[Misc] Lawn growing

[Jack Straw]

Is there anything out there you can treat your lawn with to stop that happening? I have a Cocker bitch and my lawn is full of them.

Please see post #37 above from Wellquickwoody.

 

[Jack Straw]

I used them as part of a sub-base for my brick path .

Here are Rolawn turfs being laid:

View attachment 134989

If that was your practical turfing exam, I would give you at least 101%. Beautiful job. Faultless.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Is there anything out there you can treat your lawn with to stop that happening? I have a Cocker bitch and my lawn is full of them.

Good thread this as I'm in the process of doing the same. Moved into a place 4 years ago which needed everything doing I finally got most things done just as lockdown hit (typical). Last on my list to do was the garden which because of lockdown I've really started to appreciate. So promised myself I will sort it once the weather warms up a bit.

I have a lot of moss in my lawn. I bought some moss killer which worked a treat but I now have large black patches over the lawn. Can I simply re-seed these areas, water and hope it germinates?

Rake out the dead moss first with a wire rake, this should rough up the bare patches as well to give the seed a place to sit in. I found that I had much better germination rates when I put a top dressing on it (just layer of standard topsoil over the seeds, couple of mm). It also makes it harder for the birds to get it.

 

[The Oldman]

I use Miracle Grow Lawn feed once a month from April to October and never cut grass too short

 

[Weststander]

View attachment 134998

I use Miracle Grow Lawn feed once a month from April to October and never cut grass too short

Lawn feeding definitely makes a huge difference to help lawns survive the long droughts later on in the growing season.

 

[Bold Seagull]

CB Winter delivered to me a big load of turfs, with large pebbles embedded in each one, full of perennial weeds and annual meadow grass.

By contrast, our other batches bought directly from Rolawn were perfect, like rolling uniform sections of emerald coloured carpet.

Well, after a bit of a panic attack on reading this, CB turfs turned up this morning, perhaps I've been lucky (or you unlucky) as they're just what I wanted and they look great. It's going to be very much a utility lawn for kid's garden games, bit of football, tennis ball cricket, so it's going to take a bit of a beating. I was advised the CB's are very hardy as they've been grown locally in and around the Downs, so soil type shouldn't be too different from my own and the seed mix should have plenty of resilience - time will tell!

Think I've laid about 60-70 sq m today (largely because I'm slow!), but had sunshine and rain which must be good already. Hopefully a bit of rain overnight will mean not much watering is required.

Yours looks amazing!

 

[Bry Nylon]

I used them as part of a sub-base for my brick path .

Here are Rolawn turfs being laid:

View attachment 134989

I don't wish be appear critical but I don't think you ordered enough turf.

 

[Weststander]

Well, after a bit of a panic attack on reading this, CB turfs turned up this morning, perhaps I've been lucky (or you unlucky) as they're just what I wanted and they look great. It's going to be very much a utility lawn for kid's garden games, bit of football, tennis ball cricket, so it's going to take a bit of a beating. I was advised the CB's are very hardy as they've been grown locally in and around the Downs, so soil type shouldn't be too different from my own and the seed mix should have plenty of resilience - time will tell!

Think I've laid about 60-70 sq m today (largely because I'm slow!), but had sunshine and rain which must be good already. Hopefully a bit of rain overnight will mean not much watering is required.

Yours looks amazing!

That’s a good effort. I did about 120 metres squared in three stages, as I simply wanted to get on with turfing sections .... it was many years in preparation. I turned a 6’ high jungle of brambles, nettles, teasels, 60’ high Leylandii and dozens of hidden old fence post concrete lumps ... into the bricks paths and lawn.

Good luck, hopefully we’ll get regular rain whilst the roots take over the next couple of months.

Ours was a utility lawn mix too (with ryegrass), I tried to make a perfect football pitch for my son.

 

[Creaky]

It's great how they put the stripes on the grass as well

Simply a matter of training

 

[LamieRobertson]

Well, after a bit of a panic attack on reading this, CB turfs turned up this morning, perhaps I've been lucky (or you unlucky) as they're just what I wanted and they look great. It's going to be very much a utility lawn for kid's garden games, bit of football, tennis ball cricket, so it's going to take a bit of a beating. I was advised the CB's are very hardy as they've been grown locally in and around the Downs, so soil type shouldn't be too different from my own and the seed mix should have plenty of resilience - time will tell!

Think I've laid about 60-70 sq m today (largely because I'm slow!), but had sunshine and rain which must be good already. Hopefully a bit of rain overnight will mean not much watering is required.

Yours looks amazing!

Water ...water...water this year ...and when rooted just take the top off don’t be tempted to give it the usual summer cut

 

[LamieRobertson]

View attachment 134998

I use Miracle Grow Lawn feed once a month from April to October and never cut grass too short

Number of times I get asked to cut short....I try to educate my customers but it’s hard at times

 

[raymondo]

I just cut them

Not too short I hope?

 

[Mr Bridger]

Simply a matter of training

View attachment 135019

* cough. Y,N,Y,Y.

 

[Bold Seagull]

That’s a good effort. I did about 120 metres squared in three stages, as I simply wanted to get on with turfing sections .... it was many years in preparation. I turned a 6’ high jungle of brambles, nettles, teasels, 60’ high Leylandii and dozens of hidden old fence post concrete lumps ... into the bricks paths and lawn.

Good luck, hopefully we’ll get regular rain whilst the roots take over the next couple of months.

Ours was a utility lawn mix too (with ryegrass), I tried to make a perfect football pitch for my son.

How's yours doing? Mine is 3 weeks down now, I took the top off at the weekend. It's taken a bit of a battering - mainly from the dog! Although it's held up very well. I had to trim an area for a border bit and the roots had gone down over an inch in 2 weeks and pulled up a great clump of soil with it, so quite impressed with the root growth so quickly.

I did have 2 very localised bits of turf with leather jackets! Luckily I got there early, scrapped the ****ers off and replaced a bit. They were small but clearly nibbling the fresh roots. Not noticed any anywhere else, it was pretty obvious where they were.

 

[Weststander]

How's yours doing? Mine is 3 weeks down now, I took the top off at the weekend. It's taken a bit of a battering - mainly from the dog! Although it's held up very well. I had to trim an area for a border bit and the roots had gone down over an inch in 2 weeks and pulled up a great clump of soil with it, so quite impressed with the root growth so quickly.

I did have 2 very localised bits of turf with leather jackets! Luckily I got there early, scrapped the ****ers off and replaced a bit. They were small but clearly nibbling the fresh roots. Not noticed any anywhere else, it was pretty obvious where they were.

Hi,
Mine was laid about 5 years ago, so inevitably it doesn't look like the original pics anymore - moss, weeds, small bare patches. I'll post a photo later.

My advice is to keep yours properly watered now, with a 'big drink' (not small and regular) say every fortnight. It goes against eco and cost grains, but it will make a huge difference on deep root establishment. We're actually in a very sustained dry spell. A moderately wet day here or there won't be enough in these months ahead of high evapotranspiration.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Hi,
Mine was laid about 5 years ago, so inevitably it doesn't look like the original pics anymore - moss, weeds, small bare patches. I'll post a photo later.

My advice is to keep yours properly watered now, with a 'big drink' (not small and regular) say every fortnight. It goes against eco and cost grains, but it will make a huge difference on deep root establishment. We're actually in a very sustained dry spell. A moderately wet day here or there won't be enough in these months ahead of high evapotranspiration.

Oh sorry, I thought you'd laid yours a couple of weeks ago as well!!

I'm keeping up the watering, but with a 20kg dog, 3 kids, I'm up against it.

 

[Arthur]

Rake out the dead moss first with a wire rake, this should rough up the bare patches as well to give the seed a place to sit in. I found that I had much better germination rates when I put a top dressing on it (just layer of standard topsoil over the seeds, couple of mm). It also makes it harder for the birds to get it.

Took your advice although borrowed a scarifier which helped but no where near as effective as the rake so ended up filling my entire garden bin with moss. Covered with top soil and have been watering in the evening every day. However still have large patches of just grass seeds after 10 days. Is that normal?

Guess this change in weather isn't going help much either.

 

[Weststander]

Oh sorry, I thought you'd laid yours a couple of weeks ago as well!!

I'm keeping up the watering, but with a 20kg dog, 3 kids, I'm up against it.

Here’s a part view today, 5 years on.

The border in the background is a mini wildlife meadow, seeded and plugged with chalkland native annuals and perennial grasses. From June onwards, a tapestry of colour, bees and butterflies.



Feeding a lawn, only once established, I discovered belatedly is vital to its health in surviving later droughts.

 

[Weststander]

Took your advice although borrowed a scarifier which helped but no where near as effective as the rake so ended up filling my entire garden bin with moss. Covered with top soil and have been watering in the evening every day. However still have large patches of just grass seeds after 10 days. Is that normal?

Guess this change in weather isn't going help much either.

That’s happened to me and mates so many times. Many failures.

The key is a big watering a couple of days beforehand, never seed in heatwaves or droughts, a gentle watering once seeded after a couple of days if there are no decent amounts of rain, and again.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Here's a bizarre tip but it works [for me].

Lawns round my was are on very sandy soil which is bad news for water retention.
So, I water-in washing-up liquid which acts as a water retention wetting agent.

No idea if this is useful for clay or chalk undersoil mind.