I killed my lawn..help please!!

Discussion in 'Lawns' started by SteveDub, May 5, 2011.

  1. SteveDub

    SteveDub Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi,

    I am a complete newbie and with my first house/lawn I have made a very amateur mistake. I sprayed weed killer on what I thought was just the leaves of the weeds but it has destroyed massive patches of both my lawns, very embarrising :OUCH:

    Grass has thinned out to a very yellow dead looking state and also left bare muddy patches.

    What I need to know is can I throw some seeds on and keep watered and new grass will grow through over a few weeks?? OR will the weed killer still be in the soil?? Either way please help, I need this sorted ASAP as it is a rented house and we want to move in a few months time.

    Thank you so much for reading,
    Steve :help:
     
  2. Spruce

    Spruce Glad to be back .....

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    Hi
    Not all is lost get some lawn fertiliser only not a weed and feed if it doesnt rain after the next two days you will have to water the lawn , you will be amazed how quickly it will grow back I would not use seed as it may be killed off by the weedkiller you have already used as the new grass would be burn off by the chemicals

    Hope this helps

    Spruce
     
  3. SteveDub

    SteveDub Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi,

    Thanks for your reply.

    There is patches that have no grass at all now though, would fertiliser still work?? I used that Evergreen 4in1 and it hasn't done a thing for over 3 weeks now and i've watered it as well. Isn't this fertiliser??

    Steve
     
  4. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    Steve, first off, what weedkiller did you use?
     
  5. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    We've got no chance of helping you if you don't tell us what weedkiller you used :what:
     
  6. SteveDub

    SteveDub Apprentice Gardener

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    It was a handheld spray from Asda, about £3 something like Weedol? I'll have to check when home next sorry. It was nothing too expensive. It said to spray only the leaves on the weeds.

    Steve
     
  7. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Hi Steve,

    Probably a glyphospate spray then, its systemic & will go thru the plant to kill it, but it wont leave any residue in the soil.

    Go to the garden centre & buy a few hands full of lawn seed, rake it in & keep it well watered, in this heat you should have new growth in a week or less.

    Seen a new lawn grown from seed in 3 days in Turkey, but it was 40c out there.
     
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    • SteveDub

      SteveDub Apprentice Gardener

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      Great this is sounding more positive now.

      Couple of Q's if you don't mind me asking though (as very new to this:OUCH:)

      1. When you say 'rake in' do you mean agitate the soil with a normal garden rake, so the seeds are under the soil a little??

      2. It gets a bit of sun during the morning but a bit shaded, will this matter..would I need a special grass seed??

      3. Should I be soaking every day??

      Thanks for all your help,
      Steve
       
    • Phil A

      Phil A Guest

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      No worries, yep just a normal rake, the birds will eat as much as they can so raking it in helps, and to keep the seed moist.

      Most grass can grow in a bit of shade.

      A fine mist of water as often as you can till its growing, then just make sure it doesn't dry out for a week or two should do the trick.
       
    • clueless1

      clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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      Weedol is glyphosate based, so it will have killed the grass stone dead. However the good news is it is not residual. It is quickly rendered inert once exposed to soil (the soil bacteria breaks it down into harmless starches apparently).

      I'm not the expert, but here's what I'd do (and have done in the past when I made exactly the same error a few years ago).

      Brutally rake the dead area. Get as much dead weed/grass top growth off as you can, and in doing so you will inevitably loosen the surface of the soil. Sprinkle a bit of compost over it, just a dusting. Then chuck some grass seed on, rake it lightly to get the seed to disperse evenly. A bit of sharp sand over the top of that, just to cover the seeds, and then water in. Keep it watered but don't drench it (otherwise the seeds will float up to the surface). Just keep it moist, and it will soon come back.
       
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      • SteveDub

        SteveDub Apprentice Gardener

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        Thank you so much everyone for your help..I'm earger to get this done now (if the rain stops here!)

        One last Q - Do I need to sprinkle quite a dense amount of seeds on patches, or do they multiply?? Really not sure how much seed to put down?

        Thanks again :dbgrtmb:
        Steve
         
      • Phil A

        Phil A Guest

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        A handfull for the pidgeons, a handfull to die and a handfull to grow.:heehee:

        It does spread ( called tillering with grasses ) but not until its established. Lob a fair bit down, it'll sort itself out.:thumbsup:
         
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        • SteveDub

          SteveDub Apprentice Gardener

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          Brilliant very helpfull, thanks for your time :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
           
        • Phil A

          Phil A Guest

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          My Pleasure Steve, hope it comes up quickly.
           
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