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New build lawn, white patches, any ideas?

Hello everyone,

thanks in advance for any help.  

I have a newbuild house with a lawn laid last September.  We have learnt our lesson and would never again use the approved landscapers to lay a new lawn, it appeared to not be prepared in any way and I complained about how bumpy the lawn was after it was laid.

Nevertheless, 10 months on and our lawn now has these white patches of grass all over it and particularly in the strip shown.  It doesn't appear to be dying and appears to be still rooted.  

I would be very grateful if anyone had any advice as to what this is and what its causes would be.  I have been told by an expert that it isn't diseased and is due to the rubbish/drains underneath rather than anything we have/haven't done, given how healthy it looks elsewhere.

Does anyone know what this 'white' effect means?

thanks greatly!

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Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    It's probably because the lawn was laid on top of builders waste. If you lift a section and see what's underneath you'll probably find it. Doubtless it'll be a selection of rubble, bricks waste concrete and other detritus left after they've legged it.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,145

    Can we have a close up of some of the affected grass/leaves please.

    Has the lawn had any fertiliser or other treatment this summer?


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Hi

    thanks for your replies.

    i put some lawn feed on it in July, but it already had these white patches (I thought it couldn't hurt!).  I didn't overfeed it/overlap the fertiliser, as you can see by the dark green stripe effect!! 

    This morning I have taken close ups and there is a cobweb-like moisture on some of the green grass near these patches (it was foggy this morning).  However, the person from a well-known lawn company did not say it was diseased.

    i do have a small male dog but these patches are not where he wees. We also have a front lawn cut at the same times and lengths as the back lawn which doesn't have these patches.  The lawn at the front was laid before we bought the house.

    any ideas are much appreciated!

    imageimageimageimage

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,145

    It's not something I've come across, but this sounds as if it may be the cause

    http://www.gardenseeker.com/lawns/dollar_spot_disease_in_lawns.htm 

    It's interesting that it says it can be spread by garden machinery - one of the hazards of using a visiting lawn care company I suppose image

    Last edited: 18 August 2016 10:31:58


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Thanks,

    I have always wondered if it was some sort of fungal disease, but the expert didn't even mention this!

    In fairness, the lawn company were just giving us an initial quote so any garden machinery issues are our own! It's just strange that our front lawn is absolutely fine.  

  • Dave HumbyDave Humby Posts: 1,145

    Could it be a different strain of grass i.e. couch? It looks thicker to me than the green grass but that might just be an illusion. Couch grass goes this colour in dry conditions and when cut 'short'. Just a thought. 

  • If Dove is right, presumably the affected grass will die off completely and the patches filled in by the unaffected grass and so by this time next year the problem will have cleared up.  I guess you could scrape the dead grass out and lay some (different) seed if it doesn't clear up by itself and if you can be bothered right away.

    I have a few patches on my grass but I think they might be caused by cat pee!

  • it's so strange.... At the moment it doesn't look like its dying, as the roots are still attached and to pull it out takes effort.

    Dave, it isn't an illusion, it does seem to be thicker and all winter we have discussed the fact that it looks like a different type of grass, but that is how it arrived when we first had it!

  • Update:

    i have been told by an expert that this is most likely chafer grubs or leatherjackets in the soil eating the roots.  This tends to happen in the spring and since our roots were not well established they were more vulnerable.  Lots of birds on the lawn are a tell-tale sign apparently, which we have had in the Spring.  

  • In that case, get some nematodes watered in - now is an ideal time to do it.  If you carefully lift up a few damaged areas, you should be able to see the grubs to identify whether they are leatherjackets or chafer grubs.  Or buy both sorts of nematode as they won't interfere with each other.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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