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Lawn disaster

sammysamsammysam Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Anyone got any ideas for how to save this lawn that won't involve returfing? We tried reseeding last year which kinda worked, but even with a fullish covering, it was very tufty and bumpy - would it be possible to get this level and how would it be done? I'm a total gardening beginner so probably best to assume no knowledge of anything..! :( Many thanks in advance and apologies if there's an existing thread which covers this!





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  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @sammysam Are you desperate for a lawn? In such a small space it seems a lot of work. Do you have to walk across it to get to somewhere when it is wet and does it get any sun . You have plants in pots perhaps you could give up some lawn as you obviously enjoy growing things.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    It is possible to level a lawn, using a mix of topsoil and sand. It's a bit faffy, depending on how bumpy it is, but looking at your photo we're not talking major bumpiness. 
    As l only came in for a tea break, rather than type it all out, l found this article which might start you off
    https://www.homebase.co.uk/ideas-advice/garden-and-outdoor/how-to-level-a-lawn/#:~:text=The mix,1 to level a lawn.

    I'm sure others will have more advice. Welcome to the forum by the way  :)
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    How much of the day does it get the sun for? With those high fences I suspect it's more shady than grass likes.
    You could try a grass seed that's more shade tolerant, but they are less hard-wearing than the usual ryegrass which is probably what you have there (I can't read the small print). There's one in the same Verve range https://www.diy.com/departments/verve-shady-lawn-seed-50m-1-25kg/1607661_BQ.prd.
    You'd need to give the surface a good raking to loosen it up before sowing more seed, and if it's the soil level that's bumpy, to level it out. If you have big hollows to fill some more topsoil might be a good idea. I wouldn't bother taking out the grass that's there but I would give it a haircut to tidy it up (maybe with shears - it's not really worth getting the mower out for).
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • sammysamsammysam Posts: 3
    GardenerSuze said:
    @sammysam Are you desperate for a lawn? In such a small space it seems a lot of work. Do you have to walk across it to get to somewhere when it is wet and does it get any sun . You have plants in pots perhaps you could give up some lawn as you obviously enjoy growing things.

    More my partner than me... she wants to lie on the grass in the summer. It is indeed a lot of work and maybe not worth it but I thought I'd give it one more/last go this year. It does get sun - not all day as the garden's north facing, but it's far enough from the house to get a fair amount.

    AnniD said:
    It is possible to level a lawn, using a mix of topsoil and sand. It's a bit faffy, depending on how bumpy it is, but looking at your photo we're not talking major bumpiness. 
    As l only came in for a tea break, rather than type it all out, l found this article which might start you off
    https://www.homebase.co.uk/ideas-advice/garden-and-outdoor/how-to-level-a-lawn/#:~:text=The mix,1 to level a lawn.

    I'm sure others will have more advice. Welcome to the forum by the way  :)
    Thank you! When there's no grass there it actually doesn't seem too lumpy a surface but when it does grow it seems to grow in these clumps and tufts if that makes sense. Thanks for the link.

    JennyJ said:
    How much of the day does it get the sun for? With those high fences I suspect it's more shady than grass likes.
    You could try a grass seed that's more shade tolerant, but they are less hard-wearing than the usual ryegrass which is probably what you have there (I can't read the small print). There's one in the same Verve range https://www.diy.com/departments/verve-shady-lawn-seed-50m-1-25kg/1607661_BQ.prd.
    You'd need to give the surface a good raking to loosen it up before sowing more seed, and if it's the soil level that's bumpy, to level it out. If you have big hollows to fill some more topsoil might be a good idea. I wouldn't bother taking out the grass that's there but I would give it a haircut to tidy it up (maybe with shears - it's not really worth getting the mower out for).
    Yes perhaps that's the problem - as the sun swings round during the day the bit on the left of the picture (maybe 1/3 of the "lawn") gets shaded by the fence. Not so bad in the summer when the sun's higher in the sky obviously. The rest of the patch gets sun most of the day but has to wait I'd guess a couple of hours after sunrise for the sun to come over the top of the house. Shady lawn seed is a great idea thanks. The one we have says it's 2/5 for shade tolerance.


  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    If it's not especially shady then standard seed should be OK, but obviously something happened over winter that it didn't like. Did it get very wet or flooded? Does it get walked on a lot? (that has a worse effect in winter when it's not growing). If you can get to the bottom of the problem, that will help you to decide whether it's worth bothering with grass at all.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's a lot of effort for such a small space. Gravel and a sun lounger would be easier  ;)

    It'll suffer in that site through winter, regardless of the soil, due to the aspect.
    That means a fair bit of effort to get in shape from around now, even with a better suited seed too. It'll also tend to be mossy too, so you'd have to address that. 
    Even if you get it growing, you'll need to be careful about cutting. Little and often, and don't scalp it, especially in dry spells.
    My front garden is NW facing, and fairly open to the western side, but even then, it's mainly moss in winter. I don't mind because it improves as time goes on and the grass gets the upper hand, but in a tiny space, you'll always be fighting it. Next door's is total moss, even in summer, as it's tiny, and gets very little sun. 

    Maybe you should tell your partner how much each product is to keep that little patch, and the time it takes,  and she'll have to pay for it. That might change her mind  :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    Bottom line... your wasting your time & money. The main issue I suspect is compaction.
    Seriously.. I would strongly suggest an alternative...how about ( & I never thought I'd actually be saying this becuase 99.9% of the time I hate the stuff) .. artificial grass. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    If it's just you and your partner, how's about this for a bit of lateral thinking ... turn it into a gravel garden full of tall waving grasses, and buy her a really good comfortable lounger that she can lie on, gazing up at the birds wheeling across the blue sky, with tall feathery grasses wafting across her sun-kissed limbs (ok ... sorry, that's a bit Mills & Boon, but you get the picture  B))  ... even with a luxury lounger it'll probably be cheaper than redoing a lawn every year.  
    Now all you have to do is convince her ............ 

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





  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    How I hate artificial grass. A lovely garden can add value to a property you have a great opportunity even if you are on a budget as most of us are. It could be an on going project.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    You could also mention the things that crawl about in grass
    In London. Keen but lazy.
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