Clearing and rough preparation

What to remove

• Stones and rubble larger than a walnut from the top 10–15 cm (4–6 in). They blunt mower blades and leave dry, thin patches above them.
• Roots and stumps of trees and shrubs. Buried wood rots slowly and leaves a sinking hollow and, often, fungus rings.
• Perennial weeds such as couch grass, bindweed and docks. Dig them out with their roots, or treat them with a suitable product while they are actively growing, before you cultivate; chopping them up spreads them.
• Old turf if you are replacing a lawn: strip it with a turf cutter and compost it upside down.

Loosen compacted ground

Paths, parking spots and anywhere machinery has run will be packed hard. Fork or rip it so water and roots can get down; on new-build plots see decompacting the subsoil.

Take your time here

Every stone and root you leave now comes back as a problem you can only fix by digging up the lawn. A thorough clear also makes tilling faster and easier on the machine.