New build garden 9 months on

Hey everyone, I have a few questions/concerns over my grass, both front and back at my new build.

Here is my original thread:

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/first-shot-at-a-new-lawn.115032/

Now, 9 months on; I have prepared, seeded and tended to the rear garden and done nothing but cut the front. Below are some pictures and my questions

Pictures of the front:





This was turfed by the housing company and suffered a very wet and windy first few weeks. All I have done is cut this but it looks rubbish, nothing like the grass behind it (first pic). Is it a mixture of bad turf and a rubbish lawn mower (I have a flymo chevron V32) and I don't think it is up to the job, although brand new it seems that it doesn't cut the grass very well, almost like it tears it (this time it was slightly damp). What can I do to improve it?


Pictures of the rear:







Why are there patches of really green grass and some areas of lighter, almost yellow grass. It doesn't look as healthy as it did before its first cut (only had one cut), again, with an electric flymo. Could it be the clay underneath? Bad drainage?

 

I'm no expert but my lawn looks like the first pic when I haven't cut it in awhile when it's quite damp and I cut it on a short setting? Try going over it again, normally works for me? Also looks like a mix of grass in there..
Could the yellowing in back lawn be due to the grass being long in those spots before mowing? Also the greener bits might be where the grass has been seeded thicker. Which also happens in my lawn.. doesn't harm to give it a poke with fork if you do notice it getting soggy.

@Liz the pot is one of the grass guru's on here, always got lots of advice

 

Thanks for your reply @Linz. I have 3 settings on my little flymo, I usually cut on the highest (60mm ish) but this time I went to the middle setting (40mm ish).

Before its first cut, all the grass was the same colour. After the cut I used evergreen aftercut afterwards as there were some patches and some pretty thin areas.

The darker green areas seem to be in line with where there is more sand under the grass. There are no soggy areas but I bought a fork so that I can aerate the ground, just haven't had a chance yet.

 

No probs but again, I'm no expert lol only had a lawn for last 7 years!
After cut can give the yellowing affect if not spread properly..sorry to say and it can lead to a bit/quite a lot of top growth in autumn when its not really needed. Happens to all of us at some point.. a few more rains and the grass should all be a lovely colour. I used some autumn 4 in 1 feed a few weeks back and the yellowing was slightly worse than yours and it grew like crazy.. but again its all back to one colour after a few rains and 2 more cuts

 

As for the mower, I have some flymo thing too (not chevron, not sure?) but it desperately needs a new blade and gives the effect of the first pic when the grass is long.. does your need a sharpen/new blade too?

 

I had to check your first thread to see what's what, did you manage to either remove a lot of the sand or mix in soil?
It's hard to know why you have a variation in colour but when did you apply the feed?
It could be that you have a poor sub soil content and the grass is simply not liking what its roots are finding. I've seen this on new builds where the top soil depth is shallow and under that is rubble.
The front lawn looks like it needs a good old cut with a good mower. Blunt and underpowered mowers will just rip and tear the blades.

you can use an Autumn feed with an iron content to green it up as long as frosts are not due. That would green it up but if the sub soil is a problem it will only be a short fix.
Don't forget to let it have that bit longer length for winter which helps to keep the grass that bit stronger and promote a better root development.
As with most problems it's hard to really know what's going on over the net.

 

@Linz: Its a brand new mower so shouldn't need a new blade however I will check it. Im in the process of buying a bigger, petrol mower.

 

@ARMANDII: Cheers. I cut it first time at 60mm, highest setting I could and it looked great immediately after the cut. When is the best time to give it a high nitrogen feed? Next year I assume?

 

@Liz the pot:

I removed a lot of the sand and then mixed it with clay to raise up the lowest corner of the garden. The remainder of the garden was mostly clay with a little sand. I then added topsoil, although only 75-100mm, manure and compost across the whole garden, rolled it and then raked it.

The variation in colour came after the first cut, which was about 3 months after initially seeding the grass. I spread the evergreen aftercare directly after cutting the grass. I didnt find much rubble when digging the foundations for the decking but that was tight to the house, so I have no idea what is under there.

 

Pics from today, front garden first:






Its mostly gone very light coloured now and looks dead, very thatchy.

back garden zoomed in pics:







Still very patchy and thin, some areas (as pictured) where the grass looks as though it is dead and slightly thatchy.

Should I use the fork and aerate it?

 

First thing is to get rid of the Flymo and by yourself a decent rotary mower as to me it looks like the Flymo is cutting the grass too short for starters.Can you adjust the height of the Flymo or is it set at that height?

You need to get rid of the dead thatch and you can either hire a machine that will get rid of it for you or else you can buy a special lawn scarifier that you can do it yourself but you will find it hot work although it will give you a good workout September/October is a good time to aerate it with a garden fork and I always find that is a good time as well to scarify it as you don't want to be walking all over your grass when it is frosted as that can damage the grass even more.

I personally would leave it all until the spring when the weather warms up and the grass is starting to grow and then you will have all summer for it to recover.The back lawn just looks at the moment like it could do with a little scarifying and then use a weed and feed suitable for springtime and that will kill what looks like the buttercups you have growing in the grass.

 

Is the grass looking pale or White in colour?
Is there any type of white furry growth on the areas that are pale?

 

Well not exactly white but yes pale and not green!

No nothing like that. just looks dead.