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Patchy lawn 7 months after seeding

Gacook02Gacook02 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
hi, hoped someone could help suggest what I could do to fix my lawn. I paid a local landscaper to level, topsoil and seed my lawn. But 7 months on it is very patchy as shown and the grass is so thin in places it is like playing with the kids on concrete. The topsoil he added seems to have vanished just leaving bear clay in places. Thanks for any suggestions Greg

Posts

  • Garden noobGarden noob Posts: 260
    It's hard to see what's going on in those pictures, but don't despair because it's normal for newly sown lawns to be patchy at first. They always thicken up as long as they're looked after.

    If you haven't been doing so, I would suggest:
    - Mowing it weekly to encourage the grass to branch sideways
    - Check you're mowing at the right height for the type of grass. Finer grass tends to be slightly shorter whereas "normal" tends to be better when slightly longer, eg 2 inches. You can read up about this 
    - Treat with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser twice over the summer. A lot of people use chemical fertilisers but I like pelleted chicken manure because it can't scorch the grass. On the downside, it is poo, so there will be poo on your lawn for ~2 weeks before you can use it again. Regular watering helps the poo break down faster. I apply 100g per square metre on average.
    - Water regularly in this heat, eg 1 inch once a week to encourage deep roots. Don't water daily.

    If it's still thin in the autumn you can consider adding extra seed.

    NB: Grass lawns aren't very natural, so if they're not maintained they will quickly become thin. It takes a bit of work to get a nice lawn, but not too much when you know what you're doing.
  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    It is a bit strange that you appear to have 'stripes'. Has the lawn had anything applied to it using a spreader?
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • Gacook02Gacook02 Posts: 2
    I wasn’t there at the time but assume the original seed was badly spread (not obvious when originally done but looks odd now). I did have a spring course of treatment inc. fertiliser too but the “stripes” looked like that already by then.
    FYI it was Masterline PM51 seed
    Closer up picture attached

  • Garden noobGarden noob Posts: 260
    I'd be tempted to call the landscaper and see what they think. It doesn't look like they did a cracking job and they may be prepared to make good. 

    Failing that, if it were my lawn I would look after it as described in my previous message, and then seed the bare patches in the Autumn. If you do anything now, you'll need to water regularly to help the grass seed germinate and grow.
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