2023 Lawn Thread
Discussion
Took advantage of some dry weather to cut and scarify the back lawn, then over-seeded and fertilised as rain is forecast for the next week.
Front lawn is 90% moss and despite trying to kill it a couple of weeks ago it was too wet to scarify and wouldn't lift up, so gave it another good dose of moss killer and will return to that problem later.
Half the back lawn is on very heavy clay and stays very wet, winter looks to have taken it's toll in some areas. Tempted to stick some fruit trees on there to create a bit of an orchard, but would they be happy with wet feet all winter?
Front lawn is 90% moss and despite trying to kill it a couple of weeks ago it was too wet to scarify and wouldn't lift up, so gave it another good dose of moss killer and will return to that problem later.
Half the back lawn is on very heavy clay and stays very wet, winter looks to have taken it's toll in some areas. Tempted to stick some fruit trees on there to create a bit of an orchard, but would they be happy with wet feet all winter?
Condi said:
Took advantage of some dry weather to cut and scarify the back lawn, then over-seeded and fertilised as rain is forecast for the next week.
Front lawn is 90% moss and despite trying to kill it a couple of weeks ago it was too wet to scarify and wouldn't lift up, so gave it another good dose of moss killer and will return to that problem later.
Half the back lawn is on very heavy clay and stays very wet, winter looks to have taken it's toll in some areas. Tempted to stick some fruit trees on there to create a bit of an orchard, but would they be happy with wet feet all winter?
We are on clay and have a chance cooking apple and 3 cherry trees. We do have drainage under the lawn though. Front lawn is 90% moss and despite trying to kill it a couple of weeks ago it was too wet to scarify and wouldn't lift up, so gave it another good dose of moss killer and will return to that problem later.
Half the back lawn is on very heavy clay and stays very wet, winter looks to have taken it's toll in some areas. Tempted to stick some fruit trees on there to create a bit of an orchard, but would they be happy with wet feet all winter?
BoRED S2upid said:
Condi said:
Took advantage of some dry weather to cut and scarify the back lawn, then over-seeded and fertilised as rain is forecast for the next week.
Front lawn is 90% moss and despite trying to kill it a couple of weeks ago it was too wet to scarify and wouldn't lift up, so gave it another good dose of moss killer and will return to that problem later.
Half the back lawn is on very heavy clay and stays very wet, winter looks to have taken it's toll in some areas. Tempted to stick some fruit trees on there to create a bit of an orchard, but would they be happy with wet feet all winter?
We are on clay and have a chance cooking apple and 3 cherry trees. We do have drainage under the lawn though. Front lawn is 90% moss and despite trying to kill it a couple of weeks ago it was too wet to scarify and wouldn't lift up, so gave it another good dose of moss killer and will return to that problem later.
Half the back lawn is on very heavy clay and stays very wet, winter looks to have taken it's toll in some areas. Tempted to stick some fruit trees on there to create a bit of an orchard, but would they be happy with wet feet all winter?
https://www.pomonafruits.co.uk/blog/fruit-trees-bu...
Need some advice please.
My lawn is just 4 years old and always been in great condition. I normally always fertilise the grass around this time of year with a "spring rise" mix. But this year I have quite a lot of moss coming through and would like to run the scarifier over it. What order should I do it in?
Option A
1) Cut grass on a higer setting
2) Fertilize
3) Scarify 4 or 5 days later.
Option B
1) Cut grass on a higer setting
2) Scarify
3) Fertilize
Option C
1) Fertilize
2) Cut grass on a higer setting when dryer
2) Scarify
Any recommendations on a good Scarifier?
Thanks in advance.
My lawn is just 4 years old and always been in great condition. I normally always fertilise the grass around this time of year with a "spring rise" mix. But this year I have quite a lot of moss coming through and would like to run the scarifier over it. What order should I do it in?
Option A
1) Cut grass on a higer setting
2) Fertilize
3) Scarify 4 or 5 days later.
Option B
1) Cut grass on a higer setting
2) Scarify
3) Fertilize
Option C
1) Fertilize
2) Cut grass on a higer setting when dryer
2) Scarify
Any recommendations on a good Scarifier?
Thanks in advance.
If you've got a lot of moss coming through, it might be better to go over with iron sulphate first (having cut it reasonably short), then a few weeks later, scarify and fertilise. Well, that's my plan anyway, although it's been too wet in the NW to get on with the mower.
Scarifier: I've got the screwfix green one (don't think it has a brand name) to do c.100sqm and it's been great for the money.
Scarifier: I've got the screwfix green one (don't think it has a brand name) to do c.100sqm and it's been great for the money.
Need to get the spring fertiliser down on mine, and ideally some seed, which would you do first? Would it be best to leave a week or so inbetween?
Also, my drop spreader is awful, have 450m2 to do, and if all goes well next year this will more than double to around 950m2. Am i best buying something like the below:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264116219328?hash=item3...
Or maybe something a bit better quality?
Also, my drop spreader is awful, have 450m2 to do, and if all goes well next year this will more than double to around 950m2. Am i best buying something like the below:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264116219328?hash=item3...
Or maybe something a bit better quality?
scz4 said:
Thanks for the advice. Really hope it dries up in the coming week, grass is slowly turning green though. Should have said I'm up in the NE of Scotland. Area of grass is approx 400m2
If you have that area to look after it may be worth look out for a second hand cylinder mower that has interchangeable cartridges - unless, of course, you already have one. I have 500 sqm and use an Allett Kensington 20 and I find the wire tine lawn rake invaluable. It means I can go over the lawn in half an hour. I do this every few weeks in the summer months and it keeps moss and crap away. I also use a Hayter rotary mower and in fact the cylinder mower gets used more for scarifing, raking and general maintenance than for cutting grass! joestifff said:
Need to get the spring fertiliser down on mine, and ideally some seed, which would you do first? Would it be best to leave a week or so inbetween?
Also, my drop spreader is awful, have 450m2 to do, and if all goes well next year this will more than double to around 950m2. Am i best buying something like the below:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264116219328?hash=item3...
Or maybe something a bit better quality?
I use the MiracleGro/Scots one, but only really because I've seen a few pros on Youtube using them. Worth a look on ebay/Facebook - picked mine up for £15 and it looked virtually new.Also, my drop spreader is awful, have 450m2 to do, and if all goes well next year this will more than double to around 950m2. Am i best buying something like the below:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264116219328?hash=item3...
Or maybe something a bit better quality?
joestifff said:
Need to get the spring fertiliser down on mine, and ideally some seed, which would you do first? Would it be best to leave a week or so inbetween?
Just do them both at the same time, as soon as it rains the fertiliser will wash into the soil and it's incredibly common for farmers to do both at once - most seed drills will put fert and seed into the same slot. As we moved in last July and it was roasting hot for most of the summer, shortly will be the first chance I get to properly have a go on my lawn. It is South-East facing so does ok for sun, but it resembles a battlefield so I'd like to work on flattening it at the same time as making it nice and healthy.
Would one of the rollers you can hire from HSS and the like be any good? They claim to be 60-70kg when filled with water but figured these may not be heavy enough? I would assume a very wet lawn is best for rolling but the ones we use for cricket weigh a lot more... access for such a machine would be difficult, I have about 1.5m width of pathway down the side of the house.
Also, would appreciate some advise on order of doing things. I figured rake, seed, bit of topsoil then roll would be the order to do things?
Lots of work being done on the garden, all new patio and the area to the right will house a pergola and barbecue shortly. A nice bowling green lawn would finish it off.
Would one of the rollers you can hire from HSS and the like be any good? They claim to be 60-70kg when filled with water but figured these may not be heavy enough? I would assume a very wet lawn is best for rolling but the ones we use for cricket weigh a lot more... access for such a machine would be difficult, I have about 1.5m width of pathway down the side of the house.
Also, would appreciate some advise on order of doing things. I figured rake, seed, bit of topsoil then roll would be the order to do things?
Lots of work being done on the garden, all new patio and the area to the right will house a pergola and barbecue shortly. A nice bowling green lawn would finish it off.
Edited by Jefferson Steelflex on Wednesday 29th March 15:45
Edited by Jefferson Steelflex on Wednesday 29th March 15:45
AyBee said:
I use the MiracleGro/Scots one, but only really because I've seen a few pros on Youtube using them. Worth a look on ebay/Facebook - picked mine up for £15 and it looked virtually new.
I've got the same one, little green hopper rotary thing, which I also got for about a £10 second hand almost unused. However I absolutely wouldn't buy one new for £55 because I think that's well over priced. It's ok, works ok with seed or granules, but the hopper is flat bottomed so it's awful at using the last 30%, flimsy and unstable if putting on denser fertiliser, and the sliding trap door didn't work well with the lawn sand earlier this week.
This is the only guide you will ever need to maintaining and improving you lawn.
The Lawn Expert - Dr Hessayon
https://amzn.eu/d/5qaHrUf
Daniel Hibbert on YouTube is very interesting and he has a very alternate view to scarifying, due to maintaining largely ornamental lawns.
The Lawn Expert - Dr Hessayon
https://amzn.eu/d/5qaHrUf
Daniel Hibbert on YouTube is very interesting and he has a very alternate view to scarifying, due to maintaining largely ornamental lawns.
Jefferson Steelflex said:
As we moved in last July and it was roasting hot for most of the summer, shortly will be the first chance I get to properly have a go on my lawn. It is South-East facing so does ok for sun, but it resembles a battlefield so I'd like to work on flattening it at the same time as making it nice and healthy.
Would one of the rollers you can hire from HSS and the like be any good? They claim to be 60-70kg when filled with water but figured these may not be heavy enough? I would assume a very wet lawn is best for rolling but the ones we use for cricket weigh a lot more... access for such a machine would be difficult, I have about 1.5m width of pathway down the side of the house.
Also, would appreciate some advise on order of doing things. I figured rake, seed, bit of topsoil then roll would be the order to do things?
Lots of work being done on the garden, all new patio and the area to the right will house a pergola and barbecue shortly. A nice bowling green lawn would finish it off.
If you did roll it you compact the soil which makes the grass struggle, and could cause drainage problems and encourage moss. When I’ve had the situation you are in I scalped the lawn with a mower then used a grit sand and topsoil mix to level everything out with a landscaping rake, then overseeded.Would one of the rollers you can hire from HSS and the like be any good? They claim to be 60-70kg when filled with water but figured these may not be heavy enough? I would assume a very wet lawn is best for rolling but the ones we use for cricket weigh a lot more... access for such a machine would be difficult, I have about 1.5m width of pathway down the side of the house.
Also, would appreciate some advise on order of doing things. I figured rake, seed, bit of topsoil then roll would be the order to do things?
Lots of work being done on the garden, all new patio and the area to the right will house a pergola and barbecue shortly. A nice bowling green lawn would finish it off.
Edited by Jefferson Steelflex on Wednesday 29th March 15:45
Edited by Jefferson Steelflex on Wednesday 29th March 15:45
We'll be taking possession of the below in a few weeks hopefully. Any suggestion for a plan of action starting from scratch?
Initial thoughts were to go back over it with a rotovator to make sure there's no surprises left behind from the builders. It was previously part of a field which had livestock grazing so hopefully reasonable soil.
Initial thoughts were to go back over it with a rotovator to make sure there's no surprises left behind from the builders. It was previously part of a field which had livestock grazing so hopefully reasonable soil.
M1AGM said:
If you did roll it you compact the soil which makes the grass struggle, and could cause drainage problems and encourage moss. When I’ve had the situation you are in I scalped the lawn with a mower then used a grit sand and topsoil mix to level everything out with a landscaping rake, then overseeded.
Yeah, you don't roll it to get it level. You add top dressing (soil) to the low points to bring it level. Having lowered any high spots the week before. Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff