Long dead grass under long grass

alphazulu

I have just moved into a house that has been empty for a couple of years so the garden hasn't been looked after. The grass is a couple of feet tall so I've started cutting this back with the strimmer.Where I have cut back there is a lot of long dead grass flat on the ground and the grass feels spongy. It looks like the grass I have cut down has grown this year and the dead stuff is from last year. My question is what should I do next? I have tried raking he dead stuff and some of it comes up but not much and in some areas the lawn is now bald.

Should I just keep the new growth shorter and hope the dead stuff rots away? Continue raking it manually using something like this http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7203257.htm ? Or invest in an electric lawn rake http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb428gdo-32cm-1300w-lawn-scarifier-230v/48162#product_additional_details_container ? I'm just worried using a machine will tear up all the grass!

olly300

Lawn care should really be an autumn and spring job mainly because if you do a lot in summer you risk hosepipe bans so you can't water the grass.

What's likely to be happening is that the new grass is growing on thatch (old dead grass) and moss.

The RHS has list of what you need to do here.

Which is basically:
1. Scarify the lawn to remove thatch and moss - yes you will get bare patches as the new grass isn't actually growing on soil.
2. Aerate it - depending on how big the lawn is and what type of soil you have will dictate the best method.
3. Top-dress it and over seed it.

The lawn will look a mess after you have done all this until the grass grows back.

Also don't cut the grass too short. You aren't after a bowling green.