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Over-seeding

g333g333 Posts: 125
in Problem solving
Hi

Bit of background first. I moved into an established garden (previously owners kid and pet free)

over the last 2 years between patio upgrade, kids football and dogs mad runs my grass has taken a massive hit.

last Year I put a lot of seed and top dressing down, it was looking pretty good, but kids have wrecked it with very limited play October to now.

my question is I am going to reseed, keep the kids off for as long as possible, but should I go with top dressing or just reseed?

a lot of bags of top dressing went down last year.
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Posts

  • gunndabadgunndabad Posts: 35
    What’s your reason for topdressing? Fixing levels, improving drainage, covering new seed…?
  • g333g333 Posts: 125
    I would say all 3…however 

    levels  mainly sorted from previous dressings

    drainage is an issue so every year might help little 

    covering the seed prob the main thinking this time round 
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    I think what gunndabad is hinting at is that the root cause of your problem is still there, i.e. your offspring.  Short of paving the area, or making more trips to the local park, is this not an ongoing problem until they begin to spread their wings? 
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    If you want a lovely lawn get rid of the kids and dogs.
    The drainage problem is not helping. It sounds as if you could aerate the lawn by spiking it with a garden fork if the area is not too big or buy a spiking tool, like a small lawnmower but with spikes on a rotating cylinder, then top dress with lawn sand. That will strengthen the grass growth and help reduce the cutting up of the surface by small feet kicking a ball around and paws skidding as they chase balls etc.
    I think it may be best if you just accept that family will have to take priority for the time being and stop worrying about the lawn. That can be replaced when the family have flown the nest, family cannot be replaced. Life will become much more comfortable for you.


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    While you have children/dogs playing on it, grass will never be 'ideal'   :)
    Drainage is often a common problem because the ground gets compacted with the relentless footfall, especially if it's in a smaller site.
    You're on a hiding to nothing if you constantly try to make it far better than it is. Just cut it when it needs it, and if you're in a drier area, where you have long dry spells,  leave it a little longer than you're currently doing.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • g333g333 Posts: 125
    Hey 

    Thanks for the replies. I’m under no illusion of to what the root cause is (kids and dog) and accept the lawn will never be perfect.

    All the same I’d like to give it April and May to boost it for the summer for them, rather that just leave it bare. 2 months off it was achieved last year.

    I have a 2-1 scarifier and rake machine, and fork it also regularly to help the drainage.

    I’m going to put seed down I just really wanted to know if it’s also worth while doing the top dressing or just wasting money on that and just seed it after raking and forking it?

    thansk 
  • gunndabadgunndabad Posts: 35
    Topdressing definitely helps with new seed.
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    I'm just about to do the same, my 40kg pooch has done his worse on the grass. Having spent a short hour or so doing a bit of online shopping research for grass seed, I had no idea I could get 'dog pee' resistant grass seed.  There's even a grass seed brand called 'Sprogs and Dogs'   B)  
    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • g333g333 Posts: 125
    The dog pee stuff doesnt work form what I have seen, but give it a go.

    I usually use the grass people .com used the clay master and also the kids/pets stuff over the last couple years.


  • g333g333 Posts: 125
    Another question on this.

    The area where the kids football goals were is coming along great.

    However patches and up the middle of the grass were it wasnt as much of a mud bath just patches and bare, its not growing too well, I can still see seed just sitting there after about 3weeks, weather hasnt been great.

    My questions is... is that seed now wasted, or worth standing, rolling over it again and some top dressing over it or best to put some new seed down basically starting again
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