2022 Lawn Thread

[dhutch]

Yes, they do the AVR 1100 verticut machine too but I've not see that in action, but the ALR 900 is an tuned electric lawn rake. Good for removing debris, pine needles etc, will take out moss, and some thatch, and leave lines in bare earth patches. To do a you want a deep cut you likely need a 5hp petrol engine, but be very interested how you get in with that machine, let us know.

[nickfrog]

dhutch said:

Yes, they do the AVR 1100 verticut machine too but I've not see that in action, but the ALR 900 is an tuned electric lawn rake. Good for removing debris, pine needles etc, will take out moss, and some thatch, and leave lines in bare earth patches. To do a you want a deep cut you likely need a 5hp petrol engine, but be very interested how you get in with that machine, let us know.

Cheers, will do. Is it too late in the year to do it though?

I am in "balmy" West Sussex but temperatures are down quite dramatically...

[Harry Flashman]

My lawn is now 30% clover. However, I quite like it that way and the remaining grass seems healthier and deeper rooted than before. Any thoughts from the lawn collective?

[Evanivitch]

Harry Flashman said:

My lawn is now 30% clover. However, I quite like it that way and the remaining grass seems healthier and deeper rooted than before. Any thoughts from the lawn collective?

Clover is great. One of my laws (three small ones) is largely given over to clover (and a few other 'weeds' but not dandelions!).

If the grass looks healthy it's because clover fixes nitrogen into the ground. Something you'd usually use a feed for, lawn feed typically being high in nitrogen as it encourages green leafy growth.

Clover can get very tall and leggy, but can also thrive under a high-cut mowing regime. Left uncut it has quite thick stems. Regularly mown high it thrives and flowers well at low level which is great for insects.

Clover seed is also very cheap, and can use micro clover strains to maximise growth under mowing.

[kriggi]

nickfrog said:

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

nickfrog said:

Is that too cheap? https://www.aldi.co.uk/ferrex-2-in-1-electric-scar...

I bought a Screwfix one at exactly the same price point a few years ago, and it does a reasonable job for the money. There’s probably nothing wrong with that Aldi one either, so I’d go for it.

I assume the “2-in-1” means it comes with two cartridges: a raking cartridge and a scarifying cartridge.

Thanks. Bought this one in the end. https://www.homebase.co.uk/powerbase-1400w-electri...

Probably similar.

Thx dhutch too but the Bosch looks more like a raker than a (deep) scarifyer.

Love the way Homebase photograph the scarifier against plastic grass!

[otolith]

It’s mostly recovered from the summer (and needs cutting again) except for over the soakaway.

[nickfrog]

dhutch said:

but be very interested how you get in with that machine, let us know.

Just a quick test on the shallowest (of 2) settings at -5mm. The amount of shyte that comes out is unreal. No wonder it wasn't growing well. That's one pass and the basket can only pick up 20% of the stuff (I think the basket is mainly for the raking function).

I'll finish the first pass tomorrow, pick up with the mower and I'll do a second pass across for the fun of it.

It is quite lightly built and that's where the Bosch must be much more sturdy. But I'll only use it once a year and it comes with a 3 second year warranty.

[DonkeyApple]

I have a small Alko petrol scarifier. What I tend to do is remove the collector, wedge the flap open with a wooden stick and just use it on a dry day when a leaf blower will work to collect everything in a corner for picking up.

[nickfrog]

DonkeyApple said:

I have a small Alko petrol scarifier. What I tend to do is remove the collector, wedge the flap open with a wooden stick and just use it on a dry day when a leaf blower will work to collect everything in a corner for picking up.

Great minds think alike. I just finished the first pass and won't be using the collector tomorrow.

I like the idea of the leaf blower but his Excellency will understand that being of petit bourgeois descent, the size of my property doesn't allow me the luxury of blowing too much stuff for fear of reprisal from my fervent Brexit neighbour invoking his newly acquired insularity as a sure fire way of having me deported to where I came from.

Edited by nickfrog on Wednesday 28th September 18:21

[dhutch]

nickfrog said:

Cheers, will do. Is it too late in the year to do it though?

I am in "balmy" West Sussex but temperatures are down quite dramatically...

You are maybe getting boardline for overseeding at this point as a guess. Nothing wrong with patching a bit but I wouldn't be putting down seed over a big area unless the forecast looks mildish.

At which point you don't want go mad and take it down really hard and leave it bare over winter, you also don't want to stress the grass too much end of season I don't think as it isn't going to do a huge amount of growing either. However it will regrow atleast a little, so a medium to light rake should be ok I think. Not an expert, but we are coming to the end of growing season and that's not the time for heavy work.

nickfrog said:

Just a quick test on the shallowest (of 2) settings at -5mm. The amount of shyte that comes out is unreal. No wonder it wasn't growing well. That's one pass and the basket can only pick up 20% of the stuff (I think the basket is mainly for the raking function).

I'll finish the first pass tomorrow, pick up with the mower and I'll do a second pass across for the fun of it.

It is quite lightly built and that's where the Bosch must be much more sturdy. But I'll only use it once a year and it comes with a 3 second year warranty.

Glad it's working, you can always do the second pass a bit lighter too.

As for build solidarity, the Bosch is a light weight all plastic machine too. Its put the hours in and I'm impressed for the money so far, but it's certainly aimed at the light domestic market, and for a lawn smaller than our 500sqm patch. That said, it does work, and even now I've.l bought a mammoth great Sisis ARR petrol unit, it get use raking up pine needles as I don't have a box for the Sisis, don't need the heavier cut, and am not doing the whole lawn.

[nickfrog]

^^ thanks for the advice. Much appreciated although I jumped the gun as it was 22 degrees!!

I'll finish tomorrow and follow your advice of a light second pass

You reckon I shouldn't overseed nor feed now?

Forecast is 2 weeks of sun with mild temps, around 17 deg in the day and down to 12 at night.

Edited by nickfrog on Wednesday 28th September 19:21

[dhutch]

nickfrog said:

You reckon I shouldn't overseed nor feed now?

Forecast is 2 weeks of sun with mild temps, around 17 deg in the day and down to 12 at night.

To be fair, a fortnight of those temps it should germinate fine, the guide seems be soil temp of 10deg, which you should have with that. Here it's highs of 15, 8-9 at night so much more marginal.

[nickfrog]

dhutch said:

To be fair, a fortnight of those temps it should germinate fine, the guide seems be soil temp of 10deg, which you should have with that. Here it's highs of 15, 8-9 at night so much more marginal.

Thank you. I might have got away with it. Will improvise less next year!

[Condi]

Grass will keep growing for a while yet. Be fine to seed for a bit longer, farmers haven't planted winter wheat yet and that's a grass. I planted some the other week and while it's not germinated yet conditions are good and the rest of the grass around it is still getting bigger.

[nickfrog]

^ thank you.

What grass seeds would people suggest for a South facing front garden with no shade? Resilience is my priority as no one walks on it and I don't care how thin the blades are or what it looks like up close, I am not sniffing it

[dhutch]

Soil type? I would just go with a normal family lawn seed unless others suggest anything else.

[nickfrog]

dhutch said:

Soil type? I would just go with a normal family lawn seed unless others suggest anything else.

Not sure. I think it is chalky / clay as I am on the South Downs.

Edited by nickfrog on Thursday 29th September 18:47

[nickfrog]

Have I killed off my lawn by scarifying it ?




It never recovered from the summer and was very patchy brown when most other local lawns were near perfect (and my neighbours tell me they do nothing to their lawn apart from mowing it).

But now, I am not sure it will recover. Most of the stuff left looks like thick dry hay / thatch.

I fed it, overseeded it, there has been plenty of rain AND sun since then.

A bit of patience required?

The thing I am wondering too is, was there any point doing all this without aerating it ?

I removed about half a cubic meter of thatch out of 110 sq meters on the least aggressive setting but perhaps I also removed grass that would have come back?

Any advice welcome. What would you do next?

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

nickfrog said:

Have I killed off my lawn by scarifying it ?

Nope. That’s what a scarified lawn should look like. Scary, isn’t it?

nickfrog said:

I fed it, overseeded it, there has been plenty of rain AND sun since then.

All good stuff!

nickfrog said:

A bit of patience required?

“Patience you must have, my young padawan!”

Yoda was clearly talking about lawncare.

nickfrog said:

The thing I am wondering too is, was there any point doing all this without aerating it ?

Aerating is good, but not always necessary.

nickfrog said:

I removed about half a cubic meter of thatch out of 110 sq meters on the least aggressive setting but perhaps I also removed grass that would have come back?

You will always tear out some good grass when you scarify. It’s inevitable.

nickfrog said:

What would you do next?

I’d do three things:

• Water
• Water
• Water

Especially if you’ve put seed down, it needs to stay moist without drying out. And watering will help the mature grass recover as well.

Believe me, even those of us who have scarified umpteen times - we all go through this self-doubt and wonder whether we’ve gone too far this time. But it always comes back. Thinking “oh fk, what have I done?” simply proves that you have been appropriately aggressive!

[blue al]

I’d put polythene down to extend the growing season and retain moisture