2022 Lawn Thread
Discussion
Ferrous sulphate isn’t a substitute for fertiliser - it contains none of the three major nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Think of iron as being like a vitamin - it’s important, but it isn’t food as such.
The trouble with Poa annua is no matter what height you mow at, it will simply adapt and flower below that height. It can flower and seed below the height that a rotary mower can achieve.
I think you’re jumping to a premature conclusion if you’re assuming that the increase in Poa annua was due to mulching, based on only one season. It’s equally likely that weather conditions that year favoured the Poa annua. And even if you collect the clippings you will never catch all the seed heads; the few seed heads you leave behind will still produce hundreds of thousands of seeds.
So I’m not convinced that mowing practices can reduce Poa annua.
Personally I mulch all through the warmer months, from about March to October, depending on temperature. It’s definitely beneficial, but to work well you have to mow very frequently so that the clippings are as fine as possible. I mow two or three times a week, weather permitting. The lawn also has to be completely dry.
I stop mulching when it gets too cool, because the natural breakdown of the clippings will slow down or stop, and you don’t want the clippings to hang around. Also, I figure that the extra organic material will attract worms to the surface during the autumn and result in more worm casts. This doesn’t seem to be a problem the rest of the year.
The trouble with Poa annua is no matter what height you mow at, it will simply adapt and flower below that height. It can flower and seed below the height that a rotary mower can achieve.
I think you’re jumping to a premature conclusion if you’re assuming that the increase in Poa annua was due to mulching, based on only one season. It’s equally likely that weather conditions that year favoured the Poa annua. And even if you collect the clippings you will never catch all the seed heads; the few seed heads you leave behind will still produce hundreds of thousands of seeds.
So I’m not convinced that mowing practices can reduce Poa annua.
Personally I mulch all through the warmer months, from about March to October, depending on temperature. It’s definitely beneficial, but to work well you have to mow very frequently so that the clippings are as fine as possible. I mow two or three times a week, weather permitting. The lawn also has to be completely dry.
I stop mulching when it gets too cool, because the natural breakdown of the clippings will slow down or stop, and you don’t want the clippings to hang around. Also, I figure that the extra organic material will attract worms to the surface during the autumn and result in more worm casts. This doesn’t seem to be a problem the rest of the year.
Mulching question - I have a very small lawn, bog standard rotary electric mower. I want to mulch but can't justify any additional spend. Can I just cut the lawn and just not collect the clippings? I'm guessing I would need to cut it even more regularly (perhaps twice a week) so that the clippings are very short? Advice appreciated.
LaserTam said:
Mulching question - I have a very small lawn, bog standard rotary electric mower. I want to mulch but can't justify any additional spend. Can I just cut the lawn and just not collect the clippings? I'm guessing I would need to cut it even more regularly (perhaps twice a week) so that the clippings are very short? Advice appreciated.
Don't see why not. Just try it and see if you can get to the point where there are no visible clippings after mowing. If the lawn is small, it might be worth going over a couple of times which should help chop the clippings a bit smaller. I need help.
I have a gravel mess of a garden (finally getting round to sorting it since we bought the place).
I was eyeing up some easigrass artificial lawn due to the poor drainage we have (clay soils - sat on a former brook floodplain).
However I've decided to give it a go with real grass.
Any suggestions for what I need to ask the landscaper regarding drainage etc.
I'll be having a border down one side for wild flowers, whatever the Mrs wants and a path leading to my decking down the other.
I have a gravel mess of a garden (finally getting round to sorting it since we bought the place).
I was eyeing up some easigrass artificial lawn due to the poor drainage we have (clay soils - sat on a former brook floodplain).
However I've decided to give it a go with real grass.
Any suggestions for what I need to ask the landscaper regarding drainage etc.
I'll be having a border down one side for wild flowers, whatever the Mrs wants and a path leading to my decking down the other.
Arnold Cunningham said:
I'm generally happy with how it's all come together this year:
I think I'll extend the wild bit next year - maybe double the size but with more of a path and "centre" to it.
For the last 3 years from May until October I leave mine bar a pathway through the middle, I have clover, wild daisy, sea thrift, dandelion, the list goes on, right now I have 100s of bees doing their thing, when I see people spraying for this and that needless feeding just create a green desert is heartbreaking frankly, the damage to the environment is massive on every level.I think I'll extend the wild bit next year - maybe double the size but with more of a path and "centre" to it.
Snow and Rocks said:
LaserTam said:
Mulching question - I have a very small lawn, bog standard rotary electric mower. I want to mulch but can't justify any additional spend. Can I just cut the lawn and just not collect the clippings? I'm guessing I would need to cut it even more regularly (perhaps twice a week) so that the clippings are very short? Advice appreciated.
Don't see why not. Just try it and see if you can get to the point where there are no visible clippings after mowing. If the lawn is small, it might be worth going over a couple of times which should help chop the clippings a bit smaller. dhutch said:
Harry Flashman said:
You can also buy mulching blades, and you probably need a plug instead of the grass collection box?
Yeah, see my earlier post above where I stuck a pair of mulch blades on. Lower blade is literally the same blade, but the spacer above comes out and the second blade goes in and makes an initial cut above the first, thus ending with half-length clippings. I then stuff something (anything, newspaper, old compost bag, foam insulation board we recommended) in the chute to block it, flap down to trap the blockage, and it mushes it all up and comes out the bottom fairly well worked into the grass, rather than falling out the back in clumps as it would otherwise without the box on.
You get some clumping in really thick bits, but most of the time it seems ok to me. Mower is working a bit harder, and if its at all damp does stick to the underside of the deck more, if fine when fully dry. Also takes a moment longer to spin up when I pull the blade clutch in, so do slightly try and avoid clutching in and out lots.
Like the other poster, I have also been round with the box on, on a higher notch, and or on certain specific bits, in order to capture seeds of coarser grasses if there are any. But yeah, so far so good I think.
mcelliott said:
For the last 3 years from May until October I leave mine bar a pathway through the middle, I have clover, wild daisy, sea thrift, dandelion, the list goes on, right now I have 100s of bees doing their thing, when I see people spraying for this and that needless feeding just create a green desert is heartbreaking frankly, the damage to the environment is massive on every level.
Calm down Greta, don’t think this is the thread for you……mrpbailey said:
mcelliott said:
For the last 3 years from May until October I leave mine bar a pathway through the middle, I have clover, wild daisy, sea thrift, dandelion, the list goes on, right now I have 100s of bees doing their thing, when I see people spraying for this and that needless feeding just create a green desert is heartbreaking frankly, the damage to the environment is massive on every level.
Calm down Greta, don’t think this is the thread for you……
Indeed, anyone who cares for their garden and has a lawn is already doing far more for the environment than people who cover it over with concrete or decking. I cut mine today, I've got 100s bees and insects on the lupins, geum, verbascum, euphorbias (they love them and they've been in flower for weeks), peonies, roses, salvias etc. The stachys will be in flower in just a few days and that will be alive with bees for another few months, then of course the dahlias and fuchsias will take over, the list goes on. Anyone who moans about me cutting my grass can do one.
RichB said:
rofl: Indeed, anyone who cares for their garden and has a lawn is already doing far more for the environment than people who cover it over
with concrete or decking. I cut mine today, I've got 100s bees and insects on the lupins, geum, verbascum, euphorbias (they love them and they've been in flower for weeks), peonies, roses, salvias etc. The stachys will be in flower in just a few days and that will be alive with bees for another few months, then of course the dahlias and fuchsias will take over, the list goes on. Anyone who moans about me cutting my grass can do one.
Yes, but apart from the lupins, geum, verbascum, euphorbias, peonies, roses, salvias, stachys, dahlias, fuchsias, etc... what have you ever done for the bees?with concrete or decking. I cut mine today, I've got 100s bees and insects on the lupins, geum, verbascum, euphorbias (they love them and they've been in flower for weeks), peonies, roses, salvias etc. The stachys will be in flower in just a few days and that will be alive with bees for another few months, then of course the dahlias and fuchsias will take over, the list goes on. Anyone who moans about me cutting my grass can do one.
You're causing massive environmental damage on every level with your grass and your lawn mowing... not just one level, or even some levels, but every level:
Ecological meltdown: I just hope you can live with yourself
RichB said:
mrpbailey said:
mcelliott said:
For the last 3 years from May until October I leave mine bar a pathway through the middle, I have clover, wild daisy, sea thrift, dandelion, the list goes on, right now I have 100s of bees doing their thing, when I see people spraying for this and that needless feeding just create a green desert is heartbreaking frankly, the damage to the environment is massive on every level.
Calm down Greta, don’t think this is the thread for you…… Indeed, anyone who cares for their garden and has a lawn is already doing far more for the environment than people who cover it over with concrete or decking. I cut mine today, I've got 100s bees and insects on the lupins, geum, verbascum, euphorbias (they love them and they've been in flower for weeks), peonies, roses, salvias etc. The stachys will be in flower in just a few days and that will be alive with bees for another few months, then of course the dahlias and fuchsias will take over, the list goes on. Anyone who moans about me cutting my grass can do one.
Speaking personally. I do mo-bacter and a bit of fertiliser on the lawn and that’s it. Partially because I’m a s
t gardener and don’t really know what I’m doing and partially because overall I like things looking natural. Any other work is “mechanical” just to keep things in check.
Wild Bluebells? Yes please
Fox gloves? Very pretty.
t gardener and don’t really know what I’m doing and partially because overall I like things looking natural. Any other work is “mechanical” just to keep things in check.Wild Bluebells? Yes please
Fox gloves? Very pretty.
Edited by Arnold Cunningham on Wednesday 1st June 10:45
I thought you'd be impressed that I have so many different plants for bees and insects yet still manage to have a green desert too. So, talking of bees and the like.
The bottom 4ft of both of my lawns are going to be "turned over" with a cultivator and seeded with wildflower meadow seeds in time for the summer.
I put some broadleaf weed and feed granules (Aftercut or similar) down about 2 weeks ago on the areas I'm going to do this on, as they are currently quite thick with dandelions and I dont want these overtaking the wildflowers.
It's done the job, but how long would you say I should now leave it before turning in and planting? I know the weedkiller persists in the soil for a bit and obviously I dont want to insta-kill everything I seed!
The bottom 4ft of both of my lawns are going to be "turned over" with a cultivator and seeded with wildflower meadow seeds in time for the summer.
I put some broadleaf weed and feed granules (Aftercut or similar) down about 2 weeks ago on the areas I'm going to do this on, as they are currently quite thick with dandelions and I dont want these overtaking the wildflowers.
It's done the job, but how long would you say I should now leave it before turning in and planting? I know the weedkiller persists in the soil for a bit and obviously I dont want to insta-kill everything I seed!
Loving the username, given the comments above your post.
As I understand it, the number one rule of a 'wildflower meadow' is that it needs reasonable non-fertile soil. So avoid anything with feed elements, and when cutting once a year, remove the grass cutting, as you would a meadow.
Wild flowers and grasses are tall, so should easily outcompete dandelion.
Most kickstart the process with wildflower seed mix, which is fine, but ideally ensure it is actually genuine wild flower mix, as a lot I believe have semi cultivated varieties to 'improve' the display.
As I understand it, the number one rule of a 'wildflower meadow' is that it needs reasonable non-fertile soil. So avoid anything with feed elements, and when cutting once a year, remove the grass cutting, as you would a meadow.
Wild flowers and grasses are tall, so should easily outcompete dandelion.
Most kickstart the process with wildflower seed mix, which is fine, but ideally ensure it is actually genuine wild flower mix, as a lot I believe have semi cultivated varieties to 'improve' the display.
mcelliott said:
Was making reference to the overuse of pesticides and chemicals not plants used in the garden, well done on missing my point though.
What pesticides and chemicals do you feel are being overused? Pesticides - well there's ant powder, but that's about all a non professional could apply.
Chemicals - nothing really to get worked up about other than weedkiller maybe, and every annual PH lawn thread since the start has emphasised not using combined weed and feed products to avoid unnecessary use of it.
Fungicides - certainly not going to be used routinely and even spot use is rare.
So what do you find so heartbreaking about a well maintained lawn? Where's the ecological disaster? You clearly have a bee in your bonnet about it to be describing these threads as "truly awful":
So it is about the bees?
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