By 
Q: My lawn took a bit of a bashing in the course of some building work. I am minded to lay down a layer of topsoil and seed. Should I remove, or kill off, the old tatty grass or can I just cover it over and start again. Email sent in from Rick Porter.
A: If you were laying turf I would advise a thorough cultivation of the ground, however if you are over seeding it will not be necessary. Rake off all debris, then with a scarifying rake thoroughly scratch and agitate the surface, add a good lawn dressing across the top again and rake in. Then seed on top at about 2 ozs to the sq yd. Others, like you to rake it, honestly it`s not worth it, at 2 ozs there is enough for the lawn and the birds. Lastly do it as soon as possible as the weather is just right. Hope this helps.
Ask Ken a question about simple garden jobs by sending an email.
