Problem with my grass, any ideas how to fix?

NIMAN

I had excellent quality grass on my front garden going back about 18 months or so.

However, over this last year or so I have noticed the quality of it is on the decline. Its not as green and lush as it once was, and I seem to have more moss and straw type material in amongst it.

You can see some of it from the link below where I have attached some photos.

For information, I use a ride-on mower with a mulcher, so do not collect grass. I have only ever feed it once with one of those lawn feed,moss killer packages. It did thicken the grass for sure, but the quality is no better.

Occasionally the mower leaves some cuttings behind and when I rake them up I find the problem where it looks like what I can only describe as a bald man's comb over!! If you look at it, looks not too bad, then you rake it and a section could lift up off the soil, revealing a bald patch.

So anyne any ideas how I could improve the quality of the grass. I am worried that its being too much thatch, moss etc, and if a gentle raking did this damage I am afraid to hire a scarifier as I fear there would be nothing left.

Perhaps I mighty need to re-sow grass seed?

Thanks for reading. Any feedback appreciated.

http://s973.photobucket.com/user/sok40/library/Patchy%20grass?sort=3&page=1

redser7

It looks like your blade might be too high and your grass is being kept too long. Does that sould right? First cut in spring would be with the blades up high, but as you get into summer you lower it a bit with each cut, making sure not to scalp it. Then as you head into autumn raise it gradually again to a higher setting.
Grass is a plant and each plant has a number or blades. So cutting it low during summer causes each plant to branch out/ bush out and give you that nice thick carpet.

redser7

Another thought, if the mulcher isn't working too well or you are not mowing regularly enough it might be leaving too much cut grass on the surface, blocking light and air to the grass, which it needs to be healthy.

NIMAN

Maybe your 1st post is the answer, as I usually cut it fairly high.

This I started doing as the tighter you try to cut it with a mulcher, the more chance of leaving lumps of cuttings behind, plus with our weather I don't like cutting damp grass down tight. I would cut closer when its warm and dry, usually over a few days i.e. start at No.5 then next day do at No.4, then No.3 (assuming I got 3 dry days together!!). But sometimes when the weather is bad, it might go 3 or 4 weeks without a cut, and then I like to just take the top off it.

So maybe I will try your option. As I said, it was grand when I moved into the house and maybe for the 1st year, but its gone downhill so it might well be something I'm doing. Anytime I leave large lumps of cuttings behind, I would lift them by hand. Again maybe my mulcher isn't working 100% either, but will get that checked out.

irelandspurs

This time of year is best to scarify and aerate the lawn then over seed and next year your lawn will thank you for it. Get the blade sharpened and cut the grass more often. Grass gets thicker and greener the more its cut but don't cut to short.

The Garden Shop

Seems like your grass has gone rampant - Mulching on ever cut is not recommended and a build up of 'thatch' will occur

Scarifying will remove the thatch and allow your grass space to thicken up.

I would cut it shorter - collect the cuttings and scarify

If the lawn is very patchy after that you can lightly re-seed

After that only mulch on every second or third cut - and only when grass is dry.

NIMAN

Thanks for the advice, just worried that if I scarify now itll end up looking like Bobby Charlton's head from the 70s.

If I should need to reseed, when do I do it?

redser7

ASAP, forecast is for more mild weather so good chance of germination and growth before winter

GreeBo

NIMAN wrote: »

Maybe your 1st post is the answer, as I usually cut it fairly high.

This I started doing as the tighter you try to cut it with a mulcher, the more chance of leaving lumps of cuttings behind, plus with our weather I don't like cutting damp grass down tight. I would cut closer when its warm and dry, usually over a few days i.e. start at No.5 then next day do at No.4, then No.3 (assuming I got 3 dry days together!!). But sometimes when the weather is bad, it might go 3 or 4 weeks without a cut, and then I like to just take the top off it.

So maybe I will try your option. As I said, it was grand when I moved into the house and maybe for the 1st year, but its gone downhill so it might well be something I'm doing. Anytime I leave large lumps of cuttings behind, I would lift them by hand. Again maybe my mulcher isn't working 100% either, but will get that checked out.

When you are cutting it tighter you need to cut it more often, otherwise the mulcher will leave huge clumps.

Its ok to mulch everytime, as long as you are cutting it frequently and not taking too much off each time.
for example, grass is never collected on a golf course...I guess youd accept fairway quality lawn?

NIMAN

I certainly would.

Re: reseeding, is there any prep work i need to do to the garden first? Could I just give it a good rake out and sprinkle seed in the baldy patches?

GreeBo

NIMAN wrote: »

I certainly would.

Re: reseeding, is there any prep work i need to do to the garden first? Could I just give it a good rake out and sprinkle seed in the baldy patches?

I wouldnt bother trying to take first, you will just bring more weeds up.
sprinkle some seed, give it a light rake to get some of the seeds covered (feckin birds) and then water it, dont drown it or all the seeds will float to the same spot!