My new lawn turf is patchy in places - suggestions for how to restore it

Hi
I got new lawn turf(instant lawn) laid in April. Laid by professional garden firm. Lawn got lots of watering and greened up great. I didn't mow it for about a month after it was laid to let it bed in. When I did mow it I used highest setting on the mower so that it didn't take much off depth/length of greass. Have repeated this this level of mowing in interim

However im noticing now the actual grass is patchy in places like in the attached pics or in some places you can actually see the sole(brown earth) of the lawn turn where the grass has just died away/disappeared completely.
You can really notice this when you mow it (am still using high levels on the mower when mowing so not scalping the grass or cutting it short short)

Im continuing to water the lawn but am not sure now if I need to give the lawn a liquid feed of something or shake lawn seed on it

I've phoned the gardener a few times since but he keeps saying - just keep watering it. I have been doing that but its not really helping and Im thinking now I could be overdoing the watering(flushing out nutrients) and that's not helping

What do people think and has anyone got any advise about what I could put on the lawn to help it thrive/improve/remove the patchiness. There so many products out there that am bit bamboozled by them all and not sure what to use that could restore the lawn

Thoughts?
Thanks

 

What preparation did they do before laying the lawn? Hopefully: fully dug over or rotavated (to 6" - 9") and then levelled and firmed

Is the property a new build? If so may be builders rubble buried in the garden - if so all that would need to come out before lawn / flower beds are created.

 

Thanks fore reply Kristen

The property is about 20 years old. There was sort of lawn there already but don't think it was ever a proper set lawn

Yes - he dug up and removed the existing lawn and left the whole thing for about a week to dry out and then rotavated and prepped it and laid the new turf

Reading other threads here sounds like I might need to give it a feed but not sure what to use or what good product to use

What do people think?
Thanks

 

I'm surprised it needs a feed. The turf I had here was an amazing shade of Dulux Bright Green for a whole season after being laid because when it was delivered it was on some sort of fertiliser steroids. If I sound bugged about it that is because it made the rest of my lawn look pants, by comparison!

I think the folk that laid it ought to come back and take a look, rather than just telling you over the phone to water it some more.

I'm inclined to think that fertiliser would be OK, and at worst do no harm, but if that is not the problem it will only delay the correct solution being adopted.

 

Thanks. Phoned the guys who laid it n the suggested some feed n fertilers to use. Will give that a try. Thanks for suggestions

 

Dunno about others here? but I think they should have come out and looked at it, rather than just in absentia - luci tenebrae vincunt

 

If it was laid in April and we're now halfway through June it should have it's roots down by now. I'm wondering if you should ease up on the watering. How often are you watering it? I get the feeling the nutrients in the soil are being washed out which is why it's browning.

Kristen, yes, they should have come and looked at it, but as always as with many companies they take your money and run, with no after sales back up!

 

Thanks for replies
I agree. They should have come back and looked at it but like Sheal said - they just take the money and run :>-(

I pretty much have been watering it every day so maybe will lay off on that

I laid some of the fertiliser yesterday and will do the rest today. Packaging says to just spread the fertilizer seed and if no rain in couple days to then water it so will see how this goes

Thanks

 

It is important that when you water you water "plenty". The idea is to make the soil (below the grass/plant) wet, then you don't water for a bit, the surface dries out in the sun, but there is still water lower down. So the roots grow down, where there is water. Once they have done that they stop being dependent on you providing water. Turf needs plenty of help at the start, but after that you need to wean it!

I would water 3 times a week for a week, and then twice a week for a month (but revert to 3x a week if we get a hot drought), and then water once a week until the summer is over (again, more if we get a hot drought/period)

Unless heavy rain is forecast I would water immediately after fertiliser (well, within 24 hours). It won't do any good until watered in, and can burn the grass if it is not watered in / rains.