2015 Lawn thread
Discussion
Scarifying at this time of year?!
Good grief, are there no limits to the depths some "lawn care" companies will stoop?
Fingers crossed that we get a continuation of the mild weather so that your lawn might recover, but really I'm amazed that they'd take the risk of scarifying so late. It's at least six weeks too late IMHO.
Good grief, are there no limits to the depths some "lawn care" companies will stoop?
Fingers crossed that we get a continuation of the mild weather so that your lawn might recover, but really I'm amazed that they'd take the risk of scarifying so late. It's at least six weeks too late IMHO.
far too late in the year to be doing that kind of work 
I'd be refusing to pay for that given that the lawn isn't going to have chance to recover properly from it between now and spring. Unless it was the 'give the lawn a little tickle with the scarifier' version of scarifying, in which case there won't be so much mechanical damage but there I'd also be refusing to pay as it's been of no discernable value.
Like most franchises, there are some very good ones but there's also an awful lot that really are clueless.
Edit:
bmthnick1981 said:
Looks royally f
ked at the moment
ah, ok so it was rather more than a tickle.ked at the momentbmthnick1981 said:
but should grow back well hopefully.
I admire your optimism.Edited by jagnet on Wednesday 2nd December 19:06
This may be of interest to some - my copy of Better Lawns by E. B. James turned up today, originally published in 1951 (I do love a bit of mower and lawn care history).
What's most striking is how little recommended lawn care practice has changed in the intervening 60+ years. A few of the chemicals may have changed (Arsenate of Lead for wormageddon or mercury compounds for fungicides aren't so popular these days) and I doubt many carry out their lawn's first cut with a scythe as recommended in the book, but otherwise there's really little difference.
There is only a brief mention of using a "special scarifying machine" with the assumption that most would more likely be using a "sharp-toothed rake" for the purpose, powered scarifiers being few and far between.
Given that it was only in the 1940s that 2,4D selective herbicide was discovered, it's not surprising that there's a lot of adverts in the booklet for it from various manufacturers and suppliers, some that we wouldn't necessarily associate with such products today
I did have a look for some Lornox amongst the perfumes and beauty products in my local Boots earlier, but seemingly they were out of stock
There's even an advert for Verdone which is still widely used:
The booklet concludes with "six major factors leading to better lawns", which still apply:
Overall, one and six well spent
What's most striking is how little recommended lawn care practice has changed in the intervening 60+ years. A few of the chemicals may have changed (Arsenate of Lead for wormageddon or mercury compounds for fungicides aren't so popular these days) and I doubt many carry out their lawn's first cut with a scythe as recommended in the book, but otherwise there's really little difference.
There is only a brief mention of using a "special scarifying machine" with the assumption that most would more likely be using a "sharp-toothed rake" for the purpose, powered scarifiers being few and far between.
Given that it was only in the 1940s that 2,4D selective herbicide was discovered, it's not surprising that there's a lot of adverts in the booklet for it from various manufacturers and suppliers, some that we wouldn't necessarily associate with such products today
I did have a look for some Lornox amongst the perfumes and beauty products in my local Boots earlier, but seemingly they were out of stock
There's even an advert for Verdone which is still widely used:
The booklet concludes with "six major factors leading to better lawns", which still apply:
Overall, one and six well spent
Yep, it doesn't quite come across in the summary but the booklet basically suggests (aside from ground preparation for a new lawn) don't other than at most to settle any frost heave on lighter soils and then only with a lighter roller.
It's not so popular these days but in the past it did seem to be fairly commonplace, no doubt in part due to seeing rollers being used on the village green cricket squares.
It's not so popular these days but in the past it did seem to be fairly commonplace, no doubt in part due to seeing rollers being used on the village green cricket squares.
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Scarifying at this time of year?!
Good grief, are there no limits to the depths some "lawn care" companies will stoop?
Fingers crossed that we get a continuation of the mild weather so that your lawn might recover, but really I'm amazed that they'd take the risk of scarifying so late. It's at least six weeks too late IMHO.
They wanted to do it weeks ago but it's been very wet and I've been away. Good grief, are there no limits to the depths some "lawn care" companies will stoop?
Fingers crossed that we get a continuation of the mild weather so that your lawn might recover, but really I'm amazed that they'd take the risk of scarifying so late. It's at least six weeks too late IMHO.
I'm in the south coast and it's still very mild here so I'm not worried.
Will try and get a few pics so you can all express your full outrage!
Is it too late to top dress a lawn so near the end of the year ?
I've just mowed our lawns this morning they're still growing well due to the warm weather we've been having. I'm in Yorkshire but it's been 14 degrees and moist for a while now. This morning is sunny with a good breeze which has dried the grass nicely.
A landscape gardening friend and I layed the {small) lawns eighteen months ago and they've been great but a light mow this morning shows lots of bald patches. The ground is quite clay but although we did grade the topsoil and it is lovely stuff, we didn't add any sand and I wonder if we should have. Would it have made the soil less clarty ?
Green thumb have been looking after things, calling 4 times a year and to be honest the grass has been great this summer. I aereated with a tine fork in the spring and eased it with a garden fork in the autumn.
I'm just wondering if a sandy top dress will help matters or have I left it too late ?
I've just mowed our lawns this morning they're still growing well due to the warm weather we've been having. I'm in Yorkshire but it's been 14 degrees and moist for a while now. This morning is sunny with a good breeze which has dried the grass nicely.
A landscape gardening friend and I layed the {small) lawns eighteen months ago and they've been great but a light mow this morning shows lots of bald patches. The ground is quite clay but although we did grade the topsoil and it is lovely stuff, we didn't add any sand and I wonder if we should have. Would it have made the soil less clarty ?
Green thumb have been looking after things, calling 4 times a year and to be honest the grass has been great this summer. I aereated with a tine fork in the spring and eased it with a garden fork in the autumn.
I'm just wondering if a sandy top dress will help matters or have I left it too late ?
loughran said:
Is it too late to top dress a lawn so near the end of the year ?
Not at all, but keep it to a light application to avoid smothering any of the grass. Little and often is better than a single heavy application (as with so much to do with lawn care).So long as the grass is growing then you can top dress.
Edit:
loughran said:
The ground is quite clay but although we did grade the topsoil and it is lovely stuff, we didn't add any sand and I wonder if we should have. Would it have made the soil less clarty ?
Yes, but you'd need to add a lot of sand to avoid ending up with a worse situation. Clay + sand can end up with a more concrete like substance if you don't add enough sand.I'd keep the top dressing closer to what you used for the topsoil to be on the safe side.
Edited by jagnet on Sunday 20th December 15:28
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