The lawn thread

CaptainRAVE · 31 Mar 2014 at 20:36

Bottom of our lawn got very waterlogged this winter and a lot of it died. Have chucked down a load of grass seed that will hopefully grow and fill the gaps. Also have a few dips appearing, so brushed some peat into them. I think I have overfed the lawn this winter, but hopefully soon it will green up again.

bazzabear · 31 Mar 2014 at 20:40

chipperhead said:
If you plan on selling and have dogs I'd probably just returf aswell, it'll give it that instant look of a quality lawn.
Quite a bit of work involved though getting the lawn ready for turfing.

Yeah, call me lazy, but I'm planning on getting someone else to do it for me!

I had it turfed about 4 years ago, and it only cost about £300, more thaqn happy to pay that again to get it sorted (or even a bit more - inflation and all that).

Django x2 · 1 Apr 2014 at 11:02

We moved in to our house in Jan and the lawn was mainly moss / weeds. One pressure spray of weed killer applied two weeks ago, aerated, and another went down on Sunday morning. Will then rake through all the moss and weeds and get new seed down with a godo soaking.

Tinders · 1 Apr 2014 at 12:34

This is why im going to lay the artificial stuff down, far less grief!

'Harry · 1 Apr 2014 at 16:00

Try maintaining 3 acres of lawn. We just cut it with the ride on mower and leave it as is.

Nikumba · 1 Apr 2014 at 18:13

I need to put some seed down on the bottom half of my garden, am I just best going to diy store and buying a box of seed, any recommendations to the kind I should get?

Thanks

chipperhead · 2 Apr 2014 at 09:53

Nikumba said:
I need to put some seed down on the bottom half of my garden, am I just best going to diy store and buying a box of seed, any recommendations to the kind I should get?

Thanks

If it's for the bottom half of your garden, is it shady? As you can get different mixes for different purposes.
Also decide if you want it with ryegrass for a more hard wearing lawn or not.

DXP55 · 2 Apr 2014 at 18:43

My next door neighbour has just ripped up his lawn - spent days on it - levelled it and raked it - today a big bag of topsoil arrived to fill in dips but seems it's not enough - then he will get turf - It then started to rain so said enforced break - thank god he said - bet you wished you never started - He just nodded wearily.

He did say lawn was full of daddy longlegs grubs and Maybug grubs when he got it up.

Wife cut off corner of our lawn and that was full of them as well.

I am just going to use electric lawn scarifier and scarify it to death.

Dave

chipperhead · 2 Apr 2014 at 21:12

They're called leatherjackets, you can get treatment to kill them.

Mr.Cookie · 2 Apr 2014 at 22:56

our new lawns been down 2 weeks this coming sunday, took the old tufts of grass up, rotavated, fertilised and layed turf over weekend. Bit unhappy with some off the turfs (rolawn medallion) as patches of soil covering grass.

After a week it was like below, seem to be improving though but i may go and get 4 more rolls to cut in.

chipperhead · 17 Apr 2014 at 08:43

Managed to try out my new scarifier yesterday.
3 settings of severity to chose from, I obviously went for the most severe.

Murzo · 17 Apr 2014 at 10:38

Hey Chipperhead, can you use any sharp sand to mix in with heavy clay soil? (i.e. from a builders merchant)

mattyg · 17 Apr 2014 at 10:44

Mr.Cookie said:
our new lawns been down 2 weeks this coming sunday, took the old tufts of grass up, rotavated, fertilised and layed turf over weekend. Bit unhappy with some off the turfs (rolawn medallion) as patches of soil covering grass.

After a week it was like below, seem to be improving though but i may go and get 4 more rolls to cut in.

Doesn't look so good.
Have you been keeping it wet.

When I did my lawn I kept a sprinkler on for at least 8 hrs per day for a week. It was like a paddy field but within a week couldn't see any joins

Mr.Pink · 17 Apr 2014 at 16:03

chipperhead said:
Managed to try out my new scarifier yesterday.
3 settings of severity to chose from, I obviously went for the most severe.

Looking good!, Are you going to overseed? I did mine a few weeks back and was amazed how much thatch and moss was pulled out, so much so that the moss areas were almost back to soil.

chipperhead · 17 Apr 2014 at 18:02

Murzo said:
Hey Chipperhead, can you use any sharp sand to mix in with heavy clay soil? (i.e. from a builders merchant)

Yeah I did, don't use it as a top dressing though, it's not screened finely enough, but to add to the soil then seed or turf is ok.

Mr.Pink said:
Looking good!, Are you going to overseed? I did mine a few weeks back and was amazed how much thatch and moss was pulled out, so much so that the moss areas were almost back to soil.

I'm going to top dress first then over seed.

Mr.Cookie · 17 Apr 2014 at 23:31

mattyg said:
Doesn't look so good.
Have you been keeping it wet.

When I did my lawn I kept a sprinkler on for at least 8 hrs per day for a week. It was like a paddy field but within a week couldn't see any joins

Yeah not watered as much as you did

but looking better now and had first cut, trying to upload pic at mo

Participant · 19 Apr 2014 at 13:31

How much do you reckon it would cost to have a pro sort all this lot?

Trying to weigh it up against organising all the kit (scarifier, hollow tine aerator, fertiliser sprayer, soil and sand delivery, etc.) and doing it myself.

Participant · 19 Apr 2014 at 13:33

D.P. · 19 Apr 2014 at 13:47

I have some lawn "feed&weed", I'm just a little apprehensive about using it and killing all the grass.there is detail information about what weeds it kills and what grass it is good for - but I have no idea what kind of grass I have.

chipperhead · 19 Apr 2014 at 22:58

Participant said:
How much do you reckon it would cost to have a pro sort all this lot?

Trying to weigh it up against organising all the kit (scarifier, hollow tine aerator, fertiliser sprayer, soil and sand delivery, etc.) and doing it myself.

I wouldn't have a clue about cost but all you need is a product with iron (fe) in to kill the moss and a half moon edger and spade to lift the turf and fill with soil.
A lawn weedkiller like Verdone to kill the ground elder and some seed fill the patches.
Probably a good days work.

D.P. said:
I have some lawn "feed&weed", I'm just a little apprehensive about using it and killing all the grass.there is detail information about what weeds it kills and what grass it is good for - but I have no idea what kind of grass I have.

It doesn't matter what type of grass you have, just apply at the correct rate.