2023 Lawn Thread

[brums evil twin]

[brums evil twin]

[dhutch]

Very nice!

[dhutch]

Did a bit myself.

Lawn sand on a week ago, don't have access to a backpack sprayer currently.

Cut a notch lower today, still one higher than I often go.

Light pass over with the scarifier. Then overseed the thin area that's only 18month old and under trees and a hedge.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

brums evil twin said:

really really happy how it has survived over the winter.

That is indeed looking good!

Likewise I’m pleased with how mine is looking, and I think this has confirmed the success of my recent winter strategy: for the last two winters I have continued feeding right the way through, using a granular feed with low nitrogen, and high phosphorus and potassium every six weeks - pausing only when we get a significant cold snap. With the milder winters we’ve had in recent years the grass doesn’t go fully dormant and I’m convinced that root development continues even if there’s little top growth, so I think giving it the phosphorus is particularly important.

[Terry Winks]

I forgot how new seed is a bit like watching paint dry, just willing on to see some germination. This weather should be doing the trick though, lovely warm sun has been upon us now for the past 3 days, bit of frost overnight, but I doubt hard enough to kill proceedings.

[RichB]

My grass was badly hit by the hot weather and then chafer grubs but I think nematodes have helped, it's recovering well. I've still got to get some spring feed down and I've got some TurfSolv to use too. Next week looks wet all week for anyone thinking of getting fertiliser on.

[cnprior]

Any recommendations on scarifier machines?
Budget 1-200£
No brand affiliation, seen a £69 at screfix or bluemars on amazon.......interested in what others are using.....

[RichB]

cnprior said:

Any recommendations on scarifier machines?
Budget 1-200£
No brand affiliation, seen a £69 at screfix or bluemars on amazon.......interested in what others are using.....

How big is your lawn?

[juice]

Finally got off my arse and scarified the lawn (with an eye on the weather coming up). It been neglected for a few years so was in a right old sorry state to be honest. A week ago I had applied moss killer so that was nicely black by now.

2 passes picked up huge amounts of it and in between I ran the lawn mower over to pick it up before moving onto the next pass with the scarifier.

Strapped on my spike shoes and waddled up and down looking like a right nob

Then spread a load of mobacter to treat anything I missed, levelled out some dips with topsoil and then overseeded.

Fingers crossed !!

Edited by juice on Saturday 8th April 15:18

[PositronicRay]

Grass, despite two dogs, does seem to have come through winter well this year.

[cnprior]

My lawn is 66m2

[cnprior]

My lawn is 66m2

[PositronicRay]

cnprior said:

My lawn is 66m2

Oh you tease.

[nickfrog]

cnprior said:

Any recommendations on scarifier machines?
Budget 1-200£
No brand affiliation, seen a £69 at screfix or bluemars on amazon.......interested in what others are using.....

I bought this one last year when it was down to £69 for my front lawn which is only 120 sq meter.

It did a great job removing a very large amount of stuff, probably 1 cubic meter.

https://www.homebase.co.uk/powerbase-1400w-electri...

[RichB]

cnprior said:

My lawn is 66m2

I wonder if a cordless, battery powered scarifier/lawn rake would be available within budget?

[dhutch]

RichB said:

cnprior said:

Any recommendations on scarifier machines?
Budget 1-200£
No brand affiliation, seen a £69 at screfix or bluemars on amazon.......interested in what others are using.....

How big is your lawn?

Also, scarifier or electric lawn rake.

[dhutch]

RichB said:

I wonder if a cordless, battery powered scarifier/lawn rake would be available within budget?

Why bother? It will get used once, maybe twice a year. Unless it takes batteries you already have as part of a significant system, the convenience of no cord is surely not worth the cost of battery outlay and degradation.

I've the used it, but for £69 the one linked might well be ideal. 1400w should be a enough grunt to do a reasonable rake with the fixed blades, worse case, stick the spring tines in and do a very heavy lawn rake.

You might have to cut the grass shorter than you might to do a really hard pass, to reduce the drag etc, but again for a intermittent or one off thing, go for it.

Our lawn is much better than it was, no significant thatch, and it doesn't need a mega hard scarify.

[RichB]

dhutch said:

RichB said:

I wonder if a cordless, battery powered scarifier/lawn rake would be available within budget?

Why bother? It will get used once, maybe twice a year. <clip>

True... my lawns 500sqm so I use my Allett with the wire tine rake so can't comment, I just hate power cords but as you say for once a year.

[numtumfutunch]

Help!

My lawn faces north and is overlooked by a large bank of protected trees

Until a couple of years ago this was fine as I used Lawnsmith's iron gear in the autumn/winter and scarified it to I dont know what in the spring and autumn

For various boring reasons my regime hasnt happened for 2y and my moss is out of control

Just about every moss product Ive looked at online tonight states it should only be used in the autumn apart from an Evergreen one which is combined with a lawn feed

Opinions welcome - go with the outlier or accept this summer as a write off and get back on it next year

Cheers