I killed my lawn - part two

Hi all,

Over the years the garden has mostly been left to fend for itself. Consequently, it ended up looking like a full on jungle (see photos) with a full-on invasion of giant bramble around the perimeter beds and throughout the lawn.

Last year I posted a question about whether I should kill my whole lawn or try to restore it. One poster, @Verdun, gave a great answer about digging up and sewing a new lawn in Sept/Oct.

I ended up not being able to do anything at all because of an intensive job but lockdown means I have plenty of time now. I wonder if I should spend the summer trying to restore it?

I've nearly dug up all the bramble (after using SBK Brushwood killer) and other weeds. The photos show its current state after raking and mowing for two consecutive weeks. There seems to be lots of patchy weed grass rather than normal grass, lots of yellow patches and isolated spots of very spongy thatch. It generally feels quite uneven but I'm not sure if that's because of thatch.

In a couple of the corners of the lawn not many weeds or grass is growing – possibly because of cemented soil/clay (from building works five years ago).

But maybe the lawn is not salvageable or it’s not worth the effort and I should just start again in September?

Thanks,
Shy

(P.s. I do have I have lawn feed, and weed and feed - and can order some fertiliser.)

 

If you want the easy way out then keeping mowing the lawn and give it a good dose of weed and feed and then in October cover it with grass seed and hopefully next year will show the beginnings of a recovered lawn.

 

When should I give it the weed and feed? Is it worth seeding lawn patches now (caused by raking dead matted grass away). At least to stop weeds growing there instead?

 

Looking at the last picture which shows the lawn I would strongly recommend you do not apply a weed and feed. Your grass is in basic terms very stressed which means it can’t handle a high nitrogen feed and it cannot handle a herbicide in its present condition as that will kill the grass that’s very weak.
I’m not there to be able to look at the conditions of the soil but if it’s contacted and looking at the general state of the lawn you might well be best to start fresh.

 

Thanks @Liz the pot

Is there anything I can do before I start fresh in Sept/Oct to prep for the new lawn?