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Following on 'Advice on Lawn Problem'

SammymummySammymummy Posts: 202

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Hi, I've started to pay a very close attention on my lawn which is overrun by moss and weeds. I treated it with a 4-in-1 product before Easter and have been raking the lawn ever since but the moss, dead or alive, keep coming off. Am I fighting a losing battle?

Also I've been digging out weeds so together with the vigorous raking, my lawn looks rather sorry with bare patches here and there. At the moment there are a lot of shiny pointy stems coming from the grass (2nd photo) and I wonder if anyone can tell me what these are and whether I should pull them out.

Also I think this is weed (top photo - I uploaded it later but it went to top), not grass. Is it woodrush? Do I need to dig them out?

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    I'd leave the vigourous raking for now and let the lawn recover (it will, don't worry).

    I can't really tell from the photos whether it's a weed or grass, but I would suggest more regular mowing - that grass is too long. 

    Regular mowing will encourage the grass to spread out horizontally rather than upwards.  It looks to me as if the long stalks may be the grass trying to flower and seed. 

    Cut the lawn at least once a week with the mower blade set at the mid level and you'll see a noticeable improvement in a few weeks. 

    If the mower is chewing rather than cutting the grass cleanly get the blade sharpened or get a new one (I got a new blade for my hover mower from Amazon, or you could try http://www.espares.co.uk/

    If there are still some large leaved weeds use a 'touch' weedkiller gel such as this one http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/roundup-gel-weed-killer---150ml-007672 .

    If there are still some bare patches in a few weeks' time you can rake the soil over gently and scatter some grass seed over to fill in the patches - if the soil is very dry it might be better to leave this until September which is a really good time for sowing grass seed.

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    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SammymummySammymummy Posts: 202

    Thank you Dove from quick response. I am fed up with raking and my back aches so I'll let the lawn (and my back) to recover for now. My lawn isn't even, so at places the grass is longer than those in other parts. I'm planning to fill gaps and holes then scatter the grass seeds.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    For levelling out lumps, bumps and hollows have a look here https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=438 - scroll down to the section on "Evening out minor bumps and hollows". 

    Good luck image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SammymummySammymummy Posts: 202

    Thanks again, my hard labour isn't going to end anytime soon image Do you know what those tall shoots(?) in my second photo are? They do not get mown down. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    It's hard to tell from the photo - they could be Soft Rush http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/soft-rush but that usually appears in clumps in very wet or boggy conditions.

    Is the lawn poorly drained?


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SammymummySammymummy Posts: 202

    It's clay soil and I spent a couple of hours today making small holes with my 'aerating sandals'. Will the normal lawn grass send those shoots at this time of year? It looks like the end of the shoot developes to a flower or seed pod. If the normal grass don't behave this way, these must be weeds.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    Soft rush has a dark brownish flower a few inches down from the tip (see pics on my link).  If it's forming grass-type flowers then it is probably grass - it's early but we've had a warm dry spell - if it doesn't look like grass flowering take a pic and post it for us gto have a look at image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Could it be crouch grass ?https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=283

     

  • oops - couch grass!

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    I think some of the grass in the first pic looks like couch grass - but the darker tall shoots in the second pic look different.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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