2018 Lawn thread

[richatnort]

NewNameNeeded said:

Any recommendations for encouraging growth in heavy clay soil? I think it needs aerating. Are the spiked shoes a gimmick? Hollow tine aearator?

I've got shoes and they seem to work fine for me.

[Condi]

nadger said:

That does sound much easier, however it grows right up to the rear fences of our neighbours, so I’m not sure that’ll go down too well!
My plan is to cut it all back, then when it starts to grow, nuke it with glyphosphate! Then dig out any significant roots and seed and mow regularly! I understand that keeps any regrowth back!

Once its green and you hit it with chemical it wont grow again, ever.

The chemical is systemic and gets right down to the roots, killing it from top to bottom, so no need to dig out roots and there wont be any regrowth.

[NewNameNeeded]

richatnort said:

I've got shoes and they seem to work fine for me.

Thanks. How often do you use them? Is it something I should be repeating throughout the year?

[richatnort]

NewNameNeeded said:

richatnort said:

I've got shoes and they seem to work fine for me.

Thanks. How often do you use them? Is it something I should be repeating throughout the year?

I'd say you can use then March time to air the lawn from winter and then again in the autumn to bring the bits you've walked over from being compact. You look a bit daft doing it but worth it.

[Jag_NE]

looking forward to a big push this year. lots of raking, seeding and feeding (4 in one stuff).

should i avoid using the feed when seeding?

[MrChips]

Having had new turf laid last year, it settled quite bumpy underfoot. The advice from the last thread was to wait till spring this year and the topdress and sees a bit more if needed.

Currently have a few things to sort with the lawn:
- there were quite a few large fungi growing in the more shady spots, some pinky coloured whilst others more like a normal mushroom.
I guess digging any remaining bits out before and work?

- the grass was quite soft underfoot and overall still a bit lumpy.. where can I buy good quality top dressing? Or should I mix it myself?

- google tells me a “lute” is the dogs danglies of tools when trying to level the lawn. But google also tells me they’re over £100 for some bits of metal and a pivot
Are there any other methods that work as well? I’m happy to spend the ££ if it’s worth it in the long run?

Only pic I have this year:

[Evanivitch]

I had new turf laid on the bottom (of 3) lawns in October 2016. Today it's leggy, patchy and crap. All due to a summer of neglect where I just could not get out there often enough to cut it. And I've found vole holes in it too (so much for having 2 cats).

I've already mowed it last weekend (top cut) and again this weekend a little shorter. It's going to need scarifying (I have a manual one), overseeding and a miracle. Maybe a decent wheeled (non hover) mower would help too.

[nadger]

Condi said:

nadger said:

That does sound much easier, however it grows right up to the rear fences of our neighbours, so I’m not sure that’ll go down too well!
My plan is to cut it all back, then when it starts to grow, nuke it with glyphosphate! Then dig out any significant roots and seed and mow regularly! I understand that keeps any regrowth back!

Once its green and you hit it with chemical it wont grow again, ever.

The chemical is systemic and gets right down to the roots, killing it from top to bottom, so no need to dig out roots and there wont be any regrowth.

Thanks, good to know!
The reason for the digging is because the root systems are so massive they stick above the ground, so to seed, etc, they’ll need to come out!

[Shiv_P]

Hi guys
How often do you recommend watering garden? Water amounts not an issue as water is fixed rate however obviously would not want to waste excess water unecessarily
Soil quality is quite poor and we get mushrooms and all sorts of crap growing in the summer as well

We have "green thumb" come to treat twice a year

[Aletank]

Any recommendations for a liquid weed/feed ?

[richatnort]

Aletank said:

Any recommendations for a liquid weed/feed ?

probably a bit early for feed and weed.

If anyone is starting out i'd strongly reccomend buying 'the lawn expert' as it gives you a really good schedule to follow and things to do when

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/09035054...

It's £2.50 on amazon and i've found it really useful.

You want to be looking at moss control (iron sulphate) now but not scarifying till April time when it's warmer and you've made a few cuts with the lawn mower.

[thebraketester]

MrChips said:

Having had new turf laid last year, it settled quite bumpy underfoot. The advice from the last thread was to wait till spring this year and the topdress and sees a bit more if needed.

Currently have a few things to sort with the lawn:
- there were quite a few large fungi growing in the more shady spots, some pinky coloured whilst others more like a normal mushroom.
I guess digging any remaining bits out before and work?

- the grass was quite soft underfoot and overall still a bit lumpy.. where can I buy good quality top dressing? Or should I mix it myself?

- google tells me a “lute” is the dogs danglies of tools when trying to level the lawn. But google also tells me they’re over £100 for some bits of metal and a pivot
Are there any other methods that work as well? I’m happy to spend the ££ if it’s worth it in the long run?

Only pic I have this year:

We have the same issue. New turf down last year and its like the surface of the moon now. Concidering rolling it to flatten all the bumps and worm casts.

[Aletank]

richatnort said:

probably a bit early for feed and weed.

If anyone is starting out i'd strongly reccomend buying 'the lawn expert' as it gives you a really good schedule to follow and things to do when

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/09035054...

It's £2.50 on amazon and i've found it really useful.

You want to be looking at moss control (iron sulphate) now but not scarifying till April time when it's warmer and you've made a few cuts with the lawn mower.

Thanks for that, I've just ordered the book !
So some Iron sulphate now, a couple of cuts then scarify in April ?
Thanks again !

[richatnort]

Aletank said:

Thanks for that, I've just ordered the book !
So some Iron sulphate now, a couple of cuts then scarify in April ?
Thanks again !

Yeh you don't really want to do anything with your lawn until March time i'd say but if you don't mind seeing black patches on it then you could iron sulphate now to kill off the moss, then i'd be scarifying to get it all out which will probably make your lawn look shocking.

Then April / may depending if your in the south over seed, etc but it all explains that in the book.

[PositronicRay]

Dogs and urine burn

Any advice that works?

What I won't be doing
Changing dogs diet
Killing dog
Diluting pee patch immediately after venting
Killing dog
Artificial grass
Training dog to pee somewhere else
Changing a he for a she

I've heard that keeping lawn moist helps, well this winter it's been flipping soaking but still covered in brown patches.

[jgy6000]

Any advice on what I can do to improve this mess?
I raked it over to get rid of the leaves and gave it a mow, it’s looking pretty bad!
We moved in not long ago and this is the first bit of grass I have ever had to look after.

[Pumpkinz]

jgy6000 said:

Any advice on what I can do to improve this mess?
I raked it over to get rid of the leaves and gave it a mow, it’s looking pretty bad!
We moved in not long ago and this is the first bit of grass I have ever had to look after.

Dig it up

The only thing grass is good for is making a turf stack to generate good quality organic matter to help some decent plants grow better.

[juice]

Anecdotally dog rocks worked for our dog...your mileage may vary

Can only go on our experience but they stopped the burn from appearing last year. People will tell you they are snake oil but I can only go on my experience and they deffo worked.

[PositronicRay]

juice said:

Anecdotally dog rocks worked for our dog...your mileage may vary

Can only go on our experience but they stopped the burn from appearing last year. People will tell you they are snake oil but I can only go on my experience and they deffo worked.

I'm not convened of the science behind dog rocks. Their website does show a useful 'before and after' lawn pic though!

[Tahiti]

I spent quite a bit of time on the lawns last year, and they looked pretty good without being amazing.

As for this year, I Ferrous Sulphated this weekend and did a bit of raking the week before on the front (moss had really taken over so I thought I'd give it a try).

My front lawn is typically in full sun in the warmer months and suffers from the usual moss and weeds, whereas the back has little sun, and in fact is surrounded by trees sucking up the moisture as well as blocking out the light - so grass struggles to grow at all in places. I had a little more success with Lawnsmith's seed last year, but it still wasn't ideal out back, and the grass has now all but disappeared under the trees. I'm therefore considering my options out back.