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Squelchy lawn

siobhan.m95905siobhan.m95905 Posts: 8
in Problem solving
I have just joined as I have read a lot about my squelchy lawn but still unsure what to do.
I moved into this house last Spring and it is 19 yrs old but during that time was a rental and shown no love. 
By the look of it and the amount of rubble it wouls appear that someone had thrown seed over the building site and nothing was done for nearly 20 years other than citting mostly weeds and a small amount a grass.
We killed everything, dug it up and put down top soil and turf in September.
The part of the lawn nearest the house is awfully squelchy but the bottom half is okay. I know it has been a terribly autumn and winter but the fact that its only part of the lawn makes me think we have laid it badly and may have to take it up and start again.
Or may it just need forking and if so can I do it now to help drain it.
I think some of the grass may be yellow which I understand is a bad thing.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
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Posts

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    "By the look of it and the amount of rubble it wouls appear that someone had thrown seed over the building site and nothing was done for nearly 20 years other than citting mostly weeds and a small amount a grass."

    Typical of new-builds.  It may need a restart to achieve anything like a half decorative or even sports lawn.

    THat means double dig, at least 2 spits.  Look for goodish top soil - make a heap.  Look for complete rubbish - either throw out or put at at the bottom.  Revrse the order of the soils. , remake etc ...
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hello @siobhan.m95905  and welcome to the forum.

    I see that you replaced your lawn in September with topsoil and turf and that it is only the part nearest the house that is squelchy. Could it be water draining from a patio?

    We have all had an amazing amount of rain, so I wouldn't worry too much just now. Maybe see what it is like when we get some drier weather in spring. If necessary you can over seed any bare patches then, and do some forking.

    Meantime it's worth trying not to walk on a wet lawn as it will only compress it.

    Good luck with it.
    Bee x



    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    wait a while before you do anything. It's so wet just now, even a good lawn could be sodden. If it's still a problem at Easter, that's a much better time to be reseeding anyway, if you need to
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • siobhan.m95905siobhan.m95905 Posts: 8
    Thank you all.

    Bee witched there is indeed a patio in front of it though I didn't have this problem in my previous garden though there was a step down to the lawn if that makes a difference.

    I do have to occasionally walk on it to go to the shed but when I do I avoid the worst part.

    Looks like we have a dry spell for a bit so hopefully it will help.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited 6 January
    Lawn sand would be a good addition in spring when it is drier. Always keep off a waterlogged or frozen lawn. I had a new lawn laid early November it too is waterlogged but there has been some improvement today.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • siobhan.m95905siobhan.m95905 Posts: 8
    Thanks GardenerSuze. So is that sprinkled on top? At least I don't have puddles so given the amount of rain we've had I'm thinking it could be worse.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Be careful to distinguish between "lawn sand" which is a moss-killing product containing (I think) ferrous sulphate, and ordinary sharp gritty sand used to improve drainage, eg to fill the holes after spiking a lawn. My dad has heavier soil than mine and once asked my (non-gardener) brother to bring him "some sand for the lawn". What he got was the mosskiller type of lawn sand, which wasn't what he wanted. Fortunately he did read the packaging before applying it.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • siobhan.m95905siobhan.m95905 Posts: 8
    Thanks so much for the heads up JennyJ. I will be sure to be mindful 🙂
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    Our'lawn' is always squelchy even though it is not on top of builders rubble. I would suggest that to begin with you try  'spiking' the area. Use a good sharp garden fork and go in about 4 inches deep or so and use the fork to lever up the turf a little. My spikes are about 9 inches apart. Seems to help here, where we are on extremely sticky clay.
  • siobhan.m95905siobhan.m95905 Posts: 8
    That's helpful to know it helps. I wait till Spring before doing that?
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