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Help! What's wrong with my lawn!

brian.o.neilbrian.o.neil Posts: 7
in Problem solving
Hi everyone, just wondered if anyone could give me some advice regarding my lawn. I have just given it it's first cut and it looks terrible . Maybe some of the grass is dehydrated? It looked great before I cut it and now I have discovered this.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2021
    Hello @brian.o.neil and welcome to the forum 😊 
    It looked great because it had got a bit too long and the ‘top’ of the grass was getting sunlight and photosynthesising which is what makes it green , but the top was shading the base of the plants. You’ve cut it a bit too short and revealed the bottom parts of grass that weren’t getting a lot of sunlight so couldn’t photosynthesise ... don’t worry ... it’ll turn green in a few days ... next time set the mower blade a bit higher, never cut it short ... (apart from scalping it and revealing the pale bits the roots can burn in the heat if it’s too short). 
    Cut it on medium at least once a week and it’ll be fine. 
    Don’t be tempted to feed it yet ... let it recover first. 
    😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ERICS MUMERICS MUM Posts: 627
    I agree with raising the blades.  I don’t cut a lot off each mow but I mow more often.  I think this stimulates root growth & results in thicker grass.
  • brian.o.neilbrian.o.neil Posts: 7
    I did set my lawn mower at the highest height. It's a Bosch rotak 32r . Prob not that good tbh. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2021
    The blade could probably do with sharpening ... and if the grass was too long it would have ripped it and also the longer the grass the more pale growth there is at the base.

    If you don't have the gear or know someone who can sharpen the blade, it's probably just as easy to get a new one 
    https://www.espares.co.uk/search/ma856pt1623/lawnmowers/blades/bosch?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2vqVxv_68AIVPwwGAB03bwbNEAAYAiAAEgLvIfD_BwE




    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • brian.o.neilbrian.o.neil Posts: 7
    Thanks. ! I also replaced the blade before mowing. I think my mower wasn't powerful enough to get through the thick grass also. Prob upgrade to a better mower. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Ah ... that bears out my theory that the grass was too long when it was cut.  If that happens again it's probably best to strim a couple of inches off the top before mowing. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • TheVanguardTheVanguard Posts: 136
    edited June 2021
    Once it’s recovered a good rake or scarify wouldn’t harm either...it’ll remove some of the dead grass (thatch), moss and encourage the new growth...

    Do bear in mind for most of us a good lawn is an endless un-winnable battle!
  • brian.o.neilbrian.o.neil Posts: 7
    Thanks guys for the advice ! Very much appreciated. It actually starting to look a bit better already! You think I should invest in a better mower or do you think the Bosch rotak 32 r is ok .
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