Help me help my lawn

Hi, I'm new here and a very novice gardener. Looking for some advice on what to do about my front lawn. I've attached a photo so everyone can see.

I assumed it was turning to moss so this summer I scarified the entire thing and laid new top soil and seed. This doesn't seem to have helped and its gone back to the way it was if not worse. Can someone tell me what to do with it from here? I'd quite like to have a nice lush green lawn and am willing to put effort in to maintain it. Do I need to returf the lot and start again?

Appreciate any guidance.

 

Hi @Scott Chalmers welcome to GC forums.
It's probably to do with shade or drainage.

 

Hi Scott, I'd guess the site is on clay..
You say you've added top soil but if that sits on clay then it's likely to still have drainage issues. If the seeded grass doesn't like it, i wouldn't go to the expense of turf because it's sure to go the same way.
As Logan suggests i think drainage and shade are the likely problems. If the area gets enough sun, then I'd be looking to dig down much deeper to remove a lot more clay.
Then adding a plenty of topsoil and re seed this Spring.
(If you aren't on clay then I'd guess you have a poor sub soil of another type)

 

give it a weed and feed in the spring ... it will work wonders.... does it get baked by the sun in the summer ?

Spruce

 

Thanks for the info! That video is pretty much what I did with the lawn last year, I scarifierd (which took up most the lawn) I used a fork to make lots of holes also.. Then soiled and seeded. If the reason is that the soil is compacted and not draining, what else can I do to airate more? Would it be a case of just airating more frequently through the year?

 

I know have to do the scarify and airate in spring and autumn, if it's drainage put sand in the holes instead of soil that should help with drainage.Did you put a moss killer on the moss?

 

It doesn't really get baked as I'm in Scotland! It's a relatively shaded area.

 

No I didn't put moss killer on it.. I think I will do that this year and try airating with sand. When is the best time to start this? In spring?

 

I think that it's in spring, have to see what it says with the instructions on the container.

 

That's where your problem is.

 

Grass seeds seem easy to grow but....have a look at this, maybe the seed is not so fresh..nope..maybe the weather was ok at the time but then the temp. dropped and two weeks after sowing..not a lot going on..weeds growing again......time was Oct/Nov and now January and yes more grass but the weeds are horrendous again...not so easy..mind you our driveway is full of new grass sprouts...

 

Hi Scott, welcome!

I have a rubbish patch of a lawn on a very hard clay soil. Like yours, it's not in full sun.

Three years of poking holes and filling them with sand, plus annual 4-in-1-ing have improved the lawn a lot, it's now more grass than moss. It also needs watering if it's very hot. Digging it all up and replacing the clay would be best, but my back disagrees with the idea.

Hole poking and sanding is easiest to start in the spring when the ground is still soft-ish and moist. 4-in-1 time is when the grass is growing well.

 

a good feed and weed will green up

 

My lawn is in a similar state, it’s on sandy soil, and is scarified and looked after, but this year is more moss than actual lawn.Last year used Mobacter ( unsure of spelling) which helped a lot, but that was last year.It’s an ongoing battle. Tried to re seed last early Autumn but it didn’t take ( brand new lawn seed too.) Trying to reduce lawn area by creating more flower/ shrub beds as am sensing lawn failure.