Why wont my lawn stay striped???

[airbrakes]

As we all know, an englishman takes great pride in his stripy lawn. However, I am somewhat baffled as to why I cant get my lawn as good as next door's. The house next door is maintained by the groundsman who does all the communal lawns in our development. He comes and does it all once a week. I mow ours once a week. He has treated it with something or other. I have judiciously applied weed and feed to ours several times. I have a 41cm Hayter with a rear roller. He has a 56cm Hayter with a rear roller.

So why, 3 days after cutting, are my stripes (right) faded to almost imperceptible whilst theirs (left) are still beautifully crisp?

[ShredderXLE]

Its because the Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side - when your neighbour looks out of his window, his grass looks like yours and your grass looks impeccable to him.

Its an optical illusion that still baffles scientists.

[crankedup]

The lusher the grass sward the better the stripes. Do you selective weedkill and fertilize your grass? Lawn sprinkler when it gets a little dry?

[Simpo Two]

Also perhaps his cutting height is higher - that will help stop the lwan going patchy and also emphasise the stripes, because it's only a factor of whch way the leaves are leaning.

You can also add stripes with a broom!

[Andehh]

Sorry this topic did give me a giggle! Keeping up with the Jones, and just imaging you cutting the grass then running to the windows to compare! I'd prob do exactly the same thing!

No harm or insult intended dedicated Op!

[aponting389]

OT but looks like a nice place to live

[Simpo Two]

Or if you can't win, try sabotage - creosote perhaps...

[bmthnick1981]

I'm struggling with maintaining the stripes on my lawn too! I would say it looks like your neighbour is leaving his grass longer, yours is shorter and looks scorched in some areas by the sun. I've been told to mow once a week but to only take 25% off the grass maximum. Apparently longer grass can help stifle weed growth as well.

[NormalWisdom]

Simpo Two said:

Also perhaps his cutting height is higher - that will help stop the lwan going patchy and also emphasise the stripes, because it's only a factor of whch way the leaves are leaning.

You can also add stripes with a broom!

^^^^^^^^
Absolutely this. Yours is too short, stripes fade quickly and in this hot weather is more susceptable to being parched. Leave a cutting height of at least 5cm, and mow 2-3 times a week initially (this will thicken growth. Also, don't mow stripes more than 2-3 times in the same direction, vary it (90degrees works well and gives a chequerboard effect).

[shtu]

Simpo Two said:

his cutting height is higher

Probably this. To me, yours looks "scalped" - it's too short, which means the turf will dry out readily, scorch, and also allow moss to encroach. it leaves the grass with relatively little leaf which doesn't make for a healthy plant.

It's a mistake to cut too short, thinking that it "saves mowing more often". Go a single notch higher on your mower (which is about 1/2" on hayters) and see how it looks.

[jeff m2]

It's possible he has done a soil test and adjusted the PH of the soil.

But as he is obviously doing something you are not, why not ask him.

Hey Albert your lawn looks absolutely fabulous, would you care to share some of your secrets so you don't have to look out your window and see my lawn

[shimmey69]

get him to look after your lawn???

do you use your lawn??? as i find that i can put stripes in mine and go away for the week, come back and they are still there, put them in in the morning and let the kids out and they are gone by lunch time!!

[airbrakes]

Thanks guys. I will leave it to get longer and cut it a setting higher in future (how do people with bowling green lawns get theirs so shot But so lush?). I'll also whack a sprinkler on it maybe once a week with this weather and I'll ask the contractor if he has any hints. I dont think sabotage will go down terribly well

Aponting - thanks, we do try to keep it looking nice. It's a barn conversion in the middle of nowhere, lovely and peaceful ad tranquil

Edited by airbrakes on Wednesday 10th July 15:21

[loughran]

Looking on the bright side, your neighbour hasn`t got any nice flowers in his garden.... or chimney pots.

And whilst his lawn does look nice, it`s nothing that can't be sorted out with a few frozen sausages.

[Simpo Two]

airbrakes said:

how do people with bowling green lawns get theirs so shot But so lush

Obsession! Bowling greens and golf courses have their own species of very fine grasses that work well short, but take an epic amount of maintenance.

[FourWheelDrift]

They cheat and use striped astroturf.

[The Jolly Todger]

Make sure you keep this thread updated so we can see some before and after shots.

For what it's worth I agree with most of the above, next door's grass is longer and better fed and watered.

[tescorank]

don't cut so short, and once a week give it a deep water and just give it a cut a quick spray before a cut (i know you're not supposed to cut wet grass)but for some reason this makes it lean over longer.

[tescorank]

The more i look at that picture the more convinced that your neighbors
early morning cutting at 4am.

Edited by tescorank on Tuesday 16th July 07:26

[Stu R]

airbrakes said:

Thanks guys. I will leave it to get longer and cut it a setting higher in future (how do people with bowling green lawns get theirs so shot But so lush?). I'll also whack a sprinkler on it maybe once a week with this weather and I'll ask the contractor if he has any hints. I dont think sabotage will go down terribly well

Aponting - thanks, we do try to keep it looking nice. It's a barn conversion in the middle of nowhere, lovely and peaceful ad tranquil

Edited by airbrakes on Wednesday 10th July 15:21

As said cut it longer and make sure the cutting blade is razor sharp so it's leaving a nice

Don't over-fertilise it, once in a while is fine but it's already peak growing season, any faster and it'll has less chance to strengthen. Also fertilising it in the autumn helps, sounds counter intuitive when the growth is stifled by cold air temperatures, but the roots benefit.

If you're planning on being obsessive about it get a Ph tester and see if the soil Ph needs any tweaking. They cost pence.


Other than that, lots of watering fairly regularly and a rake once in a while, or proper scarify if it gets heavier thatch.

Or just get greenthumb in or replace it all with AstroTurf and spend the time BBQing instead.