Gardening Chat

beertons

Thought I'd start one of these, and use it for chatting amongst ourselves.

My lawn was green up until about a month ago. I only mowed it once, had the height setting to the highest. Yet, moss is starting to show. I aerated it last week. Is there anything else I can do to it? I think it's a bit late in the year to be scarifying.

looksee

Nice idea for a thread beertons, though I think your post would get a more useful response if you just posted a 'moss in my lawn' thread.

However I am quite happy to have a little over-the-garden-fence chat/complain about the fact that my garden looks like a wilderness and has ragwort that would win prizes, if there were prizes for ragwort. Since it is just a small suburban garden, and really not all that many ragwort I am not too worried, but yes, I will dispose of them!

Dealing with all the other overgrown stuff is another matter (lots of things got in the way of gardening - again - this year), I think I may have to simplify it somewhat. Or more likely, get someone else to simplify it, the auld knees are not what they were!

It was a lovely summer though, and the weather looks good for a bit longer.

Wyldwood

Beertons, on Gardener's World last night Monty Don said to scarify now and compost the rakings

Looksee, summer is gone in Cork

I have a big problem with my front lawn. I live in an open plan park and have a big green area in front of my house, the crows and magpies are gouging holes out of the grass on the green and on my lawn. I haven't seen them in either of my neighbours' gardens. Google suggests that it's some kind of grub infestation. I've gone to the two local garden centres and they haven't been able to offer a solution.

Can any of the wise gardeners here offer a suggestion on how to stop them digging up my lawn?

beertons

Might head to Johnstown garden center and price up a yoke for scarifying so. The back lawn is 40ft by 40ft, but it is my pride and joy.

tampopo

Who knew raspberries were invasive and never told me!

I got 800g out of mine last year and made some jam. They kept sending out runners all over the place I pulled most of them out this year. Pity.

beertons

Bought a lawn scarifier in Johnstown for €37. Now to top the lawn, take up the leaves and give it a go.

I heard the bogs are full of raspberries lately down near my parents. Someone must have put a few plants down there, and they took to the soil.

looksee

Wyldwood, chances are the crows are digging for daddy-long-legs (aka cranefly) grubs - leatherjackets, which will spend the winter eating the grass roots and leaving bald spots next year. So you are damned if you do and damned if you don't!

magicbastarder

looksee wrote: »

However I am quite happy to have a little over-the-garden-fence chat/complain about the fact that my garden looks like a wilderness and has ragwort that would win prizes, if there were prizes for ragwort. Since it is just a small suburban garden, and really not all that many ragwort I am not too worried, but yes, I will dispose of them!

should only be an issue though if you're feeding animals from your garden - and the ragwort provides food for insects.

Wyldwood

Well, summer is back in Cork again. A glorious day.
Got all the perennials that are past their best trimmed back and composted. The place is looking a bit bare but tidier.
Also picked all the apples off my Red Windsor tree before the Fat Pigs (woodlice) eat them all. Great crop this year.

tampopo

well it was fab in Dublin too. Didn't do any gardening but went to the Oktoberfest in the IFSC instead. It will be good again tomorrow and I expect to be off work. My biggest problem is foxes digging holes and sh1tting in my garden....grrr.

looksee

Well in spite of my gloom about my ability to clear up my garden, I did go out, and did a load of clearing! I now have a big heap of brambles, branches and pulled up montbretia and ragwort - the ragwort is much the easier to pull up! - but in a small garden the options for getting rid of non-compostable stuff become limited. It was lovely out in the sunshine though.

donacarney

Jobs for the weekend??

pwurple

What a lovely weekend it was. Did some serious clearing as well here. Few green tomatos left on the vines, I've pulled all the leaves off in the hopes that ripening enzyme shoots into them.

Started some seedlings indoors for next year a little while ago. Delighted with the germination so far. Should hopefully have 24 happy echinacea good to plant out by next summer.

I got a few bulbs, but waiting for the ground to soften up a bit before I stick them down. Need some rain.

Where do ye buy tools? Just broke my hoe.

The Sage Tomato

Usually moss means too much shade and wet conditions. Getting more sun and better drainage in that area is the best fix. Moss can also mean that your pH is too high. A soil test might be helpful.

QUOTE=beertons;92284649]Thought I'd start one of these, and use it for chatting amongst ourselves.

My lawn was green up until about a month ago. I only mowed it once, had the height setting to the highest. Yet, moss is starting to show. I aerated it last week. Is there anything else I can do to it? I think it's a bit late in the year to be scarifying.[/QUOTE]

peadar76

beertons wrote: »

Bought a lawn scarifier in Johnstown for €37. Now to top the lawn, take up the leaves and give it a go.

I heard the bogs are full of raspberries lately down near my parents. Someone must have put a few plants down there, and they took to the soil.

How did you get on with the scarifier? 37 quid doesn't seem too bad. What got of a yoke is it?

beertons

peadar76 wrote: »

How did you get on with the scarifier? 37 quid doesn't seem too bad. What got of a yoke is it?

Grand little piece. It pulled up a bit alright. I only went over the lawn once, and then went over it again with the mower to collect.

irelandspurs

Scarify ,aerate brush some sharp sand into the holes and overseed. It will help the lawn over winter then give it a feed weed and moss treatment in spring and another aerate and you'll have a lovely lawn.

beertons

Mowed the lawns again yesterday, mainly to collect the leaves. Will I scarify it again?