Advice for damaged lawn!!

Hi Guys

I recently had cattle damage large areas of my lawn, they have left deep holes of 4-6 inches ( greater in places) and my once flat lawn is now bumpy. I have very heavy clay soil that is prone to water-logging. I was planning to hire a core aerator, overseed and use horticultural grit. My questions related to this are:

1. Can/should I run a roller, even a light one, over the areas most badly effected?
2. What is the order i need to take when aerating, seeding and putting down the grit??

All help and advice greatly appreciated

 

Sorry grass is not my strong point, but I'm sure some one will come along soon and give you a bit of advice.

 

I'm no expert either but I'd guess it depends on the amount of damage. If the cattle have churned the lawn up badly, then it might be best to 1, rotivate the whole area, 2, incorporate the grit, 3, rake nice and flat before seeding.
If it's only a few holes here and there, then you could just mix up a 50/50 grit (or sharp sand) with topsoil and then fill the holes before re seeding the resulting patches.
A roller would compact it hard (i wouldn't use one) but luckily grass is quite forgiving so if you choose to use one, then as you say an aerating and sharp sand would help.

 

I'd avoid using a roller on heavy clay, it tends to compact too much. You could just fill up the deeper bits with coarse sand/compost mix. Get the core aerator, top dress with coarse sand, over seed and knock up a leveller, I believe they're called lawn lutes or spazzles. It's good exercise as well as pleasing when the lawn gets a good going over

 

We had Cows come into our Garden in the previous home in the UK we were right next to Pebsham Farm..sadly not a farm now..and we had permission to walk the land, so had a gate incorporated within the fencing..left if open one time, the barbed wire was already down so was easy for them to enter...We had deep holes and claypot soil and basically done what flounder suggested...worked a treat...

 

You'll need to get the fork into each hole and try and lift them the best you can, it need doing quite quick after the accident for it to work the best. I'd top up the holes with top soil , using just sand may cause a sump. Never use a roller on a clay base soil as flounders has mentioned .

Order I do the lawn - Aerate / core punch or just use a garden fork get down to at least 4-6 inch - Over seed - top dress with sharp sand using a landscape rake / lute if you have one to move the sand around and to help level it . The seed can be mixed with the sand if you wish .

I am on heavy soil but not to bad , I mix my own top dressing normally 50 - 50 top soil -sharp sand and a throw a few handfuls of compost in now and again.