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Lawn Maintenance and problems

Regular maintenance is the key to a really good lawn. It is possible to turn a rough field into a bowling green if you put enough time and effort into it, but it is also possible to turn the bowling green into the field with lack of maintenance.

Time and money are the two key factors in what your lawn will end up. The more you mow a lawn, the finer it will become. Fine grasses thrive under mowing conditions while coarser grasses will die out.

A standard lawn will require cutting at least once a week during the growing season. Do not be tempted to reduce your workload by cutting the grass shorter. If the grass is too short it will encourage bare patches where weed seeds can flourish and moss will be encouraged to grow.

Lawns in shade should be cut less frequently and left slightly longer than those in bright light.

The type of lawn you have also determines the type of mower that you should have and if whether you gather the clippings or not.

Fine lawns will need a cylinder type lawnmower with a roller on it to keep it in top condition and the clippings should be removed.

The harder wearing type lawn can be cut with either a rotary or a cylinder mower. On these types of lawn some people remove the cuttings, which can be put on the compost heap, others swear by leaving the clipping on the lawn where they break down and re-fertilise the lawn itself. They can also help to retain moisture in dryer weather.

Feeding

A lawn only needs to be fed twice a year. The first time is in the spring and the again in midsummer or autumn.

A general fertiliser will do the job, either liquid or solid, but there are specialist fertilisers for lawns that contain such things as moss killers and weedkillers.

No matter what sort you use, you should not exceed the application rates stated on the packets, as this can lead to scorching. Always read the instructions thoroughly and if the fertiliser is combined with weed or moss killer, avoid all plants, as these will be killed.

If after application of fertilisers, it has not rained for two days, water the lawn thoroughly. See Top Dressing

Weeds

You can remove weeds by applying a lawn weedkiller, either a combined one with the fertiliser or a separate one for later applications. There are various tools on the market for removing individual weeds by hand if there are not too many and you prefer not to use herbicides.

Dips or Bumps

Many people ask "Will a roller help to level out my lawn?"
The answer is No! A roller will only give you firm humps and hollows. It will not level your lawn for you. Rather than try to get rid of the humps; get rids of the hollows. In the growing season (March - October) mix up a little special mix (Equal parts of sharp sand, good garden soil and sphagnum moss peat should do). Brush this mix into the hollows; not too deep; approx. 1 cm; allowing the grass to show through. Depending on the depth of the hollow, you may need to do this several times at about 4 week intervals. Eventually, your dips will come up to the level of your humps = a level lawn. It may be a good idea to sprinkle a grass seed mix on the area as well.

Alternatively, on smaller humps. cut an 'H' shape across the top of the hump with a spade or edging tool. Carefully peel back the turf and remove small amounts of soil from underneath. Lay the turf back down and try for level.

Worm Casts

Worms can be a problem in the lawn. They leave small mounds of soil on the surface, which, when run over with a mower, will flatten out and provide a perfect seed bed for weed seeds. However, worms are such a valuable commodity in the garden, that they should not be destroyed. The problem is easily solved by just brushing the casts away with a broom or besom, before the lawn is cut.

Thatch

After a while, constant use of the lawnmower will encourage the formation of a mat of dead grass below the living shoots. This mat or 'thatch' will reduce the aeration and reduce water penetration to the roots.

Use a spring tine grass rake to remove it in spring and autumn. If the lawn is particularly large, a powered machine can be used. These are fairly expensive to buy but an alternative would be to hire one for the day.

Aeration/Drainage

A garden fork can be used to improve any poorly drained patches on the lawn or to improve the aeration. Press the fork all the way into the ground and work it backwards and forwards to enlarge the holes slightly. Do this every 6" all over the needed area. Brush in sharp sand to fill in the holes so that they don't close up again. There is also a special tool called a 'hollow tine fork', which will take a plug of soil out. Fill the hole with sharp sand.

Damaged edges

If the edge of a lawn is damaged, cut out a square of turf around the damaged area. Turn the turf around to give a nice neat edge and fill the damaged portion with soil and sow with seed.

Bumps and Hollows

You can rectify bumps and hollows by cutting a crosswise across the centre and then peeling back the four sides. Fill or remove soil to make level and fold back the turf. Firm the area by tapping with the back of a rake to firm the roots.

Brown Patches

Scalping with the Mower Brown patches - Bare areas

If the brown patches are more like bare soil, then you are probably ‘scalping’ it with a poorly adjusted lawn mower ( you are simply scalping the humps off an uneven lawn.) Raise the height of the mower blades in the short term - we all cut grass too short anyway - and top dress the hollows with fine soil. Top Dressing lawns

If they are small brown patches of a few cms across, it could be the larvae of the Daddy Longlegs or Crane Fly. The grubs - known as ‘Leather jackets’ - eat away at the grass roots until they are ready to surface in the late summer as Crane Flies. It is difficult to realize that the chunky grubs, turn into the slender bodies of the adult flies. One way of getting rid of them is to water the lawn in the evening, cover the area with a plastic sheet, remove it the following day, and sweep off the offending grubs, which will now be on the surface.

Overfeeding

Brown patches can also be caused by over-feeding. Lawn feed or lawn weedkiller too generously applied or applied without care can cause areas to die off. If you have overlapped with the spreader, or applied unevenly by hand, then dark green stripes or patches may also appear. Water the area generously, and all should be well within a few weeks, if not, follow the directions for repairing a lawn. - NOTE add link here

Dog Scorch

Dogs - bitches in particular, are a common cause of brown patches on lawns - especially in hot dry weather. The light brown patches are roughly circular and about 20 - 30 cms across. The grass around outer edges of the area is usually growing stronger and of a darker colour than the rest of the lawn. The urine is in effect a very strong fertiliser (contains ammonia) which in its undiluted form tends to kill the grass off. On the outer edges, where it tends to be more diluted, it acts as a normal fertiliser, so making the grass grow stronger.
Unfortunately, there is no remedy for this, other than to keep your bitch off the lawn. Where patching has occurred, then water the area well, to help soak in the urine. The grass sometimes recovers, but will normally require patching with turf or re-seeding. Water the urine out of the area first.