Bad lawn.

from_atozinc

I’m thinking some of you will be disgusted at the state of this lawn !!

I just raked up some leaves from the back part of the lawn and to be honest it’s a disgrace. I know I should have raked them up before this etc but too late now. Some pictures are in this link:

https://imgur.com/a/LHvNxFS

This part of lawn does not get much sun. The rest of the lawn isn’t too bad.

Any advice on how to try and recoup this. Just dig up all the bad section and re sow?

ShiverinEskimo

By any chance did a load of leaves rest along there for a good while? Looks like the grass was smothered by resting fallen leaves.

Scarify, aerate and re-sow in the spring. Given the lack of sun a couple of treatments or fertiliser/lawn feed each season will probably help keep it thick and green. Cut it longer in the autumn to encourage root growth in prep for next winter.

If it is an area that's a magnet for resting leaves, clear it regularly in the autumn so the turf can breathe. I'd imagine that was the cause of the problem more so than the shade.

from_atozinc

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

By any chance did a load of leaves rest along there for a good while? Looks like the grass was smothered by resting fallen leaves.

Scarify, aerate and re-sow in the spring. Given the lack of sun a couple of treatments or fertiliser/lawn feed each season will probably help keep it thick and green. Cut it longer in the autumn to encourage root growth in prep for next winter.

If it is an area that's a magnet for resting leaves, clear it regularly in the autumn so the turf can breathe. I'd imagine that was the cause of the problem more so than the shade.

Thanks for reply. Yeah, the leaves have been there for a few weeks alright. Even in the summer, with the direction it’s facing, this patch of graaa hardly gets and sun.

Will have to google how to scarify and aerate:)

ShiverinEskimo

Scarify - rake.
Aerate - poke.

Tired Gardener

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Scarify - rake.
Aerate - poke.

As a professional gardener this accurate description of terms that sound complex made me laugh.

from_atozinc

Tired Gardener wrote: »

As a professional gardener this accurate description of terms that sound complex made me laugh.

Lol.

Oh ok. So no need to totally dig up the grass then?

I though I’d have to get a shovel and start digging it up entirely and turning over new sod etc.

But if it’s just take then that’s good.

Though the state of it , I would have had to totally dig it up.

ShiverinEskimo

No you shouldn't need to lift the turf and to be honest when you raked the leaves off you probably did a good bit of scarifying anyways to remove the dead grass and moss and whatever. No harm going over the bare patches a again to make sure the soil can breathe.

Get a fork out and go along making holes so the air and water penetrates the turf. When the last frost is behind us then (which given how crazy mild this winter has been could already be the case) look to re-seed the patchy areas and over-seed into the existing lawn a bit so it blends in case you've slightly different types of seed from the existing lawn.

Let it grow out and in the autumn you might consider an autumn-specific feed. This will help the roots grow rather than the grass over winter so come spring 2020 you should have a nice healthy lawn that you can then work away at as normal. Cut it nice and high for the first season or two to encourage the roots. If you don't have a reason to keep the lawn cut short, avoid the temptation to do so. The longer the grass, the longer the roots, the healthier and more robust the lawn.

It would be a good idea to scarify the rest of the lawn at least once a season to get rid of thatch and let the turf breathe. It's something a lot of people don't bother with and then always wonder why their lawn develops patchiness or moss infestation.

from_atozinc

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

No you shouldn't need to lift the turf and to be honest when you raked the leaves off you probably did a good bit of scarifying anyways to remove the dead grass and moss and whatever. No harm going over the bare patches a again to make sure the soil can breathe.

Get a fork out and go along making holes so the air and water penetrates the turf. When the last frost is behind us then (which given how crazy mild this winter has been could already be the case) look to re-seed the patchy areas and over-seed into the existing lawn a bit so it blends in case you've slightly different types of seed from the existing lawn.

Let it grow out and in the autumn you might consider an autumn-specific feed. This will help the roots grow rather than the grass over winter so come spring 2020 you should have a nice healthy lawn that you can then work away at as normal. Cut it nice and high for the first season or two to encourage the roots. If you don't have a reason to keep the lawn cut short, avoid the temptation to do so. The longer the grass, the longer the roots, the healthier and more robust the lawn.

It would be a good idea to scarify the rest of the lawn at least once a season to get rid of thatch and let the turf breathe. It's something a lot of people don't bother with and then always wonder why their lawn develops patchiness or moss infestation.

Thanks. Great advice.
I bought grass seeds years ago but was only a small box. About 500 grams and cost about 10 Euro I think.

I presume it’s best to buy on a bigger size in a bag or something.

Bad part of lawn is about 5 metres long by 1 metres wide. But be good to have for again too.

How much grass seed would I need for this in KG?

I have no idea.

ShiverinEskimo

You have 5 sq mtrs to cover. The bag/box of seed will tell you how much per sq mtre you should be using.

I just checked a bag I have and it says 75g per square metre.

from_atozinc

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

No you shouldn't need to lift the turf and to be honest when you raked the leaves off you probably did a good bit of scarifying anyways to remove the dead grass and moss and whatever. No harm going over the bare patches a again to make sure the soil can breathe.

Get a fork out and go along making holes so the air and water penetrates the turf. When the last frost is behind us then (which given how crazy mild this winter has been could already be the case) look to re-seed the patchy areas and over-seed into the existing lawn a bit so it blends in case you've slightly different types of seed from the existing lawn.

Let it grow out and in the autumn you might consider an autumn-specific feed. This will help the roots grow rather than the grass over winter so come spring 2020 you should have a nice healthy lawn that you can then work away at as normal. Cut it nice and high for the first season or two to encourage the roots. If you don't have a reason to keep the lawn cut short, avoid the temptation to do so. The longer the grass, the longer the roots, the healthier and more robust the lawn.

It would be a good idea to scarify the rest of the lawn at least once a season to get rid of thatch and let the turf breathe. It's something a lot of people don't bother with and then always wonder why their lawn develops patchiness or moss infestation.

Hi. I raked the leaves with a *plastic* rake. Not sure if this is a good enough way to “scarify”. Or would I need to do with a steel rake??

In saying this, even with the plastic rake doing the job, the grass was so bad, that it just pulled it away. there are patches with no grass at all now, just soil.

New Home

A steel one would dig into the soil more than a plastic one would, moving and airing the soil more, too.

from_atozinc

New Home wrote: »

A steel one would dig into the soil more than a plastic one would, moving and airing the soil more, too.

If I got a a steel rake and gave it a good rake, would this do the trick.........this would essentially pull up or disturb most of the grass......would I need to air/poke it too?

ShiverinEskimo

You're not trying to dig it up - just scar it. Basically removing dead grass and leaves and letting air and moisture into the soil. You don't want to plough it, just disturb the top inch or so.

But from your picture there's not much in the way of dead grass or moss left so you're probably ok from that perspective. Go along punching holes with a fork to improve drainage/aeration and then re-sow.

from_atozinc

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

You're not trying to dig it up - just scar it. Basically removing dead grass and leaves and letting air and moisture into the soil. You don't want to plough it, just disturb the top inch or so.

But from your picture there's not much in the way of dead grass or moss left so you're probably ok from that perspective. Go along punching holes with a fork to improve drainage/aeration and then re-sow.

Thanks. This fork work :
How deep should I go with fork?

Should the holes cover all of the surface area or be kinda spread out?

ShiverinEskimo

Spread them out. Don't overthink it. Stab down a few inches every foot or two and go along as you would with a lawn mower in lines.

from_atozinc

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Spread them out. Don't overthink it. Stab down a few inches every foot or two and go along as you would with a lawn mower in lines.

Thanks.
Not trying to overthink, just have no clue of what to do

from_atozinc

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

You're not trying to dig it up - just scar it. Basically removing dead grass and leaves and letting air and moisture into the soil. You don't want to plough it, just disturb the top inch or so.

But from your picture there's not much in the way of dead grass or moss left so you're probably ok from that perspective. Go along punching holes with a fork to improve drainage/aeration and then re-sow.

Hi. I did the “punching holes” job today.

When should the re sow happen? April or so?
Anything I should do in the meantime with it?

ShiverinEskimo

from_atozinc wrote: »

Hi. I did the “punching holes” job today.

When should the re sow happen? April or so?
Anything I should do in the meantime with it?

I'd look to seed in late March/early April yea. You want to avoid frost really so hold off if we're still getting cold spells come then. There's not a lot I'd do in the mean time. Cold spell is happening so leave it be for now.

cheif kaiser

from_atozinc wrote: »

Thanks.
Not trying to overthink, just have no clue of what to do

Did a big job on my lawn a few years ago and like you I had no clue. I found the below videos on youtube which were a great help.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cZ1063EeS4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPVD_w66yPg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4ISXszCuLY

from_atozinc

cheif kaiser wrote: »

Did a big job on my lawn a few years ago and like you I had no clue. I found the below videos on youtube which were a great help.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cZ1063EeS4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPVD_w66yPg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4ISXszCuLY

Hi in regard to the last video and from 2 mins to 2 mins 20. He applies a ‘top dressing’ to the Lawn after sowing the seeds.

Is this essentially ‘top soil’?

Do garden centres have a more fancy name on this? Do places like woodies sell 20kg size bags of top soil?

Was on woodies website, searched for topsoil - no results returned.

cheif kaiser

from_atozinc wrote: »

Hi in regard to the last video and from 2 mins to 2 mins 20. He applies a ‘top dressing’ to the Lawn after sowing the seeds.

Is this essentially ‘top soil’?

Do garden centres have a more fancy name on this? Do places like woodies sell 20kg size bags of top soil?

Was on woodies website, searched for topsoil - no results returned.

Yes, I just used top soil and also bought it from woodies https://www.woodies.ie/westland-35-litre-top-soil-1114764

Genghis Cant

from_atozinc wrote: »

Hi in regard to the last video and from 2 mins to 2 mins 20. He applies a ‘top dressing’ to the Lawn after sowing the seeds.

Is this essentially ‘top soil’?

Around these parts the older generation used the term top dressing to mean artificial manure. Or fertiliser. (Or sometimes even lime)
Woodies would sell it but if you're looking for larger quantities an Agri Coop would be the place.

from_atozinc

Hi

I re sowed grass seeds on the bad area of lawn early last week. Had some decent days of sun and +10 temps.

With the cold weather now and possible frost, could it ruin things?

Seth Brundle

Its highly doubtful tbh, grass is quite hardy.

Bawnmore

Sorry to hijack, but just had a question that didn't deserve it's own thread. IS topsoil same as compost? Or different? I have a load of compost from another job and would be great to use it, but obviously not if not suitable.

cheif kaiser

Bawnmore wrote: »

Sorry to hijack, but just had a question that didn't deserve it's own thread. IS topsoil same as compost? Or different? I have a load of compost from another job and would be great to use it, but obviously not if not suitable.

I think it depends on the type of compost. Shop bought bagged compost does not hold well together and is likely to wash out. Organic compost is more like soil and I think that would work OK but I would probably mix some top soil through it to make it a little heavier/dense.

ShiverinEskimo

Topsoil is not compost. Topsoil won't have the nutrients that compost has and is used for filling in or filling up soil/beds as a base before you plant using compost etc.

Different grades of topsoil exist too and will often not be weed free so bear in mind. Weed free topsoil is very expensive due to the process of killing off seeds/weeds in it. Usually done by heating it up to a high temperature which is costly and is passed on.

Lumen

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Topsoil is not compost. Topsoil won't have the nutrients that compost has...

Leaving cert geography fail. :pac::D

http://lcgeography.preswex.ie/characteristics-of-soil.html

Soils are a composition of mineral particles 45% , organic matter 5% , air 25% , and water 25% .

So it's more accurate to say that compost won't have the nutrients that topsoil has.

IMO the best way to add organic matter is on top, and let nature take its course, or more specifically: the breaking down of compost will only work in the top layer of soil where there is air for aerobic processes to work.

Bawnmore

Topsoil it is - thanks folks.

Last question - assuming all grass seed isn't equal. Any recommendations for where to pick up grass seed for a back garden with a lot of traffic from kids and dogs?.

Lumen

Bawnmore wrote: »

Topsoil it is - thanks folks.

Last question - assuming all grass seed isn't equal. Any recommendations for where to pick up grass seed for a back garden with a lot of traffic from kids and dogs?.

Prices look OK (~€4/kg) from here:

http://seeddirect.ie/index.php/lawn-seed.html

Which looks good value compared to Woodies @ €10/kg :eek: but the €10 shipping cost drags that up a bit.

Roen

Got approx 50kg of lawn seed from them before. Good product and quick delivery. Recommended.

from_atozinc

Would it be ok to sow grass seeds now? Or too late?

Lumen

from_atozinc wrote: »

Would it be ok to sow grass seeds now? Or too late?

You can sow any time. Just keep the seeds moist until they germinate.