsoil on it.It's right in the middle...really attractive!

Original poster
Lact8 · 04/07/2006 23:02

Thought so. Am new to this gardening lark, can you tell?

It is a little patch of concrete outside me back door where I hang the washing out and thought grass would be nice on my bare feet

OP posts:
Jasnem · 04/07/2006 23:05

I tried it too, hoping to extend my lawn over a bit of concrete.

It died.

Original poster
Lact8 · 04/07/2006 23:06

DP is saying I have to ask even if he lays more than 6 inch depth of top soil?

We're working on the bottom of the garden too and there is a huge concrete area where 2 big old sheds used to be that he wanted to lay with turf as well

(he's not pleased thinking he's going to have to attack it all with a sledge hammer!)

OP posts:
Chandra · 04/07/2006 23:09

Interesting thread, have been wondering about doing the same on the last days... but, could some one explain me why it would die even if there is a foot of topsoil between concrete and grass if it can grow perfectly in a pot (have a built in area aprox 60* 160 cm, is not even 40 cm deep but the turf seems to be quite healthy, is it because of the bricks at the bottom?)

brimfull · 04/07/2006 23:12

maybe it's because of all this hot weather? Our turf was only laid this spring so it may grow back green when the rain comes.I hope so!

singledadofthree · 04/07/2006 23:13

if you can get a foot of soil down it'll grow ok. you will have to water it very often as moisture will evaporate away quick in the summer. and you'll have to feed it as it cant draw nutrients from deep down. will make one highrise lawn . suggest you get breaking the concrete up.

JanH · 04/07/2006 23:16

Yes, Chandra - it's because of drainage - you get it in a pot but not on top of concrete.

Your man will need to hire a pneumatic drill, lact8

Original poster
Lact8 · 04/07/2006 23:20

Thanks Jan

Or could just be cruel and say he has to do it all manually

And LOL at high ride lawn!

With regards to drainage, what if the small area is on a bit of a slope, would that count as drainage or not, erm think I'll just now

OP posts:
Original poster
Lact8 · 04/07/2006 23:21

or even high rise

OP posts:
Chandra · 04/07/2006 23:22

I see... would it help to drill some holes in the concrete instead of taking it out completely?

JanH · 04/07/2006 23:24

It would probably be OK, Chandra. We planted a tiny acer about 15 years ago in a small bed, on top of concrete but with a hole for drainage, and it is a lovely tree now - grass would need more holes obv but should manage

hub2dee · 04/07/2006 23:25

Maybe pond liner would retain the moisture sufficiently to keep all alive ? Wonder what will happen when it storms though, LOL ?

JanH · 04/07/2006 23:28

Hello, hub - long time no see - how're you all doing?

hub2dee · 04/07/2006 23:38

Fine thanks. dd is 1 in 2 days ! I'm not on MN so much these days.

Oh, and my Redoute mattress protector broke after 30 seconds (corner elastic strap snappled). Got a John Lewis one instead. Strangely enough, the one on my dw's side of the bed (electric mattresses; we don't push our little single beds together for a snog) ) is fine for the mo...

(Twas you who recommended, wasn't it ?)

JanH · 04/07/2006 23:41

Yes it was me, hub - sorry (Ours lasted much longer than that!)

DD's birthday is in 2 days??? My great-nephew is 1 in 3 days but thought your DD was a month younger????

hub2dee · 05/07/2006 07:23

pmsl - I am so tired that I thought 'sh1t.... have we planned the party in the wrong month ? Is it only June ?' LOL LOL

Nope. Her first birthday is definitely tomorrow !

Chandra · 05/07/2006 17:00

Thanks Janh

noddyholder · 05/07/2006 17:03

astro turf?

Original poster
Lact8 · 05/07/2006 23:20

LOL at astro turf! At least I wouldn't be able to kill it

We've been out with a hammer and the concrete sounds really hollow so DP is going out there tomorrow morning to hack it all out.

OP posts:
Skribble · 05/07/2006 23:31

12.5msq + about £125 plus no mower or weeds

Original poster
Lact8 · 06/07/2006 17:06

Thanks for the link skribble

We've decided to go down the real grass root though [nervous emoticon]

Dp has hacked out about a third of it today and I've shovelled it into buckets and its been used as part of the filling for the new level at the bottom of the garden.

DP's dad knows a man who can get us a deal on top soil so hopefully it'll be finished by the middle of next week and I'll be able to do barefoot pegging out to my hearts content

OP posts:
Simonking · 28/04/2016 12:28

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page