Reply to: Getting the perfect lawn

[Muttley08]

Thanks for the advice; I best go buy a lawn mower now as it would take a while if I were to use BGG's razor

How long is it? If it's too long, might be worth scrapping it and relaying new turf...

[Halo Jones]

Thanks for the advice; I best go buy a lawn mower now as it would take a while if I were to use BGG's razor

[Drewster]

As we now have a garden for the 1st time I actually read this post (sad I know) & I have a question, the lawn has some weeds & has not been cut this year. I am planning a party in June time: what is the latest I can leave cutting the lawn for the party, or can I do it the day before?

I think you need to give it at least a couple of cuts....
1) Hack back the jungle..... let it "settle"...
2) Give it at least another "real" cut - neat and tidy.......

Depending how long and thick it is before the 1st cut... you should cut it in "stages" ie you don't just cut back 6-8" jungle to 1/2" bowling green over night!

[FiveTimes]

As we now have a garden for the 1st time I actually read this post (sad I know) & I have a question, the lawn has some weeds & has not been cut this year. I am planning a party in June time: what is the latest I can leave cutting the lawn for the party, or can I do it the day before?

Do your first cut now but have it on a fairly high setting, then every every.

After 2/3 cuts at a high setting, reduce the height of the blades again.

If you get the lawn treated then the weeds will go within 10 days.

If you cut too short first time off then the lawn will go all yellow.

[Halo Jones]

As we now have a garden for the 1st time I actually read this post (sad I know) & I have a question, the lawn has some weeds & has not been cut this year. I am planning a party in June time: what is the latest I can leave cutting the lawn for the party, or can I do it the day before?

[FiveTimes]

The best type of mower is a cylinder one (cuts the grass better) - no idea of make / model, never buy them often enough! Personally find petrol a fuss, and the electric ones a pain with the cord - the push ones however are easy and good excercise! (and I'm tight!)

I have to disagree with the cylinder mower, its the worse type to use on a standard lawn, its doesn't cut the leaf properly and can just flatten instead of giving a clean cut like a rotary.

[NoddY]

If you are having problems with moss, use some iron sulphate. It dissolves in cold water and will blacken the moss in a few days. Follow up with scarifying. Now is the correct time of year for this. Only trim the grass between now and mid summer - then gradually cut down to your preferred shorter length.

Consider liming the soil to increase the pH which helps the grass to dominate over the mosses. Autumn is the best for this.

Aerating is the best thing you can for lawns at all times of the year. It improves drainage too which will discourage moss over the long term.

[sasguru]

Shirley you just get the gardener to sort it?

.

WSS.
Next !

[Muttley08]

Got a bloke in currently tearing onto my back garden, which mostly consists of overgrown borders. This chap is some machine, has taken him a day to tear the borders out and is replacing with fresh turf today. I reckon it would take me about a week to do the same work (it took me 3 hours to dig a small bush out once !). Worth every penny and the garden looks twice as big. Any recommendation for a decent mower, garden is medium sized, too small for ride-on but this crap flymo rotary needs binning. Replacing patio too, any recommendations for stone to use/where to get it ?

The best type of mower is a cylinder one (cuts the grass better) - no idea of make / model, never buy them often enough! Personally find petrol a fuss, and the electric ones a pain with the cord - the push ones however are easy and good excercise! (and I'm tight!)

About the length 5times mentioned, it helps leaving it long for the health of the grass - its just a normal plant, so needs plenty of leaf to feed, helps give the grass moisture in dry periods (dew)and crowds out weeds.

[FiveTimes]

I use greenthumb and they do a great job of moss control, weed control and general health of the grass.

Key thing is to not cut the grass to short, it will stop it seeding and thickening up.

[bobhope]

what about buying turf? Then you'd have the best lawn.

[lukemg]

Got a bloke in currently tearing onto my back garden, which mostly consists of overgrown borders. This chap is some machine, has taken him a day to tear the borders out and is replacing with fresh turf today. I reckon it would take me about a week to do the same work (it took me 3 hours to dig a small bush out once !). Worth every penny and the garden looks twice as big. Any recommendation for a decent mower, garden is medium sized, too small for ride-on but this crap flymo rotary needs binning. Replacing patio too, any recommendations for stone to use/where to get it ?

[GreenerGrass]

Moss is like socialism, if left to spread and fester for too long it become tricky to irradicate.

[NotAllThere]

To get the perfect lawn, you roll it and rake it for 500 years.

And then some bl**dy american tourist walks all over it.

[Muttley08]

but where's the fun in that?

would you not rather see a blackbird pulling a worm out and scoffing it down?

i always think chemicals are a quick fix - but longer term mess it up...have to use more and more over time as soil gets effectively lifeless - both in terms of worms etc and micro-organisms...