2023 Lawn Thread

[dhutch]

markbigears said:

Good to know I’m not the only sad b@stard that watches Daniel

Just picked up on the channel this week. Makes a change from Robbie!

[dhutch]

Stedman said:

Lawn fleece.

I should really get some, shouldn’t I…

Depends what it's for. I find polythene better as you have to be a bit careful the grass doesn't grow through/into the fleece.

A lot of the plastic I've used was salvaged from our sofa delivery!

Just avoid if it's too hot as you can also cook it in mid summer.

[dhutch]

dudleybloke said:

SpunkyGlory said:

Is it possible to scarify with a normal garden rake? Appreciate it wouldn't be ideal but not afraid of hard work and I don't want another tool taking up space that will only be used 3 or 4 times a year.

It's how I did mine a couple of years back, I went over it a few times in different directions and it cleared loads of moss and thatch.

Of course. It's just hard work! Spring tine rake, ideally one that flat at the front end rather than curved.

Depends how big the lawn is, obviously the other option is to rent one. Prehaps rent on to get ontop and maintain by hand. And or but more reliance on killing the moss than raking it!

You can also get special scarifing takes with a pair of wheels for the job. But given they are £35+ and bit much more gets you a small electric lawn rake, it's not for me!

Edited by dhutch on Sunday 16th April 13:39

[dhutch]

It would obviously help close them over the seed them.

Either just put down a seed soil mix. Or scratch it up a bit, seed down, soil over.

Plus over seed any thin bits.

Helps keep weeds down too.

[dhutch]

Depending on levels and current condition, I would broadly lay the new lawn on top of the old. Even if that's turf cutting it, flipping it over, and putting the new turf on that. .

Obviously alternatively you can always overseed/reseed what you have. Depending on size, budget, and how much you want an instant lawn.

But given where you are, I would likely spread the old turf back on upside down and level it out the best you can with a few bags of extra topsoil.

[dhutch]

Condi said:

General purpose stuff is fine. It just makes the soil high in nutrients that the plant can use and at the same time encourages roots to grow down.

Obviously general purpose excludes the 4in1 weed and feed types.

[dhutch]

Definitely getting warmer!

[dhutch]

I expect from what you've said the results will be great.

Overseeding of often recommended at 25 to 35 grams per m2, atleast that what the Lawnsmith says, but anything is better than nothing.

And for overseeding noat recommend a normal spring-summer granular fertiliser, so I wouldn't worry about not using a preseeding one. As long as you don't use a 4in1 weed and feed you should be good.

Where in the world are you, what is the temperature like. Even if take an extra few days I'm sure it'll come up.

[dhutch]

SpunkyGlory said:

I don't yet but I'll get one ordered today! And a sprinkler...

Don't by the hoselock water timer, they are absolute garbage, unreliable, eat batteries, can't program what you want.
Gardena water timer computer every time for me £50 but worth every penny, but others exist.

On the flipside, the Hozelock rectangular oscillating sprinklers are absolutely fine and work as it says on the tin.

As said, for keeping seed moist. A couple of short waters a day, rather than one long soak a fortnight as you want for grass in dry spells.

[dhutch]

glow worm said:

With new grass seed you would be better syringing by hand with a hosepipe . Problem with a sprinkler is all the grass seed gets washed into one place and it only needs wetting at this time of year.

I actually completely disagree. Much easier to get a light even watering with a sprinkler than by hand with a hose, and you can easily program a timer to give several short waters per day, including when you are not they're such as being at work, or on holiday as is the case in hand here.

[dhutch]

renmure said:

Previously I could have pushed my fingers through the mossy matted surface all the way up to my wrist.

Wow!

[dhutch]

markbigears said:

Ah right, I think your seed is going to struggle to germinate.
You really need a layer to cover the seed. Just casting on to grass doesn’t really work.

If it's been very well raked, good ridges, plenty of seed, should be ok I think. Although I'm no expert and top dressing is obviously nice.

[dhutch]

Huntsman said:

Last year I dug about 200 dandelions out of the front lawn with a weeding tool.

Weed killer? Which one?

There are two. Weedol and Resolva, both work, you can use them alternatively.

[dhutch]

Double Fault said:

I_Am_Machine said:

Some advice perhaps! When would it be too late to do a bit of a light rake to remove moss and then overseed? Was planning to do it tomorrow but now forecasting rain
Next opportunity, given other commitments, would be early may, worried that might be a bit late? Based in derby.

If you can keep it moist, it will germinate in July and August. But it's harder once the weather gets hot.

You’ll be fine. Grass seed will germinate in May no problem.

[dhutch]

Looking good! Power rake looks cool.

[dhutch]

Broke out the Scheppach RS350 for a bit of to dressing action.

Got a bit of a mound of ok soil from another project in a corner of the garden, very quickly turns it into nice soil. You can fit a fine mesh to get top dressing in one but as I only wanted a couple of barrows full I stuck it through the 1inch holes to break it all up and get all the rocks and roots out and then got the finer stones out quickly by hand. Sticking the fine mesh in the drum obviously slows the process if you don't need it that fine which you usually dont.

[dhutch]

M1AGM said:

Nice toy. Didn’t know they existed. Promptly added to the ‘things I can try to justify buying’ list lol.

It's been brilliant to be honest.

Tried to buy a used one, but they appear to hole their value stupidly well, so bought new from Screwfix two years ago.

You can hire them, but if you have a decent amount to seive it's not a day/weekends work as it's fairly labour intensive just shoveling it through.

This whole mound went through it two years ago, must have been 4-5 Tons.


The very end of the same mound!

[dhutch]

I would just add more seed, and ideally, some more top dressing, which could be soil or compost or whatever. Cover with some polythene sheet ideally. If there are really poor patches with no new growth you could lightly rake by hand first.

It will also thicken up with time.

[dhutch]

Various mentioned presumably, including some quite inexpensive options.

I ended up with a seriously old Sisis AutoRotoRake but that's not necessarily sensible!

[dhutch]

RichB said:

JimM169 said:

<clip> any suggestions on a cost effective product to use use for the weeds?

I've always Weedol for Lawns works well. (Was previously called Verdone)

Yeah, you don't have to scroll far to find the last time this was asked!

If it's really bad, apply one to the whole lawn, and then spot treat with the other a few weeks later. Else just spot treatment to keep on top of it.

Also he mindful that clover is nitrogen fixing, so will in effect fertilise the lawn for free. It's not all bad!

Cheib said:

dhutch said:

Huntsman said:

Last year I dug about 200 dandelions out of the front lawn with a weeding tool.

Weed killer? Which one?

There are two. Weedol and Resolva, both work, you can use them alternatively.

Get this. It’s a professional weed and feed

https://www.pitchcare.com/shop/icl-sportsmaster-re...

Someone put some down on my lawn two days ago, the dandelions are already looking very unhealthy.