2015 Lawn thread
Discussion
Rick101 said:
Looking somewhat greener. Two weeks since last application of lawn feed so stuck some down again today. Have the week off work so is an ideal time.
Definitely go easy on the amount/frequency you feed your lawn. Twice a year maximum really should be enough (late spring/autumn) otherwise you run the risk of burning the grass. If you do feed it in a dry spell make sure you've got irrigation available. 
popeyewhite said:
Quite a small lawn. Is it excessively damp/shaded? If neither I'd be tempted to give it a harsh scarify/aerate/weed + moss killer n' feed [water thoroughly] then scarify again two weeks later followed by feed and overseed. By the end of June it should be completely sorted notwithstanding any mitigating factors.
Turfing will do the job but I'd be surprised if it looks as good as a refurb'ed lawn should by the end of June. Still be sweat and blisters involved though
ThanksTurfing will do the job but I'd be surprised if it looks as good as a refurb'ed lawn should by the end of June. Still be sweat and blisters involved though
I scarified it last night, feed n weed should arrive today.
Is there a 'best' or 'recommended' brand of grass seed?
Wow just found this thread! some great stripage going on here folks.
I'm coming into my second summer of have a garden which includes grass in which I can cut. And I must say I'm becoming quite OCD already. I spent 5 hours last Sunday cutting edges, turning flower beds and striping the grass.
This will be it's second cut since the nice weather so about 2-3 weeks. It looks a bit patchy in places though, I'm not sure if my mower blades need sharpening though.
I'm sure I'll perfect straight lines some day.
I'm coming into my second summer of have a garden which includes grass in which I can cut. And I must say I'm becoming quite OCD already. I spent 5 hours last Sunday cutting edges, turning flower beds and striping the grass.
This will be it's second cut since the nice weather so about 2-3 weeks. It looks a bit patchy in places though, I'm not sure if my mower blades need sharpening though.
I'm sure I'll perfect straight lines some day.
Rick101 said:
Looking somewhat greener. Two weeks since last application of lawn feed so stuck some down again today. Have the week off work so is an ideal time.
Don't feed it again, or you will most likely brown it / kill it. Less is more, is the rule - hard learned!Wait until later in the summer - about end July and reassess. Most likely not require another feed until the Autumn.
Personally I feed about every six weeks or so, or about three times during spring/summer and then a final feed with an autumn formula. Feeding every two weeks is excessive, but I think it needs more than just once or twice. You have to be very careful if using a combined weed & feed, which will scorch much more readily than a plain feed - which is one reason why I tend to use the latter unless I need the weedkilling effect.
After spending the last year or two concentrating on the inside of the house our attentions have now turned to the garden. This is a view to the rear of our estate mid February during scarification, hollow tine aeration was carried out last year.
I'd say we inherited a lawn which was 60-70% moss with the front closer to 90% moss, several bare patches, dog lichen and really boggy in the wet.
Taken last weekend.
Scarification has left several bare patches which have been seeded and there seems to be daily improvement at the minute now the sunis was back.
I'd say we inherited a lawn which was 60-70% moss with the front closer to 90% moss, several bare patches, dog lichen and really boggy in the wet.
Taken last weekend.
Scarification has left several bare patches which have been seeded and there seems to be daily improvement at the minute now the sun
Thanks for comments. No more feed down. Just frustrating seeing barren ground.
Will stick to regular water and cutting.
I have a Qualcast hand push mower. Didn't want anything bigger as I don't have the space but it's not all that great at cutting and def not great at collecting. I usually rake after each cut but suspect lots of the trims stay on the ground.
Will stick to regular water and cutting.
I have a Qualcast hand push mower. Didn't want anything bigger as I don't have the space but it's not all that great at cutting and def not great at collecting. I usually rake after each cut but suspect lots of the trims stay on the ground.
After reading this I thought I would give mine a go. Both lawns had loads of moss and daisies but the back had way more moss down the left side and the bottom corner, loads of shade and probably poor drainage.
So far I have done a weed and feed at the beginning of the month, aerated the front and back with a fork, also had some liquid weed killer for the broad leaf weeds. I then seem to have spent hours with the spring rake removing 2 million tons of thatch and moss (may be an exaggeration).
The front lawn has been over seeded and top dressed. At the back I have run out of top soil trying to level it out a bit, then it will be over seeded and top dressed. then i bloody well better get some nice grass or it can stay weedy like it has been before, it is still green when you cut it.
Front
Back
Back
So far I have done a weed and feed at the beginning of the month, aerated the front and back with a fork, also had some liquid weed killer for the broad leaf weeds. I then seem to have spent hours with the spring rake removing 2 million tons of thatch and moss (may be an exaggeration).
The front lawn has been over seeded and top dressed. At the back I have run out of top soil trying to level it out a bit, then it will be over seeded and top dressed. then i bloody well better get some nice grass or it can stay weedy like it has been before, it is still green when you cut it.
Front
Back
Back
Well we've had a disaster - photo to follow tomorrow. I scarified, seeded and fertilized on Easter Monday, the seed took ages to grow so I didn't cut it until the Tuesday of this week. Then Tuesday night and last night the local badger population have dropped by to dig holes in the lawn - more than 60 holes in all 
AND to make it worse we have huge brown patches all over the lawn.
I'd come to the conclusion that it was chafer grub causing the brown patches and that was what the badgers were looking for. I've inspected it tonight though and the brown grass isn't loose so chafer grubs look less likely but it now appears that elderly dad (nearly 81) has been wacking weedkiller down on the weeds, but it seems that he hasn't used the lawn friendly killer and has massacred the grass
Sooo....suggestions please to put this right by the end of the month for his birthday party - rake out the dead grass (will the scarifier do that to save the effort of raking?), compost, seed and feed?
It was all going so well!
AND to make it worse we have huge brown patches all over the lawn. I'd come to the conclusion that it was chafer grub causing the brown patches and that was what the badgers were looking for. I've inspected it tonight though and the brown grass isn't loose so chafer grubs look less likely but it now appears that elderly dad (nearly 81) has been wacking weedkiller down on the weeds, but it seems that he hasn't used the lawn friendly killer and has massacred the grass
Sooo....suggestions please to put this right by the end of the month for his birthday party - rake out the dead grass (will the scarifier do that to save the effort of raking?), compost, seed and feed?
It was all going so well!
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