STW gardeners - wha...
 

[Closed] STW gardeners - what's wrong with my lawn?

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It's rubbish

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It was new turf last year, looked great

Since winter though it's looked patchy and yellow with brown patches

I've tried sharp sand and compost with 2 boxes of seed that's supposed to be good for any conditions including shade

I've also fed it a few weeks ago, it still looks shoddy

I'm not a gardener, I just want the lawn to look healthy


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:34 am
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How often do you water it?


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:38 am
 Esme
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If you asked Gardener's Question Time, they'd say:
a) you've not watered it enough, or
b) you've watered it too much


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:40 am
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Have you overmowed it?


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:41 am
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How was the ground prepped before turfing?


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:41 am
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What's the extra green strip on the right?


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:46 am
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I would say you may have mown it over eagerly. Too short/too much off at one go.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:47 am
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Do you have a dog?


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:47 am
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The bodies need to go a little deeper really


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:49 am
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I'm not sure about the prep, a gardener did it while I was away

I think there's about 100mm or so of topsoil on top of gravel

The green strip on the right is plastic reinforcement mesh, the lawn did get soggy over winter, and I didn't want a path. The grass is supposed to eventually pretty much hide it


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:50 am
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Feed it and let it grow.Hope you don't get weeds/moss in there. Then when looking good mow again, BUT no more than about 10% off.
PS. My lawns are crap at the moment so no chance of me showing you those but I have only been in this house a month or so.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:54 am
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Second mowed too short. As above, mow regularly at a greater height.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 11:57 am
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Agree it may be mown too short, perhaps in one go. Dead patches may be from chafer grubs underneath eating the roots, worth a google.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 12:35 pm
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Could be chafers or leatherjackets I used nematodes last year to clear them up


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 2:00 pm
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Have you fed it. Lawns need a lot of care to keep green


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 2:11 pm
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Have you fed it.

Give it some cake.. see if it improves


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 2:19 pm
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Definetely too short too soon. Cut it higher next time.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 2:37 pm
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You know what's wrong with my lawn? That bloody dog I bought at Christmas!


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 2:39 pm
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This place is genius. Our lawn looks a lot like the OP's just gone and cut out a square of yellow patch and found a little handful of the Chafer Grubs. Going to get some of those Nemetodes and have at them in summer.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 3:43 pm
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You're welcome. You could continue to take up turves, evict the grubs and replace them, then water with a dilute fertiliser to help. The grass will be a bit short of roots. I guess the nematodes need the right temperature, by then the grubs will have done more damage.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 4:04 pm
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I feed mine every month.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 4:13 pm
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Top dress and seed it, don't cut for 4 weeks, water regularly. Then cut at a higher height.

However, it sounds like it gets boggy in winter. Consider digging some basic drain channels during the summer if you can. Customers asking me to look at lawns like this expect a quick fix, but I'd say 3 months to get it decent again.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 4:34 pm
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Mine seems to consist mostly of Individual grass plants growing long flower stalks horizontally, matting with each other. I think I cut it too short, but I also have kids running around on it.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 4:56 pm
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Yip - you've chopped it too short. You are only supposed to chop off 1/3 of the length when mowing.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 5:08 pm
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This time of year I cut on number 4 with my Bosch Rotak, tad too long but lets the grass build up a decent carpet of thick sward. Any bugs etc don't get a look in as its a thick healthy carpet O turf. Just start cutting it longer, feed once a month and water when its been dry for a week.


 
Posted : 17/05/2015 9:40 pm