Autumn Lawn Care

[Nimrod103]

For several years I have complained about moss growth in my lawn, particularly at this time of year. Shade and poor drainage are the usual targets for blame.
However, last Spring I started watering with fertilizer (Phostrogen in an adaptor fixed to the hose), plus a bit of extra seeding. What a difference it has made - the grass is now thick and lush. In my case I think the moss was benefitting from impoverishment of the soil, so the grass never used to get a chance of outcompeting the moss.

[Arborbridge]

I have one of those hollow tine forks with about six prongs.

I could never get mine to work: the first plunge into the ground fills up the tines, then the second one is supposed to push out the cores at the top but mine never come out! I've effectively ended up with a normal fork, which just compresses the soil to the sides of the holes. I've done the whole lawn and not a single core has come out!

This used to happen to me on chalk, and it was bit of a fag - I usually did a few sets of holes and then rodded through with a bamboo cane.

For some reason on the clayish soil they seem to slide out.

[Arborbridge]

But battling clover is like ivy - a hard fought draw. Clariman would be best to zap it with Weedol Lawn before the growing season stops. It may be green but it takes over.

But grass is the worst of weeds! It took over the whole of New Zealand in a few generations after we introduced it to remind us of "home".

Grass is a state of mind. People boast about chamomile lawns (maybe because they are hard work??) but what would be wrong with a mindset which enjoyed a clover lawn, I wonder. Only generations of us establishing the status quo for grass. Let's hear it for clover!

Arb.

[kiloran]

I use 4-in-1 twice a year and am happy with the results. I also rake, scarify, aerate, and top dress with "Field #4" from Field Compost. In fact I had a delivery just the other day. I save the "Autumn" lawn feed until much later in the Autumn.



I could never get mine to work: the first plunge into the ground fills up the tines, then the second one is supposed to push out the cores at the top but mine never come out! I've effectively ended up with a normal fork, which just compresses the soil to the sides of the holes. I've done the whole lawn and not a single core has come out!

This may read a little "nerdish" but I had the same experience as you many years ago. So I used an electric drill with an old 30 cm long masonry drill to drill holes in any area where the grass didn't grow well. Back in the days before modern batteries it was a good way to run down the drill battery before charging. I sprinkled a little grass seed onto the patches and looking now, I can't remember where I did it because the grass has grown. This technique worked on one or two damp mossy patches too. A bit labour-intensive but very good for small areas.

regards

Howard

Same problem here with a hollow-tine fork. Very heavy clay here and the lawn is probably 90 years old and well trampled. I get 2-3 cubic metres of moss every time I scarify it.
The soil is so heavy I had to tie a large sledgehammer to the fork to give it enough inertia when I thrust it down. Simply standing on the fork just isn't enough. Real hard work.

I like the idea of an electric drill, so I think I'll go and try an 18mm wood auger in the next day or so.

--kiloran

I tried a 400 x 18mm wood auger: https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-auge ... 00mm/2086v

Looks very encouraging. Filled the holes with fine grit and sharp sand. I've so far only tried this on patches where water tends to pool, but I'd like to do the whole lawn. Only 600m sq to go

No idea why I did not think of this before

--kiloran