Spring lawn weed and feed

[GreiginFife]

@GreiginFife also...have done a cut. Ground fairly dry. I've got a bag of AllInOne Lawn feed, Weed and Moss Killer - I'll not scarify yet but in maybe a day or 2 (?) will sprinkle that over - or do that straight away? Wait a week or so and then cut again and then scarify.

You'll gather from my question and the above that I'm useless with grass - so grateful for suggestions.

I suppose how you approach it will be dependent on the soil/issue you have. We get moss because it's a heavy clay soil that drains like crap. At the end of autumn I hollow core the front lawn and then sand over it to try and break up any compaction.

Then in Spring, it's raked, treated (left for about 7-10 days), raked again, cut on high setting, scarified and then over-seeded if it's needing it (as sometimes it can come up a bit bare once the moss/thatch is removed).

Each summer we have a nice healthy looking lawn, right up until the wetness of late summer early autumn kicks in and then it seems to be the merry-go-round again.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I suppose how you approach it will be dependent on the soil/issue you have. We get moss because it's a heavy clay soil that drains like crap. At the end of autumn I hollow core the front lawn and then sand over it to try and break up any compaction.

Then in Spring, it's raked, treated (left for about 7-10 days), raked again, cut on high setting, scarified and then over-seeded if it's needing it (as sometimes it can come up a bit bare once the moss/thatch is removed).

Each summer we have a nice healthy looking lawn, right up until the wetness of late summer early autumn kicks in and then it seems to be the merry-go-round again.

Sounds like you are. in the business of maintaining a much more consistent lawn than we are. Our soil is generally well draining - but we are only really looking for something that looks green when we look at it.

 

[Pants]

Do as they do at Augusta (allegedly)

 

[Oddsocks]

Got my treatment down, raked areas and a low cut and it’s all ready to go. Looking at the garden from the dining room it seems a shame to put 6 bags of soil down and top seeding…

 

[RichA]

How are we all scarifying, out of interest?
I've always done it every other year with a wire rake but it destroys me for about a week afterwards. Mine and Dad's lawns are very mossy at the moment. I'm probably going to do general garden maintenance part time from next year after early retirement, so I'm looking at power scarifiers.
Keen to know what folks' experiences of them are. I like my Makita 18v garden tools but can't find much independent info about theirs.

 

[rulefan]

How are we all scarifying, out of interest?
I've always done it every other year with a wire rake but it destroys me for about a week afterwards. Mine and Dad's lawns are very mossy at the moment. I'm probably going to do general garden maintenance part time from next year after early retirement, so I'm looking at power scarifiers.
Keen to know what folks' experiences of them are. I like my Makita 18v garden tools but can't find much independent info about theirs.

I got a Mac Allister from B&Q about 6 or 7 years ago. Use it once a year. 200sqm lawn. No problems with it so far.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Chat with the Boss this afternoon and given that there are quite large areas of our 'lawn' that look to be almost 100% moss and creeping buttercup she does not want to kill it or scarify it out. She most certainly does not want big patches where the moss and weed killing and scarifying has left nothing but bare earth...as has happened in the past when I gave it a go.

Her answer? We'll put up with the moss and creeping buttercup for this summer...it looks green from the house and bottom of garden, and that's all we are mostly bothered about - and look to have it all ripped up later this year or early next (whenever best); have the ground levelled (it's very uneven); and new turf laid. Sorted.

 

[Deleted member 35927]

Just scarified my lawn for the second time this year, and I can’t believe the amount of moss and thatch I’m getting out of it. But the results are starting to show. And that’s before I’ve put any treatment on it.

Aeration is the next item on the agenda. Got some of those ludicrous aeration shoes on order from Amazon

Do they work? I have corer tool thing but it's back breaking.

 

[rulefan]

Got some of those ludicrous aeration shoes on order from Amazon

A waste of time and effort I'm afraid.

 

[Billysboots]

Do they work? I have corer tool thing but it's back breaking.

I’ll tell you in a day or so but first signs are reasonably encouraging.

 

[Tashyboy]

Scarified the two front lawns and back lawn his morning. Front lawns are north facing and there was loads of moss, there always is. That had Moss killer on it 12 days ago.
The back garden is south facing and totally different. Loads and loads of thatch. Once I had scarified I went over with the mower and that picked up another three or four baskets. It always helps when it has dried for an hour or two. Took the moss and thatch to the tip. And decided to wash the car when I got back. Missis T says your seed has come ( 1.5 kg). So after car wash I put the seed down on the front lawn and then chucked 7 bags of soil on it. Bro in law has one of those lawn rake things that levels the lawns. It’s a thing of beauty, only 7 bags was not enough, so off to Wickes for another 8 bags ( £2.50 each) So now 15 bags are on the lawn and bottom line. Am knackered.
Gonna leave it to settle a couple of days and then start watering it from Friday, it’s going to be wet and warm for the next week so fingers crossed.

 

[Pants]

We bought one of the below about 2.5 years ago and have now used it 4 or 5 times. Green Thumb would have charges us ~ £100 per visit. We used it yesterday on our approx 100 sq m lawn without using the grass box (fills up every couple of metres or so) and had done a light scarify in about 20 mins. Another hour of so of going over the whole lot with the rotary mower a couple of times to pick up all the arisings and the jobs a good 'un.

Hyundai 15'' / 38cm Electric Lawn Scarifier Aerator Lawn Rake 1800W 230V | HYSC1800E

Hyundai 1800W Lightweight Electric Lawn Scarifier, Aerator and Electric Rake. For patchy grass, spongy lawns and increasing grass drainage. Removes weeds, moss and thatch for a healthy, green lawn. Click here to shop.

hyundaipowerequipment.co.uk

 

[Oddsocks]

I borrowed one of them last year @Pants , great product. As the grass had died I cross scarified as it had never been done and loads come up.

I’d buy one but HID wants to convert half the garage into a utility and I’m not sacrificing any golf / tool space.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I cut the moss yesterday on our front lawn. The back is all grass, the front is 90% moss. Our neighbours is the same, must be something about the clay soil, geography, sun etc. I tried the various potions, never a scarifier to be fair, but now I have just accepted our lot. If you could fix it once then that would be okay but it seems like it is similar to cleaning your patio, it is an annual / bi annual job and it is never really done. I don't care enough to do it that regularly.

 

[Oddsocks]

I cut the moss yesterday on our front lawn. The back is all grass, the front is 90% moss. Our neighbours is the same, must be something about the clay soil, geography, sun etc. I tried the various potions, never a scarifier to be fair, but now I have just accepted our lot. If you could fix it once then that would be okay but it seems like it is similar to cleaning your patio, it is an annual / bi annual job and it is never really done. I don't care enough to do it that regularly.

It’s not that bad to be fair, depending on the area size I treated an 8m x 8m garden with moss killer for less than £10, raked out the bad patches and reseeded them with some top soil from the garden centre for less that £50.

 

[Crazyface]

I live in an area known as The Moss. The local footie teams ground is nearby and is called The Moss Rose. Guess what's in my lawn?

 

[Oddsocks]

I live in an area known as The Moss. The local footie teams ground is nearby and is called The Moss Rose. Guess what's in my lawn?

Mushrooms?

 

[rulefan]

I live in an area known as The Moss. The local footie teams ground is nearby and is called The Moss Rose. Guess what's in my lawn?

Roses

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

After much debate and discussion we've decided to leave the moss and creeping buttercup and other ground weeks as they are at the moment - they are just a bit too extensive and killing them will just make too much of a mess visually. Instead we are just going to give the whole area a good liquid feed.

Our plan is to have the whole lot lifted this autumn or spring next year - get it properly leveled (my attempts previously have not worked well and where we have had a soakaway dug the ground has dropped a little) and completely returfed with a few tweaks to where we run borders.

 

[GreiginFife]

After much debate and discussion we've decided to leave the moss and creeping buttercup and other ground weeks as they are at the moment - they are just a bit too extensive and killing them will just make too much of a mess visually. Instead we are just going to give the whole area a good liquid feed.

Our plan is to have the whole lot lifted this autumn or spring next year - get it properly leveled (my attempts previously have not worked well and where we have had a soakaway dug the ground has dropped a little) and completely returfed with a few tweaks to where we run borders.

If you have easy access to a rainwater drain system then field drains would probably be easier and note effective than a soak away. Really only of use for areas where you can’t tap in to a rain system.