That's a new one on me, l think it does seem a little drastic. Having said this, about 20 years ago my husband dug up our front lawn, replaced the top soil, then re turfed it. The main problem was that as the house was a new build when we moved in, he'd spent 10 years trying to get a decent lawn with varying degrees of success. Needless to say, there was a fair amount of builders rubble etc. to remove. He's never felt the need to dig it up again - the foxes do that for him 🦊.
Yes - very drastic! The problem with lawn experts is, they think everyone wants a bowling green, when most folk just want a reasonably green decent space for entertaining, setting off borders, somewhere for kids to play or a dog to run around etc.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
He is correct on the grass rooting into the thatch I see it many of times, mainly when a grass treatment franchise company is involved treating the lawn . He probably hasn't mentioned is over fertilising / cheap fertiliser can cause a faster build up of thatch they so high in nitrogen it bad for the lawn. Have you feed the lawn ? it looks like it has been fed in the past
Blades are always better than powered rake as you can see its ripped the moss / grass out instead of cutting it out , the blades can still take clumps out especially when its rooted into the thatch. You are suppose to tease the moss out when scarifying with 2-3 passes in slightly different directions not all in one go , it does depend on the quality of the scarifier but I should think the heights will be adjustable .
I'd think about what option to take over the winter, if you replacing it I would seed it far cheaper and you know what you are getting . If you want instant ( turf ) its probably going to cost £1200 + the turf alone will be around £750 . It will still need aerating or rotavating what ever you do ( aerating should be done at least once every 2 year but every year is a better option ) . The lawn can be recovered but it depends on the quality of lawn you want ?
Verticutters are used for lift horizontal growing grass, Poa anna is a pain for growing sideways, verticutting is a bit excessive for the vast majority of people they are mainly used on greens / football pitches etc
I don't personally think you save money with option 2 the lawn even a new lawn still requires X amount of feed - lawn weedkilling - scarifying and aerating as a established lawn , of course the scarifying will be gentle and much easier first year and you could miss aerating it but the amount doesn't come close to the cost of a new lawn. But you will have a better lawn starting from scratch .
I do feed the lawn, regularly. I did use a lawn company to come and feed but got fed up with their costs and how little they did. So do my own now - details of fertilisers used below.
Spring & Summer Fertiliser
Lawn Fertiliser Analysis NPK: 15-5-20 +3% Mg
15% Nitrogen, 5% Phosphate, 20% Potassium
Phosphate included to promote grass root growth over winter
High potassium to 'harden' grass leaves against winter diseases
Magnesium (Mg) included for improved winter grass colour
50% slow release nitrogen for 10-12 week trickle feeding
50% quick release nitrogen for immediate results without excess mowing
Autumn Fertiliser
Lawn Fertiliser Analysis NPK: 15-5-20 +3% Mg
15% Nitrogen, 5% Phosphate, 20% Potassium
Phosphate included to promote grass root growth over winter
High potassium to 'harden' grass leaves against winter diseases
Magnesium (Mg) included for improved winter grass colour
50% slow release nitrogen for 10-12 week trickle feeding
50% quick release nitrogen for immediate results without excess mowing
Winter Fertiliser
Lawn Fertiliser Analysis NPK: 5-0-8 +9% Iron
5% Nitrogen, 0% Phosphate, 8% Potassium
Low nitrogen just for greening and root growth
Potassium to 'harden' against stress and diseases
High iron content for excellent grass colour and turf hardiness
Contains Ferrous Sulphate - the active ingredient in moss killer
I won't be replacing the lawn as that is too costly.
I did scarify on the highest setting, so not sure what I could have done differently...?
I have reseeded the patches and covered them with lawn topsoil and fed and watered them. I Will keep on top of the watering over the next couple of weeks - hopefully, nature will do the rest. Come late spring, once temps are consistently over 15c, I will scarify again, using the blades this time and then over-seed the lawn.
I remember saying to my wife back in May/June that the Lawn was the best it had ever looked....clearly superficial!!
How are you applying the fertiliser and how often , and what sort of soil do you have ? And what brand of fertiliser is that ? I've not seen any with a potassium feed higher than nitrogen for Spring / summer fertiliser . I assume the autumn feed is the same as the winter feed if not you should be using the winter feed from September onwards .
Not much you can do if its on the highest setting just keep on top of it, I scarify my lawn twice a year around about now and early spring March.
Scarify early Spring ( March weather pending ) when the grass is starting to grow 8'C + . If you have a garden fork you can fork the lawn going down at least 10cm or just do the worst areas ( where most moss forms or where its walked on most ) , 250m2 is a lot of lawn to fork . Over seed the entire lawn and top dress if budget allows , I use just top soil cause I am a cheap sake and because top dress is way over priced .
If you had done it earlier like mid September I would of re attack the lawn to make more of a seed bed / aerated and get the new seed down , the lawn has 6 month of recover time and time for the new grass to establish for spring , that would be renovating the lawn . It may be a tad late now for such a task but they is always spring . Lawns can be a chore at times and a lot of hard work .
You could easily aerate it with just a garden fork but make sure to push in th etines to decent det=pth then wiggle back and forth to open up th eholes. Work backwards so you don't step on the holes and close them again.
Then brush in some sharp (not builders) sand or lawn sand working forwards so the sand fills the holes but leaves air for drainage and air to the roots.
That and the scarifying and raised mower blades will make noticeable and atisfying improvements in your lawn health, vigour and appearance.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
How are you applying the fertiliser and how often , and what sort of soil do you have ? And what brand of fertiliser is that ? I've not seen any with a potassium feed higher than nitrogen for Spring / summer fertiliser . I assume the autumn feed is the same as the winter feed if not you should be using the winter feed from September onwards .
Not much you can do if its on the highest setting just keep on top of it, I scarify my lawn twice a year around about now and early spring March.
Scarify early Spring ( March weather pending ) when the grass is starting to grow 8'C + . If you have a garden fork you can fork the lawn going down at least 10cm or just do the worst areas ( where most moss forms or where its walked on most ) , 250m2 is a lot of lawn to fork . Over seed the entire lawn and top dress if budget allows , I use just top soil cause I am a cheap sake and because top dress is way over priced .
If you had done it earlier like mid September I would of re attack the lawn to make more of a seed bed / aerated and get the new seed down , the lawn has 6 month of recover time and time for the new grass to establish for spring , that would be renovating the lawn . It may be a tad late now for such a task but they is always spring . Lawns can be a chore at times and a lot of hard work .
Sorry it wasn’t clear but I listed the fertilisers separately - spring/summer, autumn, winter.
I think you'll find that a general feed [ something like seaweed] in spring, will be fine, and you can go from there. Bear in mind that all these lawn companies are trying to get your business There are loads of good brands available, but even the own brands are pretty good.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Having said this, about 20 years ago my husband dug up our front lawn, replaced the top soil, then re turfed it. The main problem was that as the house was a new build when we moved in, he'd spent 10 years trying to get a decent lawn with varying degrees of success. Needless to say, there was a fair amount of builders rubble etc. to remove.
He's never felt the need to dig it up again - the foxes do that for him 🦊.
The problem with lawn experts is, they think everyone wants a bowling green, when most folk just want a reasonably green decent space for entertaining, setting off borders, somewhere for kids to play or a dog to run around etc.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Blades are always better than powered rake as you can see its ripped the moss / grass out instead of cutting it out , the blades can still take clumps out especially when its rooted into the thatch. You are suppose to tease the moss out when scarifying with 2-3 passes in slightly different directions not all in one go , it does depend on the quality of the scarifier but I should think the heights will be adjustable .
I'd think about what option to take over the winter, if you replacing it I would seed it far cheaper and you know what you are getting . If you want instant ( turf ) its probably going to cost £1200 + the turf alone will be around £750 . It will still need aerating or rotavating what ever you do ( aerating should be done at least once every 2 year but every year is a better option ) . The lawn can be recovered but it depends on the quality of lawn you want ?
Verticutters are used for lift horizontal growing grass, Poa anna is a pain for growing sideways, verticutting is a bit excessive for the vast majority of people they are mainly used on greens / football pitches etc
I don't personally think you save money with option 2 the lawn even a new lawn still requires X amount of feed - lawn weedkilling - scarifying and aerating as a established lawn , of course the scarifying will be gentle and much easier first year and you could miss aerating it but the amount doesn't come close to the cost of a new lawn. But you will have a better lawn starting from scratch .
Spring & Summer Fertiliser
Lawn Fertiliser Analysis NPK: 15-5-20 +3% Mg
Autumn Fertiliser
Lawn Fertiliser Analysis NPK: 15-5-20 +3% Mg
Winter Fertiliser
Lawn Fertiliser Analysis NPK: 5-0-8 +9% Iron
- 5% Nitrogen, 0% Phosphate, 8% Potassium
- Low nitrogen just for greening and root growth
- Potassium to 'harden' against stress and diseases
- High iron content for excellent grass colour and turf hardiness
- Contains Ferrous Sulphate - the active ingredient in moss killer
I won't be replacing the lawn as that is too costly.This is the scarifier that I use - https://www.vonhaus.com/vh_en/12-5a-2-in-1-aerator-scarifier Maybe I should have bought a verticutter!
I did scarify on the highest setting, so not sure what I could have done differently...?
I have reseeded the patches and covered them with lawn topsoil and fed and watered them. I Will keep on top of the watering over the next couple of weeks - hopefully, nature will do the rest. Come late spring, once temps are consistently over 15c, I will scarify again, using the blades this time and then over-seed the lawn.
I remember saying to my wife back in May/June that the Lawn was the best it had ever looked....clearly superficial!!
Not much you can do if its on the highest setting just keep on top of it, I scarify my lawn twice a year around about now and early spring March.
Scarify early Spring ( March weather pending ) when the grass is starting to grow 8'C + . If you have a garden fork you can fork the lawn going down at least 10cm or just do the worst areas ( where most moss forms or where its walked on most ) , 250m2 is a lot of lawn to fork . Over seed the entire lawn and top dress if budget allows , I use just top soil cause I am a cheap sake and because top dress is way over priced .
If you had done it earlier like mid September I would of re attack the lawn to make more of a seed bed / aerated and get the new seed down , the lawn has 6 month of recover time and time for the new grass to establish for spring , that would be renovating the lawn . It may be a tad late now for such a task but they is always spring . Lawns can be a chore at times and a lot of hard work .
Hollow tine it, add a bit of top dressing ( a mix of compost & sand), add lime and re-seed.
You could easily aerate it with just a garden fork but make sure to push in th etines to decent det=pth then wiggle back and forth to open up th eholes. Work backwards so you don't step on the holes and close them again.
Then brush in some sharp (not builders) sand or lawn sand working forwards so the sand fills the holes but leaves air for drainage and air to the roots.
That and the scarifying and raised mower blades will make noticeable and atisfying improvements in your lawn health, vigour and appearance.
I purchase the fertiliser from https://www.lawnsmith.co.uk/.
Time to let nature take its course.
I have learnt a lot - thanks to all for your help!
There are loads of good brands available, but even the own brands are pretty good.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...