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I have a very uneven back yard, from a combination of settling, bad maintenance, and a very enthusiastic dog (digger) that a previous owner kept out there. As part of a large backyard landscaping project, we will be flattening this lawn and growing clover instead of grass.

My current plan is to fill in the low spots and spread a couple inches of soil over the whole area (~75' x 35'). I'll cut the grass as low as I can, but will there be problems from leaving the root systems in place? I've considered renting a tiller or power rake, but I'm worried about destroying a rented tiller, and I'm not sure how deep a power rake is going to get. There are plenty of mid-sized rocks and hidden concrete pavers out there.

Update: my big concern is what will happen to the soil itself with a layer of dead grass underneath. I'm not as concerned with some grass growing up through the new top layer.

ench
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1 Answers1

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Depending on the grass (certainly with kikuyu), it will break through the additional soil very quickly (I made this mistake recently).

You might consider spraying the grass with glyphosate [ie the active ingredient in most common weed killers - often called "Roundup" ] first - although this could harm the trees if significant quantities get onto the leaves - so try and do this on a sunny, windless morning, and keep the spray low to the ground. (Theoretically roundup becomes inactive on contact with the soil and doesn't affect the roots, there are arguments arround that it leaves residue - which are denied by most companies). NOTE: Do not cut the grass before spraying, and note that it can take 2-3 weeks for the grass to die.

davidgo
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