How to turn an old garden into grass?

j-diddy: How to turn an old garden into grass?
I moved into a house with a huge garden in the back that I want covered up and replaced with grass. It is completely run over in weeds, and the soil is very hard and clay like. What is the best way to make it grass? Do I kill all the weeds first? and what is better, grass seeds or those pre-grown grass mats? I don’t have any experience in lawn care. Thanks for the help!

Answers and Views:

Answer by Joyce B
If it were mine, I would rent a rototiller and till the garden. Then rake smooth and apply grass seed and fertilizer. A thin sprinkling of straw would help. Water, water, water. But my first step would be a stop at a local year round garden center for advice.

Answer by Jake C
first, kill the weeds. then dig out the soil and replace it with a fine topsoil. only about 3-4 inches of topsoil is needed. you can get it from an owner/operator dumptruck driver or an excavation company.
when i did my parents lawn, i hand spread the seeds VERY liberally (it gets a little spendy). Water the seeds very well (2-3X daily). it is tedious so get into a groove. keep dogs and vehicles off the lawn
trees soak in hundreds of gallons of water a day, so grass near trees needs more water. I hope that helped. 🙂

Answer by Mokey41
I had a garden like that and we just started mowing it. Didn’t work it or plant it at all. Within a year of mowing it there was grass there.

**

Answer by Tinman12
Buy a gallon of grass killer. Spray the garden area to kill every living green thing. Wait 3 to 4 weeks before seeding the garden area.
I suggest you buy a bag of grass seeds, enough to cover an area of about 5,000 sq.ft.
Once the 3 to 4 weeks are over, seed the garden. rake around gently, reseed, then water with a light spray. Water at least every day, gently. In about 2 to 3 weeks you will see grass growing.

The more expensive way of getting grass on the bald garden is the grass sold as mats. I hope you have lots of money if going that route.