Never gardened on sandy soil before - where to start with this lawn?

Hi there,

I know I've been quiet for the past few months, as have been busy packing boxes. We have now finally moved to our new place, and I'm starting to panic about what I've taken on!

The grass area is huge, and for the past 4 years has been cut once per fortnight in growing season, with cuttings removed. That was the sum total of garden input, as far as I can tell...

I've cut the grass 3 times in the last 2 weeks or so. Very poor at the top of the garden (exposed sandy soil, bare patches) with a red plaintain-type growth. Further down the slope, a little greener, but with more of the multi-stemed colts-foot type dandelion thingy).

I would like to have a greener, wildlife friendly grass area, with some left to "meadow". We have 2 dogs (male and female), so weedkillers not an option, and random spot heavy fertilising in progress!

Hopefully the pictures will help explain what I'm up against. (to follow in a mo - somehow I managed to get into html mode, which was a little confusing!)

 

Weedkillers should be fine for pets, except that you have to keep them indoors for a few hours after application. See packet for full details.

 

If you are having to cut it very frequently I suspect that you have coarser grass varieties, rather than the finer types.

Cutting it short-ish, and frequently (i.e. try not to miss any scheduled cuts for the next year or so), will cause the finer grasses to succeed and the coarser ones to diminish, particularly if you use a cylinder mower.

Or you could rip the lot out and resow it with the grass seed mix that you want. But that's a lot of work of course ...

 

Kristen - sorry, should have also mentioned I'm pretty much an organic gardener. Only using weedkillers as a last resource. Garden is in a "green area", Belgian equivalent of an SSSI, as far as I can make out. Midwife toads and toadlets are everywhere!



sandy area at top of garden


lush area at bottom of garden (positively hopping!) which I plan to leave as longer "meadow"


really scrappy grass - reminds me of coverage in coastal areas?


the dandelion-thingy that grows from half-way down the slope.
the weird red plaintain stuff near the top of the slope

 

I've cut it once a week, on a mid to high setting on my rotary mower. Mainly fine sedge-type grass, not seen much coarser grass at all. The 1st cut was necessary, but subsequent ones more for me to familiarise myself with my new half-acre responsibility, and to remove the plantain and dandelion seed-heads.

 

Ah, OK. That makes the job a bit harder I'm afraid, particularly with a large area :(

Worth considering the "speed of cut" of the mower you have / and ones you could afford to buy. If the cutting time is more than you are comfortable with you will probably start to resent it and/or it will not be done as regularly as it should in order to maintain it properly.

Not sure what your options are on a sloping site, but if it will take a ride-on that will cover the area in half or 1/3rd of the time it takes now I would recommend you consider it.