Last cut of the year?

monkeynuz · 24-01-2020 11:54pm

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

What’s the need thought to cut it short in winter?whats the advantages compared to leaving the ground rest and having no traffic on it during winter.
Youl have nothing but moss after time I reckon and compacted soils.

Why wouldnt you want it looking nice all year round?

Compaction isn't a problem as I'll generally only cut when dry, it actually gets cut wet more in the summer than winter!

No problems with moss, I also don't mulch - ever!

Doctors room ghost · 24-01-2020 11:58pm

monkeynuz wrote: »

Why wouldnt you want it looking nice all year round?

Compaction isn't a problem as I'll generally only cut when dry, it actually gets cut wet more in the summer than winter!

No problems with moss, I also don't mulch - ever!

Would you aerate scarify and manure during the year

monkeynuz · 25-01-2020 12:08am

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

Would you aerate scarify and manure during the year

Keep meaning to scarify although it doesn't need it, fed the lawn three years ago, again doesnt really need it.

Discodog · 25-01-2020 10:11pm

monkeynuz wrote: »

Why wouldnt you want it looking nice all year round?

Compaction isn't a problem as I'll generally only cut when dry, it actually gets cut wet more in the summer than winter!

No problems with moss, I also don't mulch - ever!

Same here. Leave it long over the Winter & it never dries out & the sun can't reach the roots so perfect for moss.

If it's growing then cut it.

Discodog · 25-01-2020 10:13pm

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

I’m in Galway and manys the bad frost and snow we had in February here.ill stick to Patrick’s week.

I am West of Galway & we have only had three frosts so far & none of them below zero.

thekooman · 25-01-2020 10:20pm

I'm in Mayo and I seen a man round baling today :-)
I cut our lawn on the 4 jan and it would need cutting again but with the bad forecast ahead itll be left.

Doctors room ghost · 25-01-2020 10:39pm

I never before heard of someone cutting grass that was frozen.theres a first for everything I suppose.

NIMAN · 30-01-2020 1:52pm

Time to rename thread to FIRST CUT OF THE YEAR?

beertons · 30-01-2020 7:48pm

I had my lawn aerated last week, going to wait another week at least till I go over it with the mower.

Harry Palmr · 30-01-2020 8:02pm

Did the very top inch or so of the back lawn yesterday. Just a tidy.

Grats · 31-01-2020 9:48pm

beertons wrote: »

I had my lawn aerated last week, going to wait another week at least till I go over it with the mower.

How did you get it aerated?

Cakes and Ale · 01-02-2020 7:07pm

Had to do a tidy of one of the lawns today. Some amount of growing in places from November until now.

Curly head · 02-02-2020 8:33am

Topped mine on Friday with the lawnmower at the highest setting. Growth is unreal,I mulch mine so it’s probably a bit richer n growing that bit faster. Mulching is good for keeping the moss at bay as well

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 02-02-2020 3:17pm

Curly head wrote: »

Topped mine on Friday with the lawnmower at the highest setting. Growth is unreal,I mulch mine so it’s probably a bit richer n growing that bit faster. Mulching is good for keeping the moss at bay as well

Did mine too but mulching didn't prevent a vigorous growth of moss over the winter.

ShiverinEskimo · 02-02-2020 11:01pm

I mulched for a whole season and never got moss as bad as the following season. Never again.

blackbox · 02-02-2020 11:08pm

Moss thrives in Ireland. Thrives in shade, thrives in sun. I don't find mulching or not mulching makes any difference.

.

beertons · 03-02-2020 12:57am

Grats wrote: »

How did you get it aerated?

Rented the machine from the local hire place. Looks like the place is covered in dog crap. Doesn't stop the kids trampling all over it and dragging it into the house.

Grats · 03-02-2020 2:33am

beertons wrote: »

Rented the machine from the local hire place. Looks like the place is covered in dog crap. Doesn't stop the kids trampling all over it and dragging it into the house.

Didn't know you could hire one. Thanks.

celticbhoy27 · 04-02-2020 8:04pm

Cut mine today. Alot of moss. Contemplating buying a petrol scarifier
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Gude-40cm-Petrol-Scarifier-GV-4000-B-5-2-HP-/193323141548
Large garden. Would use it few times a year.

magicbastarder · 06-02-2020 4:39pm

first cut on the front lawn today. about half a dozen little slugs stuck to my trouserlegs after.

Truckermal · 06-02-2020 6:58pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

first cut on the front lawn today. about half a dozen little slugs stuck to my trouserlegs after.

Done mine too all 1 Acre..:( the moss is savage though and spreading mad...

GreeBo · 06-02-2020 7:03pm

Did mine at the weekend, highest setting wasnt doing much so I dropped it down halfway and mulched.

Feckin moss is unreal this year, now that the sun is finally hitting the garden over the trees I'm hoping it will burn off a bit....but I also got depressed with it so lashed on some feed'n'weed and will get it all up in a week or so with the scarifier.

I did one section of the garden last autumn with the scarifier and it has zero moss and a lovely coverage of grass...after I scarified it last year it was very bald and I did nothing other than casually overseed (no prep) so Im really going to go after it before Spring kicks in this year.

I dont even want to talk about the moss in the front garden

GreeBo · 06-02-2020 7:06pm

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

I’m in Galway and manys the bad frost and snow we had in February here.ill stick to Patrick’s week.

Every golf course in Ireland still cut their grass multiple times per week in winter without worrying about frost or snow.
I dont think your 2 inch meadow grass will mind if their 10mm fescue/bent grass doesnt!

celticbhoy27 · 06-02-2020 7:24pm

celticbhoy27 wrote: »

Cut mine today. Alot of moss. Contemplating buying a petrol scarifier
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Gude-40cm-Petrol-Scarifier-GV-4000-B-5-2-HP-/193323141548
Large garden. Would use it few times a year.

Bit the bullet and purchased. Bought direct from their website and was 20 cheaper. Hopefully get it next week. I'll update to how it fares on its trial run if anybody's intrested. I have an electric one I purchased a few years back which does the job perfectly but dragging cables around a 3/4 acres isn't ideal

ShiverinEskimo · 07-02-2020 12:29pm

Have a stihl multitool meself for the lawn. Scarifier and Aerator attachments. Great job.

Don't be tempted to scarify in the autumn though - all the side shoots grow from august through october. Scarifying cuts and pulls them leaving more room for weeds and harming the grass. Might be common knowledge but worth saying cos I know lots of people scarify away in the autumn.

GreeBo · 08-02-2020 9:08am

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Don't be tempted to scarify in the autumn though - all the side shoots grow from august through october. Scarifying cuts and pulls them leaving more room for weeds and harming the grass. Might be common knowledge but worth saying cos I know lots of people scarify away in the autumn.

Autumn is the best time for a deep scarifing run.
You will avoid most of the seeds from weeds finding a home in your newly exposed soil.
There is nothing wrong with pruning the side/creeping shoots, it's actually encourages growth, it's not harming the grass at all.

Duke of Url · 08-02-2020 9:21am

I cut my grass yesterday really short. It’s filled with moss. I have ordered this from amazon to try out and arrives on Monday

BLACK+DECKER 600W 30cm Lawn Raker

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00170NWP2/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_V8MpEbFHKB8A6

galwayllm · 08-02-2020 9:28am

My lawn is like a small swimming pool it's so wet.

The first min it's dry I'm going to cut and clear the sides...
.

Happy days

ShiverinEskimo · 08-02-2020 1:34pm

GreeBo wrote: »

Autumn is the best time for a deep scarifing run.
You will avoid most of the seeds from weeds finding a home in your newly exposed soil.
There is nothing wrong with pruning the side/creeping shoots, it's actually encourages growth, it's not harming the grass at all.

Goes against most books I've read on the subject. If you scarify in the spring before weeds are seeding and when the grass is actively growing you'll do far more good than harming the side shoots pre-winter.

GreeBo · 08-02-2020 4:38pm

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Goes against most books I've read on the subject. If you scarify in the spring before weeds are seeding and when the grass is actively growing you'll do far more good than harming the side shoots pre-winter.

What you call harming side shoots is the equivalent to pruning the grass plant. Grass is still growing well in Ireland in autumn, especially September.

Note I'm not saying don't do it in spring, but there is nothing at all wrong with doing it in autumn.

https://www.lawnsmith.co.uk/topic/scarifying-raking/when-to-rake-or-scarify

celticbhoy27 · 13-02-2020 3:20pm

Scarifier came on Monday. Had a chance to play with it for half hour today. Very impressed. Will obviously wait til conditions improve to tackle whole site but couldn't resist today. Some amount of ****e pulled up, and that's on highest setting

kaiserrussel · 13-02-2020 3:25pm

GreeBo wrote: »

Did mine at the weekend, highest setting wasnt doing much so I dropped it down halfway and mulched.

Feckin moss is unreal this year, now that the sun is finally hitting the garden over the trees I'm hoping it will burn off a bit....but I also got depressed with it so lashed on some feed'n'weed and will get it all up in a week or so with the scarifier.

I did one section of the garden last autumn with the scarifier and it has zero moss and a lovely coverage of grass...after I scarified it last year it was very bald and I did nothing other than casually overseed (no prep) so Im really going to go after it before Spring kicks in this year.

I dont even want to talk about the moss in the front garden

what do you mean when you say casually overseed?

GreeBo · 13-02-2020 3:25pm

Are you planning on over seeding or letting nature take its course?
How about any lawn feed/weed/moss products?

GreeBo · 13-02-2020 3:26pm

kaiserrussel wrote: »

what do you mean when you say casually overseed?

Fired some grass seed over the area and did nothing else other than water.

celticbhoy27 · 13-02-2020 3:29pm

Yeah will overseed. Soil will be quiet bare when it's done. Have bought couple of bags of iron sulphate too which I plan on putting on garden week or two before I scarify properly. It's going to be time consuming enough job but will be worth it. I normally put a feed around may

kaiserrussel · 13-02-2020 3:35pm

GreeBo wrote: »

Fired some grass seed over the area and did nothing else other than water.

would you recommend this approach for a larger lawn?

kaiserrussel · 13-02-2020 3:36pm

celticbhoy27 wrote: »

Yeah will overseed. Soil will be quiet bare when it's done. Have bought couple of bags of iron sulphate too which I plan on putting on garden week or two before I scarify properly. It's going to be time consuming enough job but will be worth it. I normally put a feed around may

Is Iron sulphate available in pellet format (Like some fertilizer)
Whats peoples thoughts on using lime - I believe that will kill moss also, in advance of any scarifying work

celticbhoy27 · 13-02-2020 3:42pm

Haven't seen it in pellet form tbh. I buy it in 25kg bags. It's a fine powder. I spread it then with a drop spreader. I don't really like using it tbh as it stains tarmac so I'm always paranoid some will spill or blow off to the surrounding tarmac. There's another product called mo bacter which eliminates moss but it's very expensive to use on larger gardens.

GreeBo · 13-02-2020 9:59pm

kaiserrussel wrote: »

would you recommend this approach for a larger lawn?

I was using some old grass seed I had so wasn't terribly bothered by the results.
If I was doing w full lawn and it was very bare I would probably scarify to create a seed bed and then cover any large bare areas with a topsoil and sand mix.
Tbh the most important thing is to not let the seeds dry out, the birds won't eat that much!

NIMAN · 15-02-2020 10:56am

I can't imagine when I will be able to get the lawnmower out this year.

I was on my gardens a few times recently patching up a perimeter fence which is in need of repair, and they are sodden. Holding so much water.
And with supposedly a months rain to come this weekend, they will be a lot worse.

Will we ever get enough dry and warm weather to dry them out properly?

GreeBo · 15-02-2020 5:03pm

NIMAN wrote: »

I can't imagine when I will be able to get the lawnmower out this year.

I was on my gardens a few times recently patching up a perimeter fence which is in need of repair, and they are sodden. Holding so much water.
And with supposedly a months rain to come this weekend, they will be a lot worse.

Will we ever get enough dry and warm weather to dry them out properly?

I was up and in the garden before 8am this morning collecting the last of the moss and thatch that I raked up last weekend.
Glad I did as there are several swimming pools out there!

NIMAN · 15-02-2020 5:07pm

I have 2 sections to my rear garden, they are on different levels.

Usually the upper level would have been my better quality grass, with the lower level more marshy due to the fact that it is the low point between the surrounding neighbours gardens and a field out back.

The bottom is a disaster this winter. It is very boggy and wet.
However, I walked through the upper bit yesterday and the soil is physically shifting under my feet, it is like walking on hard gel, best way I can describe it.

Has been a terribly wet winter, and they seem to be more common these last few years. I really need a good spring/summer this year.

GreeBo · 16-02-2020 10:13am

Would you consider building a soakaway pit at the lowest end to dry the grass out?

Good bit of work mind you, but not difficult.

NIMAN · 18-02-2020 11:06pm

GreeBo wrote: »

Would you consider building a soakaway pit at the lowest end to dry the grass out?

Good bit of work mind you, but not difficult.

What's involved?

shanec1928 · 19-02-2020 11:04am

NIMAN wrote: »

What's involved?

plenty of digging!:D

km79 · 19-02-2020 11:23am

shanec1928 wrote: »

plenty of digging!:D

Pretty much this
And lots of stone !

If you google french drains it will give you an idea
Basically dig channels in lawn (fill them with stone and maybe drainage pipe depending on size of lawn/length of channels )that flow towards the stone filled soak pit
If it’s a small lawn you could do it yourself
If it’s a bigger area then hire a mini digger /man with mini digger

Overall not very costly really if you think it’s going to be worth it

staples7 · 24-02-2020 9:18pm

Crows ripping my lawn apart last few days. All this rain must be driving worms to the surface. Hairy Japanese bast@rds!

Curly head · 28-02-2020 7:44am

Got it cut yesterday and can’t believe how long it got in 3 weeks. It was unbelievably dry n looks good now. Another storm n deluge tomorrow. &#55356;&#57127;&#55356;&#57131;

awec · 01-03-2020 12:44pm

I cut mine for the first time today on the highest mower setting and I was surprised how yellow it looks in places now and bare.

Is it too early in the year to put down feed and more seed?

Thisonedone · 02-03-2020 10:41am

awec wrote: »

I cut mine for the first time today on the highest mower setting and I was surprised how yellow it looks in places now and bare.

Is it too early in the year to put down feed and more seed?

Yes it’s too early, hold off another couple of weeks at least

Last cut of the year?

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