2015 Lawn thread
Discussion
Having finally got fed up with trying to sort out a crappy lawn at the front of our house I decided to fix it. It gets very little sun in the summer (lots of trees) and is a very thin layer of soil over a load of crap. 3 big bags of gravel, weed fabric, rocks some sunshine and aching shoulders and it looks much better.
So not strictly a lawn, more an ex-lawn
So not strictly a lawn, more an ex-lawn
Robbo66 said:
Scarified November.
Hollow tined Feb.
Liquid Fertilised April early / Blade with Seaweed from Sherriff Amenity,.
Spray application of Primo Maxx yesterday.
That picture makes me want to cry! Hollow tined Feb.
Liquid Fertilised April early / Blade with Seaweed from Sherriff Amenity,.
Spray application of Primo Maxx yesterday.
I'll be looking up some of the products you've been using, because your lawn is looking superb. Strangely, I'd have said February is exactly the wrong time to hollow tine, with the risk of frost causing heavage, but your lawn obviously hasn't read the same books that I have!
Edited to add: Primo Maxx is £346.20 for a 5l bottle. f
k me!Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Sunday 26th April 07:25
Miocene said:
Being fairly new to wanting my lawn not to look like a heap... What's the idiots guide to lawn care? I've put down a 4 in 1 product a week ago, so I presume I give it another week for the moss to die and then scarify / rake. Then aerate and overseed? Is there a general order things should be done in, or can I aerate whilst waiting for the moss to die off for example?
There's a book that's available fairly cheaply that always gets recommended, I'm sure someone will post the title soon, but I've found the online guides at www.lawnsmith.co.uk to be good enough for me. Edited by Miocene on Saturday 25th April 23:50
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Robbo66 said:
Scarified November.
Hollow tined Feb.
Liquid Fertilised April early / Blade with Seaweed from Sherriff Amenity,.
Spray application of Primo Maxx yesterday.
That picture makes me want to cry! Hollow tined Feb.
Liquid Fertilised April early / Blade with Seaweed from Sherriff Amenity,.
Spray application of Primo Maxx yesterday.
I'll be looking up some of the products you've been using, because your lawn is looking superb. Strangely, I'd have said February is exactly the wrong time to hollow tine, with the risk of frost causing heavage, but your lawn obviously hasn't read the same books that I have!
Edited to add: Primo Maxx is £346.20 for a 5l bottle. f
k me!Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Sunday 26th April 07:25
Not the greatest fan of Primo Maxx can sometimes make the growth a bit uneven depending on the grass type but does help with the colour. It's is very expensive but it's amazing how little you have to use you find yourself double checking you have the right amount mixed.
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Robbo66 said:
Scarified November.
Hollow tined Feb.
Liquid Fertilised April early / Blade with Seaweed from Sherriff Amenity,.
Spray application of Primo Maxx yesterday.
That picture makes me want to cry! Hollow tined Feb.
Liquid Fertilised April early / Blade with Seaweed from Sherriff Amenity,.
Spray application of Primo Maxx yesterday.
I'll be looking up some of the products you've been using, because your lawn is looking superb. Strangely, I'd have said February is exactly the wrong time to hollow tine, with the risk of frost causing heavage, but your lawn obviously hasn't read the same books that I have!
Edited to add: Primo Maxx is £346.20 for a 5l bottle. f
k me!Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Sunday 26th April 07:25
Most are mixtures of sugars, iron , nitrogen, phosphate and potassium which are spayed on throgh a boom. Smell like soy sauce. The key is the Primo Maxx. Encourages deeper root growth and shorter height. Reduces mowing, and thickens like you wouldn't believe. Therefore no weeds or moss, and far more resistant to stress. You also use very little, 800ml per hectare diluted !. I always mix ferrous sulphate with it as Primo can yellow the grass if not careful.
I have 3 areas of grass, each with their own individual challenges. Not sure what to do about any of them...
Main lawn: 80% moss, with the East side (left in the picture) sitting under some big trees.
iPhone panorama showing shaded area:
How do I even start to sort the moss out without having a period of bare earth?
2nd area is orchard, hard going for the ride-on as it is very lumpy. Lots of tree roots. I think I might have to get some sheep in to keep this one short.
The 3rd are is the worst of my headache; a paddock of approx 2 acres, sloping North to South by 20m over 150m, although quite level for the 40m or so at the South by the river. Bordered to the South by a small river. Bordered to the West by a hedge/ditch which flows down to the South river. Another small stream approaches the extreme NE corner, turns along the North edge and runs about halfway before terminating in a ditch. This has previously had drainage pipes put in that runs down the paddock and discharges into the river. Photo taken E-W.
About 75% of this field, even though it is on a slope, is squelchy wet. I'm thinking about putting more drainage in, running NW to SE but will cost a fortune. Also thinking of ploughing deep and completely re-grassing as it is being taken over by docks and reeds.
3rd option would be to use the fact that there is so much water around and dig a lake in the bottom, near the river, fed from the stream from the NE and draining to the river in the SE.
I'm really at a complete loss for what I should actually do to dry the field out a bit (a lot!). Any Drainage specialists here?
Main lawn: 80% moss, with the East side (left in the picture) sitting under some big trees.
iPhone panorama showing shaded area:
How do I even start to sort the moss out without having a period of bare earth?
2nd area is orchard, hard going for the ride-on as it is very lumpy. Lots of tree roots. I think I might have to get some sheep in to keep this one short.
The 3rd are is the worst of my headache; a paddock of approx 2 acres, sloping North to South by 20m over 150m, although quite level for the 40m or so at the South by the river. Bordered to the South by a small river. Bordered to the West by a hedge/ditch which flows down to the South river. Another small stream approaches the extreme NE corner, turns along the North edge and runs about halfway before terminating in a ditch. This has previously had drainage pipes put in that runs down the paddock and discharges into the river. Photo taken E-W.
About 75% of this field, even though it is on a slope, is squelchy wet. I'm thinking about putting more drainage in, running NW to SE but will cost a fortune. Also thinking of ploughing deep and completely re-grassing as it is being taken over by docks and reeds.
3rd option would be to use the fact that there is so much water around and dig a lake in the bottom, near the river, fed from the stream from the NE and draining to the river in the SE.
I'm really at a complete loss for what I should actually do to dry the field out a bit (a lot!). Any Drainage specialists here?
The local stables use it during the summer months at the moment, but have to take the horses out during the wetter months as it it too waterlogged.
If I can get it sorted I'd like to partition it for a much larger veg patch, a decent chicken enclosure, maybe some more sheep and possibly a delicious pig or two.
If I have to go down the route that makes a large pond to try and 'attract' the water, then there will be some ducks and possibly a few trout.
A little R/C aircraft runway would be a nice bonus too, but at present I would need floats or seaplanes.
If I can get it sorted I'd like to partition it for a much larger veg patch, a decent chicken enclosure, maybe some more sheep and possibly a delicious pig or two.
If I have to go down the route that makes a large pond to try and 'attract' the water, then there will be some ducks and possibly a few trout.
A little R/C aircraft runway would be a nice bonus too, but at present I would need floats or seaplanes.
Nothing compared to you lot, but it's looking better this week. First short cut, and the seed has taken.
Re: dog wee, ketchup! Seems to be working, no burns so far, but I'm watering every day, so maybe just diluting it!
ETA: now looking at the photo, that 4th slab is out of line, and it's pissing me off. I done the grass and slabs in August last year, so it's just taking.
Re: dog wee, ketchup! Seems to be working, no burns so far, but I'm watering every day, so maybe just diluting it!
ETA: now looking at the photo, that 4th slab is out of line, and it's pissing me off. I done the grass and slabs in August last year, so it's just taking.
illmonkey said:
ETA: now looking at the photo, that 4th slab is out of line,
Nightmare. That needs attending to. There's something of the horror movie about that photo of your garden. Some weird perspective involving the weathered fence and gate...the single tree and the misaligned stone...pet cemetery... .
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