Question
I recently purchased a house with a 15ft x 4ft pond in the back garden. Because we have a small child I immediately organised for my gardener to work on filling this.
We emptied the pond and removed the membrane and he then filled with approx 2ft of hardcore and 2ft of topsoil - however at this point I think we may have gone wrong. I was advised to water the area, check for settlement and then flatten the area. However, in the process I think I may have severely compacted the soil. My question is, should I redig this area and try to improve the condition/structure of the topsoil before turfing? If the answer is yes then how deep should I dig - and should I add compost to the surface?

Many thanks

Antony

Answer
Hi Antony, I'd spread 3-4 inches of compost, grass clippings or leaves over the area and till it into the top 6 inches of soil.  This will loosen the soil and you should be able to grow grass fairly quickly.  You will need to test your pH.  It needs to be around 6.5 for turf.  You'll also need to monitor fertility.  Many times "top soil" has little or no soil in it, so it doesn't hold nutrients well. I like to have some clay in the top soil for water and nutrient retention. If there wasn't clay in the mix, you may need frequent light doses of fertilizer to develop a healthy turf.  Jim