Lawn: Patches of no grass
Uzrya
Posts: 15
Hi
So I'm new to gardening. I have a lawn at the front and the back. The front seems to be doing very well. I've forked it, weeded it, added weedkiller, mow it regularly and its very happy.
My back unfortunately is dire. I've been at this property for 2 yrs now, and despite continuously adding lawn seeds, there are a patches that recover for a little bit but then die off.
Another area we've added seed to has managed to recover so we know there's nothing wrong the seeds (or that they are being eaten!).
A few blades have come up in a really bad section since we added the seeds in autumn, but it's not looking promising, especially since we had a wet couple of months, I noticed this area is in fact a huge puddle that stays for days on end.
so a) Is the water retention killing the grass?
i) If so, what are the solutions for this...? Do I need to dig up the lawn and level it out?
ii) shall I just go for a new lawn...? (eek!)
I would say that only 25% of the lawn actually has grass. The rest is moss, bare earth.
b) Does it just need time, and I should wait till spring/summer to see how the grass pans out?
c) Does the lawn need more help like fertiliser/seeds (can anyone recommend brands that work..?)
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Posts
do you happen to own a dog? as these can cause patches when they wee.
is it in shade? as you can get grass that will growing the shade
have you forked and sanded the lawn? this will help with drainage
have you scarified the lawn with a rake to remove the moss? or have you put moss killer on it?
Last edited: 23 February 2017 13:13:29
All good points from above, sounds like your front gets more sun than back which way does house sit? Grass roots need air just as much as moisture, light & food (as do all plants bar aquatics). Sometimes if it's really awful it is better to restart from scratch prepare ground properly rather than spend years trying to rescue an old balding patch.
If you have a puddle that sits there for a long time, you have a drainage problem. If the rest of the area drains well, you just need to build up the dip to level it, but it does sound as if your back garden could be a bit wet. Moss usually grows in damp, shady conditions, but it will also take over when your grass is weak and thin because of poor nutrition. You cannot change the light available, although there are seed mixes which cope better with some shade. Remove as much moss as you can by raking with a lawn rake You can introduce air and improve drainage by aerating and brushing over grit and compost. Seeding the bald bits doesn't seem to have worked so I would be inclined to feed up your existing lawn first. Personally, I wouldn't start with a lawn feed, I would use a general fertilizer like blood fish and bone and see if that helps.
HOWEVER, before you do all this hard work, have a think. Perhaps this area has never supported much grass. Are you flogging a dead horse? You might be better giving up on grass and rethinking the whole space. Good luck,
Yes I get the impression its a drainage problem as that area is sitting longest in a puddle, ad the area right next to it, is practically lush green. so I need to get grit and compost and general fertiliser...? Will this raise the area? Should I Leave that a bit before trying again with seeds..?
I just feel that with only 25% of it lush green, if I am going to fertilise most of it, perhaps I should dig up/rake the moss and the weeds and straggly bits of grass, level it all, add the fertiliser, and then buy new strips of lawn, as i would really like to enjoy the back this year!
Unfortunately I dont know enough of the history to say whether this area has always been like this. i do know that for the past 2 yrs it has not responded to the stuff I've been doing so far.
Thanks for your help guys, I feel surer in what I am going to do now,
You will need soil to fill up any dips. Buying strips of lawn is certainly quicker but fix the hollows first and the drainage or you will still have the problems you have now.
THankyou Posy,
Is this a stupid question, but do I buy soil....? Or just level off the soil I have?
Cheers
Well, to level what you have you will have to dig it all up but you can buy small amounts of top soil and apply as needed!
Thanks!
It sounds as if drainage is your problem. Using a fork, pushed into the dips about half the depth of the fork tines and wriggled about will help. Space the digging at 5/6 ins apart and top dress with lawn sand to go into the holes. That is aerating, good for the whole of the lawn once a year.
It is possible a vixen may use your lawn as her scenting territory area as well. I had problems with a visiting vixen in one of my front gardens, she would wee on the same spot every time she travelled through, the dog fox used to spray on one particular shrub which eventually died.
Wow, did not know that.
Thank you. I'll do that,
Anyone know a reputable place I can get good turf from? Yes, we're a family of 5, but I do want it to look good too. (so hard wearing, but nice enough to want to sit on
TIA - You guys have been really helpful.