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Lawn help required

AnonimouseAnonimouse Posts: 7
in Problem solving

Hi I moved approx 3 years ago the lawn is rubbish, I have spent a fortune to no avail.  

The first year I used weed and feed, it fed the weeds but not the grass, I also tried one of those weed grabbers, but it just left holes all over the lawn.

last year I used specialised lawn weed killer, again waste of money, it slowed them slightly, but they fought back,  this year I have resorted to glyphosate, which has been successful on some, but not the clover.

You used to be able to get clover tox or clovercide which wiped it out. I have an electric rake/scarifier which I will use this weekend.

the mower is set to 3 and has a collection box.  I will have to reseed the bare patches, possibly oversow the whole lawn?

 Haven't fed yet this year as it seems pointless keep feeding the weeds. Help

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Posts

  • rosemummyrosemummy Posts: 2,010

    Hi anonimouse, my lawn is horrendous too, there are a few threads on this topic and good advice have a look at those too

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053

    I use weed and feed every second year on my lawn and have never had a problem - grass is always fed, weeds are always killed including clover. Are you using it at the correct rate and making sure to water it in if dry?

    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • Greg4Greg4 Posts: 91
    Maybe time to think about making a new lawn, getting back to basics and prepare the site. There is only one way to do this and that's the right way, there are no short cuts as you have spent three years trying. Sorry to sound so bleak but this time next year you will have a lawn to be proud of.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Anonimouse, my grass was a disaster when I moved in here almost 18 months ago. Very compacted, neglected apart from being scalped regularly, and mostly buttercups, daisies, dandelions and clover. I fed it in spring then used a standard weed and feed about a month later. It's only been cut regularly since - no water even in the hot summer of last year - and no autumn feed. I did much the same this spring. There's a thread here called Ideas for privacy solutions (currently on page 1) which shows a small part of my  grass. You can see how green and healthy it is. Perhaps you're not using at the correct dosage, as hogweed suggests? Most rough lawns can be renovated quite easily with these products. It's usually only when there's additional problems like waterlogging or animal/insect damage that it can be difficult to sort. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • rosemummyrosemummy Posts: 2,010

    Or paddling pool and plastic slide damage! Ours is awful! 

  • AnonimouseAnonimouse Posts: 7

    I've tried granular and liquid weed and feed at the correct rate and at recommended intervals, it doesn't kill the weeds neither does the lawn weed killer. Only glyphosate has any affect.

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053

    What kind of weeds are they and how big?

    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • rosemummyrosemummy Posts: 2,010

    mine doesn't have weeds, just big bare patches

  • AnonimouseAnonimouse Posts: 7

    I have huge patches of clover, also creeping buttercup, self heal, greater and lesser plaintain, Daisy's, dandelions,  shepherds purse, the odd dock,  mainly low growing rosette type weeds

    I used the electric rake over the weekend, this has knocked the clover back, the stems were over a foot long, and removed the previously treated weeds also a huge amount of thatch and moss.

  • Billy GoatBilly Goat Posts: 51

    If I was you I would buy some weedkiller, rent a turf cutter and rotavator.

    • Spray and wait till it has died back
    • Lift the old turf and stack for using as compost/top dressing
    • Rotavate it all and level then reseed.

    You are just at the right time of year to start, but I would choose the correct seed for what you plan to use your lawn for.

    Good luck!!

     

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