Brown Grass Help!

aFlabbyPanda

We moved into a new house about a year ago and I hadnt touched the garden except for cutting the grass and laying some decking. This year on the advice of an old (and I assumed more experienced gardener) friend I started to try and improve the condition of the back garden.

On his advice I went out and bought some Westland Lawn Feed, Weed & Moss Killer and applied it as per instructions. Initially the moss was killed off and some of the grass with it (as noted on the box) but since then it got worse and worse. Now out of an area of 70SQM I have about 5-10SMQ of green grass. The rest is just brown grass or earth.

Now the guy is telling me to get some compost, spread it over the lawn, rake it through and water it well! I worried about following any more advice from him and to make it worse we are having a party for my sons 3rd birthday in 2 weeks. My wife wants green grass by then so any help or correct advice would be greatly appreciated.

FranknFurter

No matter what you do you are not going to have green grass in 2 weeks. You will be lucky if you have it within 6 months!

Drench the earth where the grass has died and re-sow some tough grass seed (you *might* be lucky, but I mean this for after the party of course)

A temporary (but pricey) solution would be to buy rolls of grass in the likes of B&Q but you will need a LOT and after the party it will mostly die off within a week as its not supposed to be walked on for a while after its been laid, also whatever killed off your existing grass will likely do the same to it. So as I said, very temporary and costly solution.

b

aFlabbyPanda

I'm was going to get prices on the turf option tomorrow, do you have any idea what it might be?

Anyway I start the watering and seeding tomorrow too and see how it goes.

Sonnenblumen

Best solution is to remove old grass (unfortunately you've scortched original grass, now dead). Water surface well to remove any residual weedkiller, rake and work to fine tilth working in some compost/topsoil. Level and use roll-out turf lawn, you've a small area so € 200 +/- is a small price for peace of mind and all smiles on big day. Ideally there should be no traffic on new lawn for first 2 weeks to allow turf to knit and root well.

Water every day especially during dry spells and only reduce height in stages to approx half but not less than 40mm during party week.

S

aFlabbyPanda

200€ would be great, I'd even go up to 300 because of the day it is. cheers guys. I'll let ye know how I get on tomorrow.

Irish Gardener

Well BrianjG,
The advice that your friend gave you regarding the feeding of your lawn was probably well intended.
However, the addition of a combined fertiliser, herbicide and moss killer to already stressed grass can sometimes do more harm than good.
"Westland Lawn Feed, Weed & Moss Killer" if applied at the rates instructed on the pack will just blacken your grass for about a week due to the moss control ingrediant Ferrous sulphate. It should not kill any grass.
Your grass may have been under stress and slowly deteriorating already due to one or more of the following factors insufficent soil depth, compaction, drought, poor soil type and structure (subsoil instead of top soil).
Laying turf on poor soil is like building a house on chocolate foundation
I suggest before turfing that you ensure you have a good quality uncompacted topsoil (not subsoil) depth of 6 inches.
Turf laid on good soil will ensure greeness for your sons 3rd, 4th, 5th (and so on) birthdays.