Cutting the Grass

Enjoy looking after my lawns (sad bastard).
Seeded and looking decent, except one needs cutting. Had to put some netting down as the Blackbirds are digging all the seeds out in certain patches.
One of the lawns no moss, clover or any weeds. Fed it a few weeks back and cut it 2 days ago before the rain came in.
A few years ago had a mole and then a badger that caused some problems as you can imagine. Not appeared this year thankfully and the foxes and Pheasants are no problem.
 


PTR said:
.
Dragged my arse out last night and top-dressed with 2 types of compost (from the new Home Bargains Garden Centre in Peterlee!)
One bag was canny, once I'd broken it all up, it was very fine and it went in nicely - On the pics, you can see that's the lighter brown
The other bag was a well known brand (not that I remember it now of course). It was all rooty and didn't go in anywhere near as well, that's the darker one.

250L all in all, and I didn't do the 1/4 of the garden on the right hand side, where the kids swing/slide it - thought it might be a good experiment to compare the 2 sides in a few years time.

Logon or register to see this image
Logon or register to see this image

Meant to say - 250L is what, 1/3 of a dumpy bag? And really, its barely covered the surface. When it comes to levelling it (maybe next spring?), I'm going to need 3 dumpy bags!
Click to expand...
10 days later. Still lots of patches that haven't germinated, but the ground is soaking and it's getting warm next week. So fingers crossed. Otherwise I'll make a batch of patch magic up with soil, seed and starter fert.

ibb.co

PXL-20210524-164823763 hosted at ImgBB

Image PXL-20210524-164823763 hosted in ImgBB
ibb.co ibb.co

It's certainly a lot greener!
 
Last edited:
PTR said:
What's the actual problem mate?
Click to expand...
Bought a new build last year, grass was put down but now its like patchy in places, presume its due to lack of sunlight etc and just needs revitalising? Just wondered what the best product to use on it was.
 
Blue_Monday said:
Bought a new build last year, grass was put down but now its like patchy in places, presume its due to lack of sunlight etc and just needs revitalising? Just wondered what the best product to use on it was.
Click to expand...
"Bought a new build last year,"
I think everyone already knows what the problem is here.

Builders are notorious for throwing turf over whatever crap was there. You'll have horrible, dead subsoil with building materials scattered in it most likely. And then if you're lucky, they levelled it with 2" of top soil.

Its a massive job to find out, so I wouldn't go that route straight away. But you can get a fork / spade and push into the bad parts and see if you hit bricks, or rocks or whatever.

In terms of making the best of what you have, there's plenty you could do - but I sense you want to chuck something on it, and see how it goes.
I'd do 2 things
1 - Fertilise - hard to suggest which one if I can't confirm what type of soil you have
2 - Bio Stimulant to try to help that subsoil to improve

I'm assuming its not full of weeds? If it is, probably swap #1 for bog standard weed-n-feed from the shops.

For #2, these are the things I'm putting down to try to fix my own shitty clay subsoil mess

Maxicrop POPGS4TL Original Seaweed Extract, Organic Plant Growth Stimulant, 2.5L, Concentrate: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors - this adds nutrients to the soil to encourage it to come to life
Root Success Mycorrhizal Fungi for Lawns: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors - this adds the symbiotic fungi that help to strengthen the grass

You can mix it in a watering can and simply pour it over the top. Not at once, mind.

If it doesn't come back by mid-summer, then there's stuff you can do in Autumn to prepare for next year.


Oh, and the golden rule - never cut more than 1/3 of the blade of grass at once. Leave about 40mm of grass and just chop the top off. Makes it healthier. It'll likely thicken up itself.
 
Just cut mine for the first time this year . Exhausted now . It's crap and always will be . Rabbits digging holes all over it, dogs digging for rabbits, mole hills arl ower, bairns playing footy etc..
 
PTR said:
"Bought a new build last year,"
I think everyone already knows what the problem is here.

Builders are notorious for throwing turf over whatever crap was there. You'll have horrible, dead subsoil with building materials scattered in it most likely. And then if you're lucky, they levelled it with 2" of top soil.

Its a massive job to find out, so I wouldn't go that route straight away. But you can get a fork / spade and push into the bad parts and see if you hit bricks, or rocks or whatever.

In terms of making the best of what you have, there's plenty you could do - but I sense you want to chuck something on it, and see how it goes.
I'd do 2 things
1 - Fertilise - hard to suggest which one if I can't confirm what type of soil you have
2 - Bio Stimulant to try to help that subsoil to improve

I'm assuming its not full of weeds? If it is, probably swap #1 for bog standard weed-n-feed from the shops.

For #2, these are the things I'm putting down to try to fix my own shitty clay subsoil mess

Maxicrop POPGS4TL Original Seaweed Extract, Organic Plant Growth Stimulant, 2.5L, Concentrate: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors - this adds nutrients to the soil to encourage it to come to life
Root Success Mycorrhizal Fungi for Lawns: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors - this adds the symbiotic fungi that help to strengthen the grass

You can mix it in a watering can and simply pour it over the top. Not at once, mind.

If it doesn't come back by mid-summer, then there's stuff you can do in Autumn to prepare for next year.


Oh, and the golden rule - never cut more than 1/3 of the blade of grass at once. Leave about 40mm of grass and just chop the top off. Makes it healthier. It'll likely thicken up itself.
Click to expand...
Yeah that's why mentioned the new build bit as knew that was the cause of the problem.
Appreciate the detailed response, will try the methods suggested.
 
Blue_Monday said:
Yeah that's why mentioned the new build bit as knew that was the cause of the problem.
Appreciate the detailed response, will try the methods suggested.
Click to expand...
If it doesn't work, there's more mate, but might as well try.
Oh, as for watering - only water if dry of course, but water deeply once a week - not a little bit each day. Makes the roots go deeper === stronger.
 
PTR said:
"Bought a new build last year,"
I think everyone already knows what the problem is here.

Builders are notorious for throwing turf over whatever crap was there. You'll have horrible, dead subsoil with building materials scattered in it most likely. And then if you're lucky, they levelled it with 2" of top soil.

Its a massive job to find out, so I wouldn't go that route straight away. But you can get a fork / spade and push into the bad parts and see if you hit bricks, or rocks or whatever.

In terms of making the best of what you have, there's plenty you could do - but I sense you want to chuck something on it, and see how it goes.
I'd do 2 things
1 - Fertilise - hard to suggest which one if I can't confirm what type of soil you have
2 - Bio Stimulant to try to help that subsoil to improve

I'm assuming its not full of weeds? If it is, probably swap #1 for bog standard weed-n-feed from the shops.

For #2, these are the things I'm putting down to try to fix my own shitty clay subsoil mess

Maxicrop POPGS4TL Original Seaweed Extract, Organic Plant Growth Stimulant, 2.5L, Concentrate: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors - this adds nutrients to the soil to encourage it to come to life
Root Success Mycorrhizal Fungi for Lawns: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors - this adds the symbiotic fungi that help to strengthen the grass

You can mix it in a watering can and simply pour it over the top. Not at once, mind.

If it doesn't come back by mid-summer, then there's stuff you can do in Autumn to prepare for next year.


Oh, and the golden rule - never cut more than 1/3 of the blade of grass at once. Leave about 40mm of grass and just chop the top off. Makes it healthier. It'll likely thicken up itself.
Click to expand...
It would be easier to move house ...

My front lawn is the best it’s ever been. I hoyed on some ‘aftercut’ 2 weeks ago and it worked a treat.
 
Stevie Freestein II said:
It would be easier to move house ...

My front lawn is the best it’s ever been. I hoyed on some ‘aftercut’ 2 weeks ago and it worked a treat.
Click to expand...
It's been perfect grass growing weather the last month as well though. Rain and sun non-stop. Cut mine last week and it was like haymaking in parts this week.
The growth is patchy though, lush then short in streaks, think I need to invest in a proper feed spreader rather than just walking around with the shaker.
 
Billy Fish said:
It's been perfect grass growing weather the last month as well though. Rain and sun non-stop. Cut mine last week and it was like haymaking in parts this week.
The growth is patchy though, lush then short in streaks, think I need to invest in a proper feed spreader rather than just walking around with the shaker.
Click to expand...

dont get a 'drop spreader' get a 'rotary spreader'. You get a better distribution and its much quicker, especially if you have a big lawn.
 
Billy Fish said:
It's been perfect grass growing weather the last month as well though. Rain and sun non-stop. Cut mine last week and it was like haymaking in parts this week.
The growth is patchy though, lush then short in streaks, think I need to invest in a proper feed spreader rather than just walking around with the shaker.
Click to expand...
I have some areas of blackened moss that needs to be raked but I will wait until September. Instead of using seed I will try to ‘liberate’ some leftover turf from nearby skips or some local street works.

The problem I have found is that when it rains heavily it can pool and/or wash seed away.
 
My overseeding doesn’t seem to have taken as well as I’d hoped. In the big gaps where I’d put the drainage in there is clear new sprouts coming through. But I cut it the other day. My lawnmower isn’t the best I only have short, medium and long options. So I usually get it on medium because short is very short. I put a section of it on short and there is clearly gaps that are being covered by the medium length cut. I guess those gaps are what are turning muddy and result in my muddy paws problem. More overseeding in the next few months. I may too dress it again in a few weeks before we go away in the caravan for a week.
 
My 2nd batch of overseeding from ~17 days ago seems to be starting to come through now. Been really slow this year. I can still see seeds in the patches, so plenty just haven't germinated at all yet.
Still, its perennial rye and sc fescue, which I believe both spread across the lawn, so I'm sure it'll fill in.
Mind, the shady patch looks very bare still.

The Poa Annua is still blasting through though. Looks like I should have gone a little further with the roundup earlier in the year, there's a massive patch right where I stopped spraying. I'm split between going on and on trying to fix it, or just seeing if I can improve the lawn so that the good grasses outcompete the Poa. I should really give it this year to settle and get stronger I suppose - just worried about those f***ing poa seeds being spread everywhere.

Its also a pain as my robot mower is no good while there's seed heads everywhere, as they need bagging. Grrrr
 

Back
Top