2018 Lawn thread

[scott2c]

SiT said:

Looking for a little help with my lawn which was laid around 2 months ago now. On the whole it has taken well and is a lovely shade of green and perfect for daughter to enjoy in this weather.

However I have a slight issue around the edges. The lawn is bordered with pressure treated timber sleepers due to differing levels, and provides a nice clean edge.

The problem I have is that the edges of the lawn are starting to look burnt/dead and I can’t work out why.

Will upload a couple of pics in a mo.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Si

The roots won't be established enough so the edges are going to dry out quickly. Any lawn up against an edge like wood or concrete will dry out quicker because the edges retain some heat.

[dhutch]

I have just acquired a new (to us) lawn which wants a bit of work.

Stack loads of moss and quite a lot of weeds. Plenty of shade, some broad leaf some pine, but generally not too bad. Raised above the ground so cant see it getting to damp, currently dry-ish obviously!

My thoughts are wait till its due to drop a bit of rain and then give it max dose on bnq spec 'Evergreen 4 in 1' weed and feed from the supermarket and see how that goes. Then get the parents electric scarifiers on it to rip out the thatch and dead moss. Any other thoughts?



Edit to add.
Fairly sure the last owners cut the grass far to short, all the signs of it including the mower set at the bottom of its travel.
Will look into spiking and or top dressing if at any point in autumn it looks like its at all wet.


Daniel

Edited by dhutch on Monday 25th June 17:03

[SiT]

scott2c said:

The roots won't be established enough so the edges are going to dry out quickly. Any lawn up against an edge like wood or concrete will dry out quicker because the edges retain some heat.

So as suggested above are we thinking they are drying out quicker so need a good load of regular watering to get them established and growing or is this something that I simply can’t change???

Si

[kryten22uk]

SiT said:

So as suggested above are we thinking they are drying out quicker so need a good load of regular watering to get them established and growing or is this something that I simply can’t change???

Si

You just need to take care until the turf at the edge is established. I.e. plenty of watering. Once established, the fact that it is up against those sleepers will be irrelevant, and it will grow just the same as anywhere else.

[MrChips]

Oh how quickly things can change.. so... i put down some Lawnsmith 3 month slow release summer fertiliser and it appears to have burnt a huge amount and had a massively varying effect (good and bad) on others. Something must have been off with the mix i suspect given the even state of the lawn beforehand.

4 weeks ago


Then...


[/quote]

And now



Frustrating given its meant to be a slow release formula! I've contacted the company but doubt they can help so i've been watering twice daily to attempt to recover as much as possible.

Anything else i can be doing?

[Craikeybaby]

dhutch said:

I have just acquired a new (to us) lawn which wants a bit of work.

Stack loads of moss and quite a lot of weeds. Plenty of shade, some broad leaf some pine, but generally not too bad. Raised above the ground so cant see it getting to damp, currently dry-ish obviously!

My thoughts are wait till its due to drop a bit of rain and then give it max dose on bnq spec 'Evergreen 4 in 1' weed and feed from the supermarket and see how that goes. Then get the parents electric scarifiers on it to rip out the thatch and dead moss. Any other thoughts?



Edit to add.
Fairly sure the last owners cut the grass far to short, all the signs of it including the mower set at the bottom of its travel.
Will look into spiking and or top dressing if at any point in autumn it looks like its at all wet.


Daniel

Edited by dhutch on Monday 25th June 17:03

I'd just go with iron sulphate, rather than the 4 in 1. Then scarify and overseed.

[dhutch]

Craikeybaby said:

I'd just go with iron sulphate, rather than the 4 in 1. Then scarify and overseed.

Ok, thanks. New to this, so can I ask why?

A quick google suggests iron sulphate is dissolved in water and then applied. Presumably this can be done with time and care using a good watering can and rose? Or is there another more effective method, short of a full blown dosing system, I could use?


Thanks


Daniel

[Harry Flashman]

Fellas - watering tips in this hot weather? Once a week and deep? Or deep every day? Starting to go brown and wilt...

[Defcon5]

I’ve returned home from holiday to find a barren scorched wasteland where my lawn used to be.

Is water and more water the correct course of action?

[Humpy D]

Jagnet's post last Saturday after mine suggests that an hour's irrigation should last a week or even 2 in the summer.

I did mine last Friday as whilst it definitely looked better for few days it's starting to go browny/yellow now. Although the weather we are currently having can't really be classed as typical Summer weather!! (In addition I have 3 trees in the garden which probably suck any moisture out of the ground too.)

I'm going to do mine again maybe this Friday but I have a question.

Does it matter when I cut the grass in relation to when I water it? For example, I watered the grass on Friday and then cut it on Saturday. Is this ok or would I be better to cut the grass and then mow it? Or leave a few days between watering and mowing?

[Burwood]

S11Steve said:

I gave the new grass another trim yesterday, only taking about 2cm off it, and I reseeded a few patches where the original seed had moved with watering or eaten by birds. The Flymo I have at the moment is a bit rubbish and although I put a new blade on it, I'm sure it just flattens the grass before the blades get the chance to cut it.

The paddling pool is not going on it though, much to the disgust of the youngest who's having a strop now.



There been quite a change in the last 3 years.

Is that a dug up and newly laced soil base? If so how much soil was needed?

[S11Steve]

Mines getting a 10 minute spray in the morning and half hour each evening, but I am still nurturing a new lawn from seed. Maybe not the best time of year to do that, but I didn't have a lot of choice.

[dhutch]

Craikeybaby said:

I'd just go with iron sulphate, rather than the 4 in 1. Then scarify and overseed.

Ok, thanks. New to this, so can I ask why?

A quick google suggests iron sulphate is dissolved in water and then applied.

Presumably this can be done with time and care using a good watering can and rose?
Or is there another more effective method, short of a full blown dosing system, I could use?


Thanks


Daniel

[Craikeybaby]

The all in one products aren't as good as the separate ones. If getting rid of moss is the priority, iron sulphate is what you need - it wil also green up the lawn. The moss will go black and be easy to rake up. And yes, you apply it with a watering can.

[Hayek]

dhutch said:

Craikeybaby said:

I'd just go with iron sulphate, rather than the 4 in 1. Then scarify and overseed.

Ok, thanks. New to this, so can I ask why?

A quick google suggests iron sulphate is dissolved in water and then applied.

Presumably this can be done with time and care using a good watering can and rose?
Or is there another more effective method, short of a full blown dosing system, I could use?


Thanks


Daniel

I just use a sprinkle bar attacked to my 20L watering can. Walk up and down with a bamboo stick in the other hand to mark where I got to when I have to go and refill. Takes about 4 or 5 watering cans full, it's easier after I've put stripes in the lawn as these are a good guide to keep in a straight line.

[Blackpuddin]

kryten22uk said:

SiT said:

So as suggested above are we thinking they are drying out quicker so need a good load of regular watering to get them established and growing or is this something that I simply can’t change???

Si

You just need to take care until the turf at the edge is established. I.e. plenty of watering. Once established, the fact that it is up against those sleepers will be irrelevant, and it will grow just the same as anywhere else.

I'll bet the grass gets hotter there too with reflected heat from those wooden sleepers.

[wjwren]

Ive found the sun is so strong at the moment the grass looks kind of burnt. I never water at night but last night decided to soak it.

[dhutch]

Craikeybaby said:

The all in one products aren't as good as the separate ones. If getting rid of moss is the priority, iron sulphate is what you need - it wil also green up the lawn. The moss will go black and be easy to rake up. And yes, you apply it with a watering can.

Hayek said:

I just use a sprinkle bar attacked to my 20L watering can. Walk up and down with a bamboo stick in the other hand to mark where I got to when I have to go and refill. Takes about 4 or 5 watering cans full, it's easier after I've put stripes in the lawn as these are a good guide to keep in a straight line.

Sounds good. Thanks both.

I will endeavour to swing by a garden centre and pick up a good can, sprinkler, and some iron phosphate and see how we go.

Believe its best done when it not bone dry as it is now, we're due bit of light rain in a weeks time so will hold of till then and hit it.

Thanks

Daniel

[wjwren]

i put some richard jackson lawn feed on other day. Im not one for buying off QVC but this stuff is really really good. £25 for 5l. I put it in the wheelie bin, stuck a tap on the bottom then plug the jetwash in and spray it on a soft setting.

[scott2c]

wjwren said:

i put some richard jackson lawn feed on other day. Im not one for buying off QVC but this stuff is really really good. £25 for 5l. I put it in the wheelie bin, stuck a tap on the bottom then plug the jetwash in and spray it on a soft setting.

Can you post a photo of the label showing the ingredients and NPK? Can't quite see everything on the website, but can see it's fully Nitrogen and contains some iron, magnesium and seaweed extract.