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Lawn trouble
Colette Garbutt
Posts: 1
Having just moved into a rental property, it would appear that not much has been done with the lawn since the house was built, and as we are only renting would like to have some attempt to have a lawn without laying out too much financially.
Currently the lawn has a lot of clover and dandelion and some moss, the ground is very wet having been built on old pasture land.
please advise
0
Posts
As you're renting I'd be reluctant to do anything more than apply a weed and feed in spring. That will reduce the number of weeds overall and improve the appearance. It's been so wet this year so far that a any drainage issues couldn't be assessed properly till spring. If you don't have standing water I'd suggest the drainage is passable. Neglected lawns will have moss no matter what. After the weed and feed you could scarify the lawn and repair any patches with fresh seed. After that I'd wait and see how it develops. People spend fortunes trying to attain the perfect lawn, but if it's not your property a passable lawn is all you really need.
Dave's right Colette. A bit of weed and feed and regular mowing will improve the grass enormously. For a rental property, I wouldn't go to great lengths, and that regime will give you a good result. If the ground's very boggy, you can do a bit of spiking through spring to help drainage. It costs nothing other than a bit of physical effort
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
In the past I've turned rough pasture into a passable lawn by using Weed & Feed a couple of times a year and regular (at least weekly) mowing when it's growing. As has been said, a bit of spiking to help with drainage, and some raking in the autumn to remove thatch (dried grass/moss around the roots) will work wonders
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Assuming you have had plenty of rain like the rest of us, I would get some drainage going, with a fork would do, Remove the dandilions in the spring. Depends really, how fussy you are, I like a neat garden, but with 2 dogs and grandkids, dont expect a bowling green. Ours is clay NE facing pretty boggy, I used to spend days (weeks!) removing celendines, I think I was Alan Titchmarsh who said why bother, so I dont now. They disappear after Spring. You could get a nice wildflower meadow going maybe? A few seeds.