Digging new beds

[Banoffeecoffee]

I am planning to get rid of some of our very weedy lawn and add in more flower beds (maybe 3 beds approx 1.5 x 6m). Any advice on the best way? I am thinking of just using a digging space and doing it as small squares but is it worth hiring a turf cutter and how good are they? Was going to then get a bulk load of top soil. Any advice very gratefully received!

I wouldn't bother lifting the turf if you are bringing in top soil. Just put down as much cardboard as you can get your hands on and dump the topsoil on top of that.

Thank you! That sounds like a much easier plan and more likely to actually happen!

Oh god, absolutely! Cardboard is your friend, you can get it sorted in an afternoon.

Charles Dowding is the go to guy on this.

It’s easy to lift turf. You cut it into rectangles, slide a spade under it, and it peels off like carpet. Just for future reference and anyone else considering.

…. You can then either stack the turf and let it rot into compost, or double dig the new bed and put the turf upside down in the base of the trench to rot down and enrich the soil. That’s the hard bit! Goes a bit against no-dig principles.

We did the upside down turf trick when we dug some new borders, worked a treat. Saved buying in topsoil, just put a bit of garden compost on top. Started planting by cutting through the turf, soon enough it had rotted away and planting was easy. Lovely beds now.