[Help] Any lawn smiths out there?

[A mex eyecan]

Nothing wrong with an Italian themed courtyard thank you very much.

certainly not if you’re in Italy, whereas if you’re in Plymouth?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

1. Now is an excellent time of year to do this. Lightly fork over, (just an inch or two) any bare areas. Knock the soil about with your fork to crumble it up. Sprinkle fresh grass seed over the areas. Work the seed in to the soil with your fork or a rake so that there is more seed buried than visible. Lightly firm these seeded areas, by the light use of your foot.
2. No need to feed, in fact this would harm the germinating seed. It would be like feeding a new-born baby with strong cider!
3. Lightly water so not to wash your good work away. Over the next month, don't let it dry out or water too much. You should see signs of germination in about two weeks.
4. Set your mower to cut at a height of 1". Ensure the blade(s) are sharp. You won't harm the new grass because it won't be tall enough to be cut yet. Unless you need your lawn very short for some strange reason, leave it at this height all the time. The new grass will soon blend in with the old.

Hope this is helpful?

Then sit back and watch the hoards of ravenous pigeons descend and scoff the lot.

 

[A mex eyecan]

Then sit back and watch the hoards of ravenous pigeons descend and scoff the lot.

or change the perspective, think of them as lunch, mmm pigeon breast, crusty bread and a scrummy glass of rich, heavy red wine

 

[Jack Straw]

Then sit back and watch the hoards of ravenous pigeons descend and scoff the lot.

That's why you need to work the seed in so that more is buried than visible. Even if the pigeons eat a load, there will still be enough to do the job.

 

[Weststander]

[MENTION=259]Jack Straw[/MENTION] advice all good. Have always 'cured' red thread by feeding pretty successfully. Have found grass seed sowing in autumn to be disappointing. Grass seed has to be in contact with the soil to germinate successfully. Good luck.

I did that in autumn, which explains a lot then. Due to the very long heat and drought last year, I had to wait until then.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Is a lawnsmith an actual thing?

If it's not, it ought to be.

 

[Weststander]

That's why you need to work the seed in so that more is buried than visible. Even if the pigeons eat a load, there will still be enough to do the job.

Another question, sorry. In parks, how did you stop the dreaded Annual Meadow Grass (Poa Annua), taking over, and dominating rye/fescues. The plant is so prolific.

 

[Jack Straw]

Another question, sorry. In parks, how did you stop the dreaded Annual Meadow Grass (Poa Annua), taking over, and dominating rye/fescues. The plant is so prolific.

On the bowling greens, regular light scarification (monthly), boxing the clippings (obviously), and over-sowing every autumn after a deep scarify with a high quality, mixed cultivar seed mix.

 

[Weststander]

On the bowling greens, regular light scarification (monthly), boxing the clippings (obviously), and over-sowing every autumn after a deep scarify with a high quality, mixed cultivar seed mix.

On one poor batch of allegedly ‘premium’ turf I bought from Selmeston, there ended up being more AMG than rye/fescues. It was in the middle of a really nice lawn I was creating, with genuinely good quality grass elsewhere bought from the national supplier Rolawn. I ended up cutting out a mass of rectangles of the worst AMG areas and returfing with Rolawn. It did make a long term difference.

 

[Jack Straw]

On one poor batch of allegedly ‘premium’ turf I bought from Selmeston, there ended up being more AMG than rye/fescues. It was in the middle of a really nice lawn I was creating, with genuinely good quality grass elsewhere bought from the national supplier Rolawn. I ended up cutting out a mass of rectangles of the worst AMG areas and returfing with Rolawn. It did make a long term difference.

I remember buying from Rolawn. Should have been top-notch. Sounds like you had a bit of job there!

 

[Weststander]

I remember buying from Rolawn. Should have been top-notch. Sounds like you had a bit of job there!

Yes, Rolawn was great turf, the C B Winters stuff from Selmeston was rubbish.

I was typically determined, and probably got accused of abandoning family life

 

[Flagship]

Im no gardener but my lawn looks beautiful compared to all my neighbours'. Once your lawn grows back, introduce some daisies, dandlions, buttercups and other wild flowers. When you cut the grass, leave the cuttings on the lawn to retain moisture. Don,t put anything at all on the lawn, just watch the bees and other creatures doing their work and enjoy the colours. Worms, ants and beatles will aerate your soil if you don't kill them with insecticides and avoid using pesticides on plants.
My neighbour's lawn looks like a football pitch and she pays the professionals. Just let nature do its work for free.

 

[Weststander]

Im no gardener but my lawn looks beautiful compared to all my neighbours'. Once your lawn grows back, introduce some daisies, dandlions, buttercups and other wild flowers. When you cut the grass, leave the cuttings on the lawn to retain moisture. Don,t put anything at all on the lawn, just watch the bees and other creatures doing their work and enjoy the colours. Worms, ants and beatles will aerate your soil if you don't kill them with insecticides and avoid using pesticides on plants.
My neighbour's lawn looks like a football pitch and she pays the professionals. Just let nature do its work for free.

I try and avoid chemicals in all gardening matters. Away from the one nice lawn, I have a load of chalk-soil mini meadows, log piles and plants loved by bees. Always working to add to that plant collection.

 

[Dolph Ins]

Yes, Rolawn was great turf, the C B Winters stuff from Selmeston was rubbish.

I was typically determined, and probably got accused of abandoning family life

Rolawn indeed good turf but have also found the turf from (Town and Country?) at Plummers Plane very good quality.

 

[Jack Straw]

Easter Bank Holiday is the usual time for gardeners to spring in to action on various horticultural tasks. To that end, I thought I'd post this little warning.
I've just seen an advert on the telly for "Roundup For Lawns". The containers for this product and the "ordinary" Roundup are very similar. If you intend to buy the one for lawns, ENSURE YOU GET THE RIGHT ONE! The ordinary one will kill your grass and everything it touches, (Total weedkiller), rather than just the broad-leaved weeds, (Selective weedkiller).
The reason why the lawn one doesn't kill grass is because it contains different chemicals to the total one, and of course, no Glyphosate.
Also, with each of these products, you only need to let your target weed get a little waft of the spray. You don't need to spray to run-off.
I'm not encouraging the use of either of these, but if you have to, don't make a mistake.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I try and avoid chemicals in all gardening matters. Away from the one nice lawn, I have a load of chalk-soil mini meadows, log piles and plants loved by bees. Always working to add to that plant collection.

not all of us have a back garden like the grounds of an estate

 

[Weststander]

not all of us have a back garden like the grounds of an estate

Sorry for the delay in replying ... have just been down by quad bike to our Oaks copse, to meet the gardening team.

They’re all horticultural disciples of renowned landscape architect Lamie from Shoreham. Any good?

 

[LamieRobertson]

Sorry for the delay in replying ... have just been down by quad bike to our Oaks copse, to meet the gardening team.

They’re all horticultural disciples of renowned landscape architect Lamie from Shoreham. Any good?

lol..you sure it wasn't to go check on the vines in the vineyard

 

[LamieRobertson]

lol..you sure it wasn't to go check on the vines in the vineyard

going back to your original post regarding the grounds of the estate . ..I fortunately just have a postage stamp of. front lawn and only put it a couple of times at the start of the season and then let oxeye daisy grow until about mid summer....lovely sight and minimises grass cutting

 

[Weststander]

going back to your original post regarding the grounds of the estate . ..I fortunately just have a postage stamp of. front lawn and only put it a couple of times at the start of the season and then let oxeye daisy grow until about mid summer....lovely sight and minimises grass cutting

I grow a mix with oxeye daisy and other native grasses/meadow flowers such as common poppies. Love seeing the bees and butterflies on it.

The oxeye daisies are prolific seed producers, with their bloody seeds taking hold of my pride, a semi-ornamental lawn adjacent. Stupid of me having them a foot apart, I didn’t plan that very well.