Grass for beginners

Discussion in 'Landscaping and Outdoors' started by J d, Aug 12, 2018.

  1. J d

    J d Member

    Hi,

    I dont do much DIY and alike but i want to start keeping on top of my grass better now iv moved in this house. My last one i just cut it and that was it. This lawn is mostly moss and a good helping of weeds! my neighbours are mostly all kept much better than mine and I'm to stubborn / embarrassed to go and ask them for help.

    Is there a fool proof guide for do's and dont's? for instance, someone has told me to weed and feed before i rake to remove the moss and do it in late summer / autumn. I want to know what chemicals i can buy so i can cheat and make the grass green and healthy and when to apply and quantities?

    As you can ell my knowledge is limited but I'm ready to learn! Can anyone point me in the right location?
     
  2. WillyEckerslike

    WillyEckerslike Screwfix Select

    Get a copy of The Lawn Expert by Hessayon. Might be a little dated now but a great guide to lawn care.
     
    Kingscurate likes this.
  3. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    Just mow it regularly and as short as your mower will go.
    I haven't 'fed' my lawn since I bought my house 12 years ago, and it's still looking good.
    Regular mowing will eventually get rid of the weeds and moss.
    Personally I wouldn't use any of the chemicals the garden centres push on the public.
     
    DIY womble likes this.
  4. glob@l

    glob@l Active Member

    What kind of lawn mower roger?
     
  5. ramseyman

    ramseyman Screwfix Select

    You can spend hours and hours or very little time. A synopsis of a regime to keep your lawn looking good is as follows:

    September - apply an Autumn lawn fertiliser at about 30gm per sq m and rake the grass lengthways and crossways to remove dead grass, moss etc. Hard work and up to you how much effort you put in. Mix up a handful of grass seed with a bucket of dry sharp sand before you do this and it will get raked in at the same time - only necessary if the grass is thin and you have bare patches. Will look a mess but soon recovers. At same time if ground is soft enough go over with a fork to aerate the soilanbd help with drainage. Raise mower blades for the autumn cuts as cutting too short is a major cause of moss.

    March/ early April. repeat above but use a spring fertiliser which will have more nitrogen If you have moss this is the time to treat it - a propritary killer or mix up 30gm sulphate of iron in 2 galls of water and spray or water on before raking out. Could also apply a selective lawn weedkiller in April once the weeds and grass are actively growing. Lower the cutters from about May onwards.

    As said you can make it as hard work as you wish or very little but as with everything nothing comes that easily.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  6. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    I've been using the earlier version of this for the last 12 years, and, touching wood, it's still going strong. https://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-rotak-1400w-37cm-rotary-lawn-mower-230v/2665c
    I have a reasonably big lawn, which is flat, so I don't need a self-propelled or sit-on mower.
    If I've been away for a while, and the lawn has grown too high, I tackle it in two passes - first on a high setting and then on the lowest setting.
    I always use the grass collection box, and I never cause the motor to strain by progressing too fast.
    Many of the complaints about these small mowers is that they burn out, but I believe that's more a user problem than a mower problem. With all powered tools, whether electric or combustion engine powered, their lifespans depend very much on how hard they're pushed.
     
  7. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    The best lawn aerators are earthworms. A healthy lawn will have dozens of earthworms per square metre, and this should be clearly visible from the number of earthworm castings you see on the lawn. Moss will not grow in a healthy, well aerated lawn.

    Moss killers and earthworms don't go together. If you use moss killers, your lawn will quickly become devoid of earthworms and all sorts of other useful fauna. You'll then have to resort to manual aerating with forks and lots of effort. Moss will return because there are no longer earthworms, so you'll need more moss killer ... vicious circle.

    I prefer to live in a garden that inspires kids about the wonders of nature rather than one which is 'perfect' but unnatural.
     
  8. glob@l

    glob@l Active Member

    I think my tongue in cheek comment went over your head there.
     
  9. ramseyman

    ramseyman Screwfix Select

    Agree with comment re earthworms being best aerators and also help with drainage. However their casts on the surface in autumn and spring do provide an ideal seedbed for weeds and they need spreading regularly with a dragmat or bit of chain link fence on a wire loop.
    Jd - have a word with a local grounds man on a bowling green or golf green keeper , what they have to do to keep perfect ‘lawns’ will give you nightmares. Only a cylinder mower will give that sort of finish, a rotary with cuttings collected is fine for domestic everyday lawns.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  10. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Manual aerating,so old fashion:eek:, I just change cassettes on my Qualcast from cutter to scarifier.:D
     
    ramseyman likes this.
  11. blannder

    blannder New Member

    Using chemical might not be that safe to your . I prefer manual method.
     

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