Lawn help

Jaguar_Skills

Hi all, first time post on this board.  For the first time in my life I have a relatively nice garden.  However the previous owners had dogs and I think that is what has caused some of the patches that can be seen.  I also tried to cut the grass on too short a setting and it cut things up.  I’ll put it on 40mm only from now.  

Just wondering on any advice on what to do to make it start looking more lush.  I’m a complete novice.  Dates for doing work would also be amazing.  

I should also add I have a 1 year old and 7 year old so don’t have huge amounts of spare time to dedicate to it but I’d like to do what I can.  

Sarahspangles

There are multiple issues including previous dog urine, shading or root competition, compaction, scalping and no doubt some moss or weed. But those are all perfectly normal challenges for lawns.

Considering the shading in particular, it actually looks pretty good and I don’t think you need to do anything major, just get the lawn onto a regular cycle of maintenance. That would include spiking and scarification/raking at the right time of year, feeding, getting your cut height right through the season - and probably discouraging football when it’s been wet. And trying not to go overboard with the lawn care!

This means that alongside regular cuts, around once a month you may need time for something ‘extra’. There are sites that sets out an annual cycle (I think https://www.lawnsmith.co.uk/kbase/category/view/id/96/ is good, you don’t have to use their products).

The worst ‘rookie mistake’ you can avoid right now is over seeding or using any product with rye grass in. This is sold as hard wearing, and is, but I think you’ve got a lawn made with a good seed blend to start with and rye would give you a more uneven lawn in the long run, given the shade.

The second rookie mistake is overfeeding now, in September, with a product sold to make grass green. You would get lush grass but could then see this develop ‘snow mould’ going into Winter - which could actually be what you’re seeing with your dog damage. Don’t pick up something in the supermarket or B&Q until you’ve read the Lawnsmith link for September which explains what Autumn feed is.

The one thing I would do if I was the new owner is consider edging (with a half moon tool) around where the borders start, a neat edge pulls a lawn together.

fatbelly

I agree. For the end of summer that looks ok.

I would edge the lawn to give a defined edge around the shrubs.

The grass itself, don't mow too closely, then let it overwinter and come back to it in Spring. That's the time to feed

Jaguar_Skills

Sarahspangles said:

There are multiple issues including previous dog urine, shading or root competition, compaction, scalping and no doubt some moss or weed. But those are all perfectly normal challenges for lawns.

Considering the shading in particular, it actually looks pretty good and I don’t think you need to do anything major, just get the lawn onto a regular cycle of maintenance. That would include spiking and scarification/raking at the right time of year, feeding, getting your cut height right through the season - and probably discouraging football when it’s been wet. And trying not to go overboard with the lawn care!

This means that alongside regular cuts, around once a month you may need time for something ‘extra’. There are sites that sets out an annual cycle (I think https://www.lawnsmith.co.uk/kbase/category/view/id/96/ is good, you don’t have to use their products).

The worst ‘rookie mistake’ you can avoid right now is over seeding or using any product with rye grass in. This is sold as hard wearing, and is, but I think you’ve got a lawn made with a good seed blend to start with and rye would give you a more uneven lawn in the long run, given the shade.

The second rookie mistake is overfeeding now, in September, with a product sold to make grass green. You would get lush grass but could then see this develop ‘snow mould’ going into Winter - which could actually be what you’re seeing with your dog damage. Don’t pick up something in the supermarket or B&Q until you’ve read the Lawnsmith link for September which explains what Autumn feed is.

The one thing I would do if I was the new owner is consider edging (with a half moon tool) around where the borders start, a neat edge pulls a lawn together.

That is so super helpful thank you 

twopenny

Funnily enough I was going to say the same about the edging - cut about 4" away from shrubs and pavers and it will look smarter already.

The half moon lawn edger is an investment as you can tidy quickly once done. If you don't have time to mow a neat edge will give shape and look tidy with minimul time and effort.

The 4" is you can also quickly hoe out any weeds in the space and again, instant tidyness.

I wouldn't worry too much about the greenness if you have 2 small children. They will do some damage playing over the next few years but if you'd like to see it green get a general purpose fertiliser to sprinkle on. At this time of year you don't need to be too exacting but would make it look nice through the windows in winter.

Lovely garden for kids there. Space to play and shrubs to hide in and make dens.

Sarahspangles

Jaguar_Skills said:

The one thing I would do if I was the new owner is consider edging (with a half moon tool) around where the borders start, a neat edge pulls a lawn together.

That is so super helpful thank you 

You’re welcome. I think I missed how little your kids are. Obviously you’re not going to involve them in garden work with power tools or chemicals. But we had a similar size lawn when mine were little, and some things they ‘helped’ with were moving the plank I stood on when I edged the lawn, helping to measure out a radiused edge to a bed, with a tent peg and twine - despite the fact it was practically maths homework! - and putting in crocus and daffodil bulbs along the edge of borders. If you plant miniature daffodil Tête-à-tête now it often flowers around Mothers Day.

fatbelly

Now's a good time to plant the bulbs that will look spectacular early in the new year. My garden had a grassy 'hump' that may have been a rockery or just waste at one time I decided to make a feature of it by planting loads of daffodils. They must like it because I get more each year, with two distinct flushes.

Back to the lawn, I get fed up with the price charged for 'weed, moss and feed' and just loaded up the spreader with Growmore,  spring of last year. The grass seemed to outperform weeds and moss and look the best it ever had.

YoungBlueEyes

Can I ask - what kind of weeds did you have @fatbelly? I've a mess of thistles and mare's tails and bindweed and vetch in my grass, I'm wondering if Growmore would knock them into submission...

fatbelly

Most of them I couldn't identify. I recognise dandelions and daisies. I would recognise thistles and bindweed. I did have one thistle that looked quite pretty but I manually removed it before it seeded. I accidentally imported bindweed with a pampas grass and that took a few years to clear, but it never came back.

I don' t expect a perfect lawn so am happy with a bit of this and that in it

Probably the experts will say not to use growmore on a lawn. All i can say is it made a huge difference to mine

Sarahspangles

fatbelly said:

Most of them I couldn't identify. I recognise dandelions and daisies. I would recognise thistles and bindweed. I did have one thistle that looked quite pretty but I manually removed it before it seeded. I accidentally imported bindweed with a pampas grass and that took a few years to clear, but it never came back.

I don' t expect a perfect lawn so am happy with a bit of this and that in it

Probably the experts will say not to use growmore on a lawn. All i can say is it made a huge difference to mine

The big box Growmore is 7:7:7 NPK so it’s actually not a bad choice for lawns. Even a bit later in the season where a lot of other lawn products would be too high in N Nitrogen and could cause lush growth at the wrong time. Earlier in the season it doesn’t cause your lawn to require cutting three times a week. The difficulty is working out how much to use.

These are my ‘I was young and innocent then’ mistakes…..

Iron sulphate is inexpensive and helps with greening and moss control. But leave it too late in the year and all you’ll see is tufts of lovely green grass in a sea of dead, black moss that won’t be covered/rot away until Spring. Possibly in stripes if you weren’t too careful about spreading it evenly.

Blood fish and bone is a great fertiliser and will attract every fox in the neighbourhood to a huge party where they hang out fighting under your bedroom window, digging up worms since they’re there, and crapping right where you’ll get it on your shoe on the way to work. Crows will then take the day shift and clear your leatherjacket population for you. Which you weren’t that fussed about. 

fatbelly

It sounds like growmore isn't a bad choice then. I applied it at the same rate as I used to apply the lawn care stuff.

They seem to be variable composition, but nitrogen-heavy, like 9-4-4 or 10-7-7. So a 7-7-7 for half the price or less is fine if you don't want or need the selective weedkiller and the mosskiller