Lawns

[Chris S]

OK, I know - not strictly Allotment material, but I do have a large expanse of grass near to our veggie patch - so that's good enough for me!

The grass is in a poor state. It needs scarifying, and feed 'n weeding.

Question is - which one comes first? Feed & Weed first, then scarify the crap out after the moss/weeds are dead, or scarify first and then feed & weed the remains?

[Seineseeker]

I'm no expert, but I would scarify first, then treat with something to feed it and kill the weeds, and the scarify again to get rid of the dead stuff.

[steveB]

I've been looking at my lawn and it's rubbish up close, but looks good from a bit away.  It's mostly moss, so I've decided to cut out loads and replace with turf, try and spike it a bit and hope for the best.

Very hard to have a good lawn in my limited experience. 

[border-rider]

Learn to love it as it is, or let it grow and pretend it's a wildflower meadow

As steveB says, a Real Lawn is damn hard work to achieve and to maintain.  My life is too short and filled with bicycles.

[clarion]

Found myself wishing I had a lawn today - very unusual for me.

It was mainly so I could play at putting a tarp up.... 

[little miss mac]

My dad has said he would like to come and dig up our current patch of "grass" and returf it for us.

Har har har I love him being retired and bored to tears.  Better get him down here quick while he's still unemployed 

[clarion]

Can I pitch me tarp there when he's done? 

[Treewheeler]

If your grass is on a desire line or played on by kids then the soil will be compacted and so grass won't do well.
Scarify then hollow tine the area and sweep horticultural sand into the hole left to improve aeration.
 If the grass is shaded by trees or near a drip line of trees then just leave it to the mosses as you will be wasting your weekend improving what can't be improved.
 Moss makes an excellent alternative to grass.
Wildflowers are unlikely to grow naturally without reducing the fertility of the soil as the grass will outcompete everything else generally.
 Feeding your lawn just disguises underlying issues such as poor drainage/compaction/wrong place for grass/thin soil...
Sort out these before you waste money and time weeding and feeding the grass as most weeds will go with cutting regularly and those rosette lawn weeds such as dandylion and daisies may be cut out with a knife manually.
 best of luck with it.

[Ian H]

...most weeds will go with cutting regularly...

I've turned 'orrible bits of scrub into acceptable lawn-like-areas just with a couple of seasons' mowing.  Weedkiller on grass must be about the least defensible use of the stuff.

[Treewheeler]

Ian agrees with me!
 We actually agree!
 HEY! we have a 'concord'
I'm going to print this page off and frame it!
It may only be over some grass but it's a start...
 

[Ian H]

Ian agrees with me!
 

Just be careful with that chainsaw, Mr L.

[nuttycyclist]

Well, this is my acreage.  (yes, all of it!)







And yes I was halfway through a mow before I got distracted by a bike fettling need (you can see the mowing line in the background of the second photo, just to prove how small the lawn is).