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Help Please

MikewellardMikewellard Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hi All,

Complete gardening beginner here so please take it easy on me 😃

Have been at our current house for the last seven years. Our garden is approximately 180ft on very heavy clay soil that during the winter months is very wet and boggy. 

For the first five years we had lawn grass that was scruffy and had a lot of weeds but when cut looked ok. Absolutely no maintenance on it other that a weekly cut during the summer. 

Two years ago we decided to returf the garden in the hope to improve the look of the lawn. The company that returfed the garden instructed us to water the grass every day for two weeks after it was laid. The first year, the lawn looked great with a weekly cut, no weeds. Last September, we noticed a few bald patches that had developed. Not thinking too much about it, we reseeded these areas which seemed to work. 

Fast forward to this year and the lawn now looks terrible with a lot of the grass now gone (photo attached), We can't understand why this has happened, as the lawn previous to the new turf always grew. Can anyone explain what has happened, and more importantly, how we can fix it. 

Would be grateful for any advice.

Many thanks

Mike
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Posts

  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    Looks very dry to me  :/
  • MikewellardMikewellard Posts: 4
    Bijdezee said:
    Looks very dry to me  :/
    It does which is something else we don't understand. During the winter months it has a lot of puddles and very hard to walk on. 

    It was never like this until this year...
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Could it be leatherjackets?
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Weather has been a bit different this year.  If the ground is level and you have puddles in some spots but not others, perhaps drainage is an issue ?

    If the company which laid the turf initially didn't prepare the ground properly, that could be the reason.

    Perhaps contact them and ask for their advice/comments ?  
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    a lawn ( be it from seed or turf ) is only as good as its aftercare
    Devon.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Loxley said:
    Could it be leatherjackets?
    My daughter had the same problem, she lifted a turve and found loads of leather jackets, she’s resorted to using nematodes and has a follow up for a few time. 
    Worth having a look. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    OH thought it might be leather jacket damage as well.
    Have a look here @Mikewellard
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=651

  • MikewellardMikewellard Posts: 4
    Bit of a coincidence. My wife just came back from the shops where she was talking to our butcher and he has had the same problem!!! He thinks it's Leather jackets too
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Apparently a lot of the golf courses are having the same problem with leatherjackets since the EU banned a pesticide used to deal with them.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • MikewellardMikewellard Posts: 4
    Thanks to everyone who replied.

    My wife discovered some Leatherjackets yesterday afternoon so they are definitely the culprits.

    I assume the best strategy to restore the lawn is to kill them first and then reseed?
    Any tips or advice would be most welcome.

    Thanks

    Mike
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