Sorry, disagree about the grass being too short. The photos give the impression its shorter than it really is. They give the impression its a bowling green buts its really not. I never really ever cut it down really close. I went out and checked and its mainly over 2 inches long in most places. Also this year I gave my last cut maybe back end of September. Others around me were still cutting theirs long after I stopped, right in to November even. It wasnt that I didnt want to cut it again, just time commitments made it almost impossible. The grass looked quite long into October and I decided to leave it with the extra length over the winter, but then it started to yellow and you see the result
I've zoomed in on the third photo and I can see what you mean - there are a lot of long grass stalks there - they look like flowering stalks rather than 'leaves' - can you check and see if that's what they are?
What sort of mower do you use and how sharp are the blades?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Verdun, you may well be correct that the lawn has been affected by leatherjackets and I agree that nematodes applied next year will be a good course to follow.Nematodes are very effective
However, if you zoom in on the third photo you'll see long grass stems laying flat on the surface of the lawn, looking dry and hay-like - I think it looks like the flowering stalks of the grass that are not being cut properly.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've zoomed in on the third photo and I can see what you mean - there are a lot of long grass stalks there - they look like flowering stalks rather than 'leaves' - can you check and see if that's what they are?
What sort of mower do you use and how sharp are the blades?
Hi Dovefromabove. Yes to be honest as the grass wasnt cut since end of Sept there were a few flowering stalks. For years I've used a 16" honda rotary with a roller, and always had the blade sharpened or replaced. But about halfway through the summer I purchased a Bosch battery operated rotary mower. Used it about half a dozen times, so again pretty sharp blade. Maybe I should also mention that the garden is hedged in with lylandii, cut about 6 feet high. Few other shrubs and no trees. And as I already mentioned, the grass went same way last year although maybe not as bad
Re-reading your original post, you say that the lawn is covered with moss, and yet you later say that the lawn is in full sun. I'm wondering whether the soil has been soured by unbalanced feeding over the years. Have a look here http://lawncare.about.com/od/plantnutrition/a/lime.htm .
And if my lawn looked worse than my neighbours' and they didn't use Green Thumb, and if the chap Green Thumb send to tend to your lawn doesn't seem to know what he's doing and is unable to respond or advise on the poor condition of your lawn, then I wouldn't employ them. What's the point?
Wasn't it Albert Einstein who said that his definition of insanity was to keep doing the same thing over again and expect different results?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
There's also an old saying about 'killing with kindness'. I'm thinking along similar lines about excess feeding, especially if the employees applying it are less than perfect.
It may be best to leave it now to recuperate, cut regularly when spring arrives, then take a view on it around April/May. At that point, you can apply a general weed and feed if necessary. I think that's the way I'd tackle it if it was mine.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
OK so best left now until spring anyway. The greenthumb guy came 4 times a year and spread granules on the grass. Never really saw too much benefit from it although it always looked pretty green in the summer months. I think the moss may also be a factor somehow. When I bought the house the guy I bought off said he couldnt get rid of moss no matter what he did. Thats why I went into overdrive trying to eradicate it. But same as him I'm fighting a losing battle with the moss no matter what I do. Then I get this other yellowing problem this time of year. The leatherjacket treatment in spring may be worth trying but apart from that I'll leave well alone for a while I think. Or maybe should I give a real good scarify in spring, to get rid of the bad stuff, then reseed? It is annoying when those around me can hardly be bothered to cut their grass yet theirs looks way better
I'd give it a moss treatment in the spring and a thorough scarifying when that's worked, to get rid of the dead stuff. When the ground has warmed up I late spring I think I'd scarify again then scatter some general purpose lawn seed (preferably just before rain is forecast for the next few days). Then leave it alone for a while - no fertiliser - once the grass seed has germinated mow once a week on a med to high setting.
A leatherjacket nematode treatment in August and perhaps just one specialist autumn lawn feed in October.
Fingers crossed.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Others may disagree, but I'd aerate it then give it a moss treatment in the spring and a thorough scarifying/raking when that's worked, to get rid of the dead stuff.
When the ground has warmed up I late spring I think I'd scarify again then scatter some general purpose lawn seed (preferably just before rain is forecast for the next few days). Then leave it alone for a while - no fertiliser for the summer - once the grass seed has germinated mow once a week on a med to high setting.
A leatherjacket nematode treatment in August and perhaps just one specialist autumn lawn feed in October.
Fingers crossed.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
Sorry, disagree about the grass being too short. The photos give the impression its shorter than it really is. They give the impression its a bowling green buts its really not. I never really ever cut it down really close. I went out and checked and its mainly over 2 inches long in most places. Also this year I gave my last cut maybe back end of September. Others around me were still cutting theirs long after I stopped, right in to November even. It wasnt that I didnt want to cut it again, just time commitments made it almost impossible. The grass looked quite long into October and I decided to leave it with the extra length over the winter, but then it started to yellow and you see the result
I've zoomed in on the third photo and I can see what you mean - there are a lot of long grass stalks there - they look like flowering stalks rather than 'leaves' - can you check and see if that's what they are?
What sort of mower do you use and how sharp are the blades?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Verdun, you may well be correct that the lawn has been affected by leatherjackets and I agree that nematodes applied next year will be a good course to follow.Nematodes are very effective
However, if you zoom in on the third photo you'll see long grass stems laying flat on the surface of the lawn, looking dry and hay-like - I think it looks like the flowering stalks of the grass that are not being cut properly.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've zoomed in on the third photo and I can see what you mean - there are a lot of long grass stalks there - they look like flowering stalks rather than 'leaves' - can you check and see if that's what they are?
What sort of mower do you use and how sharp are the blades?
Hi Dovefromabove. Yes to be honest as the grass wasnt cut since end of Sept there were a few flowering stalks. For years I've used a 16" honda rotary with a roller, and always had the blade sharpened or replaced. But about halfway through the summer I purchased a Bosch battery operated rotary mower. Used it about half a dozen times, so again pretty sharp blade. Maybe I should also mention that the garden is hedged in with lylandii, cut about 6 feet high. Few other shrubs and no trees. And as I already mentioned, the grass went same way last year although maybe not as bad
Re-reading your original post, you say that the lawn is covered with moss, and yet you later say that the lawn is in full sun. I'm wondering whether the soil has been soured by unbalanced feeding over the years. Have a look here http://lawncare.about.com/od/plantnutrition/a/lime.htm .
And if my lawn looked worse than my neighbours' and they didn't use Green Thumb, and if the chap Green Thumb send to tend to your lawn doesn't seem to know what he's doing and is unable to respond or advise on the poor condition of your lawn, then I wouldn't employ them. What's the point?
Wasn't it Albert Einstein who said that his definition of insanity was to keep doing the same thing over again and expect different results?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
There's also an old saying about 'killing with kindness'. I'm thinking along similar lines about excess feeding, especially if the employees applying it are less than perfect.
It may be best to leave it now to recuperate, cut regularly when spring arrives, then take a view on it around April/May. At that point, you can apply a general weed and feed if necessary. I think that's the way I'd tackle it if it was mine.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
OK so best left now until spring anyway. The greenthumb guy came 4 times a year and spread granules on the grass. Never really saw too much benefit from it although it always looked pretty green in the summer months. I think the moss may also be a factor somehow. When I bought the house the guy I bought off said he couldnt get rid of moss no matter what he did. Thats why I went into overdrive trying to eradicate it. But same as him I'm fighting a losing battle with the moss no matter what I do. Then I get this other yellowing problem this time of year. The leatherjacket treatment in spring may be worth trying but apart from that I'll leave well alone for a while I think. Or maybe should I give a real good scarify in spring, to get rid of the bad stuff, then reseed? It is annoying when those around me can hardly be bothered to cut their grass yet theirs looks way better
I'd give it a moss treatment in the spring and a thorough scarifying when that's worked, to get rid of the dead stuff. When the ground has warmed up I late spring I think I'd scarify again then scatter some general purpose lawn seed (preferably just before rain is forecast for the next few days). Then leave it alone for a while - no fertiliser - once the grass seed has germinated mow once a week on a med to high setting.
A leatherjacket nematode treatment in August and perhaps just one specialist autumn lawn feed in October.
Fingers crossed.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Others may disagree, but I'd aerate it then give it a moss treatment in the spring and a thorough scarifying/raking when that's worked, to get rid of the dead stuff.
When the ground has warmed up I late spring I think I'd scarify again then scatter some general purpose lawn seed (preferably just before rain is forecast for the next few days). Then leave it alone for a while - no fertiliser for the summer - once the grass seed has germinated mow once a week on a med to high setting.
A leatherjacket nematode treatment in August and perhaps just one specialist autumn lawn feed in October.
Fingers crossed.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.