By the time you spend all that time and money on treating it maybe just rip it up and seed/turf. It will give you a fresh start and something to move forward with.
I have a very large lawn and have spent about ??400 trying to get it better shape. Although after 18 months it's getting better I can't help feeling that ??1000 spent in the first place would have been the way to go.
It's very logical that mowing short weakens the grass and allows weeds to grow in it. It is a technique used to encourage growth of other plants at conservation sites by making the grass less able to compete with the weeds - or native wild flowers depending which way you look at it
My neighbour was out with the mower last weekend getting it down to ground level, not good in the wet conditions I would imagine.
By the time you spend all that time and money on treating it maybe just rip it up and seed/turf. It will give you a fresh start and something to move forward with.
I have a very large lawn and have spent about ??400 trying to get it better shape. Although after 18 months it's getting better I can't help feeling that ??1000 spent in the first place would have been the way to go.
I don't think we've recommended anything that isn't part of my usual annual lawn care - even if you re-turf you're going to have to aerate, scarify and treat for weeds and moss each year.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Any 'lawn' or area of grass will need attention regularly to keep weeds at bay. They'll come in from surrounding gardens or fields depending on your location. When I moved here 18 months ago, the grass was in poor shape - very compacted, mostly dandelions, buttercups etc. Like a previous poster - it's mainly north facing. All I've done is a feed only followed by a weed and feed in both springs, scarified occasionally and cut it regularly. It now looks pretty good. The area to the side of the house has had no treatment and is still largely clover, dandelions and buttercups.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
We've been here 3 years now. When we moved in the back lawn had been mowed very infrequently over the previous 3 years - it is overhung with trees and leaves hadn't been raked up for those three years. The lawn was sparse and tufty and covered in fairy rings over one half, the other half was mainly moss, buttercups, dandelions, prunella and wild marjoram.
The front lawn was a bit better when we moved in, but 9 months of being covered with builder's skips didn't do a lot for it! By the time the builders had left we had totally bare areas, milk thistles, huge ants nests and more dandelions and hawkbit than you could shake a stick at.
Regular mowing (not too short), raking and a bit of reseeding on the bare patches, plus some spiking and weed and feed type treatment over the past 12 months has given us very acceptable lawns for very little money - just as well after the ivy pulled the fences down and they all had to be replaced
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
I have a very large lawn and have spent about ??400 trying to get it better shape. Although after 18 months it's getting better I can't help feeling that ??1000 spent in the first place would have been the way to go.
I have decided as long as it looks green that's OK
The lawns could do with a cut but far to wet , probably like everybody else a real good frost last night
Yes, big frost last night.....
It's very logical that mowing short weakens the grass and allows weeds to grow in it. It is a technique used to encourage growth of other plants at conservation sites by making the grass less able to compete with the weeds - or native wild flowers depending which way you look at it
My neighbour was out with the mower last weekend getting it down to ground level, not good in the wet conditions I would imagine.
I don't think we've recommended anything that isn't part of my usual annual lawn care - even if you re-turf you're going to have to aerate, scarify and treat for weeds and moss each year.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Any 'lawn' or area of grass will need attention regularly to keep weeds at bay. They'll come in from surrounding gardens or fields depending on your location. When I moved here 18 months ago, the grass was in poor shape - very compacted, mostly dandelions, buttercups etc. Like a previous poster - it's mainly north facing. All I've done is a feed only followed by a weed and feed in both springs, scarified occasionally and cut it regularly. It now looks pretty good. The area to the side of the house has had no treatment and is still largely clover, dandelions and buttercups.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Dove,
I agree but you need to start with something.
"but get close up and its all clover, dandelions, bits of moss and other undesirables"
If the lawn has not much grass to start with might as well strip it off and start again then follow procedure as you have said.
Hi Bluebaron
We've been here 3 years now. When we moved in the back lawn had been mowed very infrequently over the previous 3 years - it is overhung with trees and leaves hadn't been raked up for those three years. The lawn was sparse and tufty and covered in fairy rings over one half, the other half was mainly moss, buttercups, dandelions, prunella and wild marjoram.
The front lawn was a bit better when we moved in, but 9 months of being covered with builder's skips didn't do a lot for it! By the time the builders had left we had totally bare areas, milk thistles, huge ants nests and more dandelions and hawkbit than you could shake a stick at.
Regular mowing (not too short), raking and a bit of reseeding on the bare patches, plus some spiking and weed and feed type treatment over the past 12 months has given us very acceptable lawns for very little money - just as well after the ivy pulled the fences down and they all had to be replaced
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Does anyone have any advice on lawns that have been taken over by worms and are covered in worm casts? Thanks