Problems after overseeding

Please can you explain? How will aeration get rid of the clumps of topsoil sitting on the surface and creating a barrier? If a reseed into this ill just end up with the same problem as it doesn't seem to be in contact with the earth so I'm reluctant to throw any more seed down (as others have suggested) until the soil problem has been corrected. I think you're right that the soil problem needs sorting out before I do anything else. Do I need to soak/wash the clumps down prior to aeration or will they even out themselves afterwards?

 

Just been looking at this, what type of grass seed did you use? was it the very fine grass like for bowling greens? I know that the fine grass is particularly difficult to get right, and we haven't had a lot of sun again this year, I understand that sunshine is imperative to a good lawn.
Good luck anyway.

 

I used this stuff for the majority if the lawn...



an this in the shady areas mixed in with the above at a ratio of 2 parts shady one part family mix.

 

Aeration helps get moisture and gasses get down to the roots of the grass, helping to strengthen it tremendously, building a thick and healthy root system. Brushing in sharp sand helps to keep these holes open, and deters water from sitting on the surface. The brushing action will also help smooth the surface and deter moss.
If you then just leave this over the winter, the freeze / thaw action of the cold weather will help to break down the soil clumps into smaller particles, improving its texture, and smoothing it out naturally. The worms will also run through it and do their thing, helping also.
By the spring, you'll have a decent soil structure and grass that has a nice deep root system which will grow really well over the summer.
That is why you have to be patient!

 

Sure and thanks. Got a guy from a lawn company coming to see me next week so ill ask him about hollow tine aeration. Last tine he did it he used solid tine. Would you perhaps under the circumstances advise I put off seeding then until spring until the soil has sorted itself out and maybe just apply some iron and a winter treatment and lay off on the fertiliser for a bit?

 

What grass needs most of all is SUNSHINE and this is sadly lacking now, they are even putting down fake grass in sports areas because they cannot now grow the real stuff to any standard!!
Grass growing now is a real challenge!!

Val

 

You certainly won't need to fertilise it for at least 6 months.
And unless it thins massively, you won't need to seed it either.

 

I don't wish to be rude Wizard, but I think you're killing your lawn with kindness. In your last post you are still talking about giving the lawn a winter treatment. As Kris says, you need to let the lawn rest this winter and personally I wouldn't apply anything now or next year until the lawn looks as if it's making a recovery. A new lawn shouldn't need to be fed in it's first year anyway. I weed and feed mine once a year in spring and I believe that's enough. Having laid your new lawn you have in effect overdosed it with feed and it needs a good long time to recover.

 

I just meant perhaps a moss control like iron so that over winter moss doesn't fill in any bare patches until it gets time to recover next spring. In my garden the moss sets in pretty quickly if you don't keep on top of it so didn't want to end up with more work come next spring or worse still back to square one. I didn't mean apply more fertiliser or a feed, just a preventative measure but no worries I'll lay off. It's been overdosed already.

Sorry if I sound impatient or obsessed but I just didn't know what to do for the best. Too much meddling can make it worse but doing nothing can also lead to other problems taking over like moss or weeds or more thinning out.

I thought everything was coming together this year but it looks like I've possibly overdone things by being too hasty. That's why I asked. Sorry I'm really trying my best but everything I try seems to be making matters worse so perhaps maybe I should just give up and let it rest and let nature repair itself and start again next year with a less aggressive approach.

I'm just so downhearted after all the money and back-breaking hours I've put in this year and it's been my project for this year to finally get it right and to put in as many hours as I can to get it looking perfect. It's so frustrating when you think you're doing all the right things and you think you've almost cracked it, only to discover the hard work you've put in hasn't paid off; especially now I'm in my second year and it's now gonna take a further year before I see any improvement. I do have patience but I will admit it's wearing rather thin now that I'm approaching the 3rd year on it.

 

Wizard, there is certainly no need to apologise, most people reading this post have been in your position with one project or another!! I know I certainly have, spent all Summer on a project only to see the Winter ruin it all. You have done all you can, now you just have to wait until next spring and hope we have some precious sunshine.

Val

 

Wizard, I realise it's been hard for you after all the work you've put in but nature will and has to take it's course with your lawn for it to 'right' itself. As gardeners we have to have lots of patience and as Val says we've all been here with one issue or another in our gardens.

I moved into my place nine years ago, back and front gardens hadn't been touched by the previous owner for years, so like you I've had to start from the beginning. Last year I started work on my front garden having spent the previous seven working on my bungalow and the back garden. My 60 x 50ft front lawn is choked with moss and just about every weed you can think of and I hope to start putting that right next year. So you can see by my time scale that gardens/lawns take a lot of time and patience to get them how we want them.

Don't be too down hearted, we all learn from our mistakes and it will come right, I promise you! Take your mind off your lawn over the winter by thinking about what else you have planned for your garden, there's no point in worrying. Chill out!

 

Monty don is sorting his lawn out on this weeks Gardeners World by aerating and brushing in Sharp Sand ... Must be a mind reader!

 

Just a quick update. Decided not to reseed and leave all well alone until spring to give the lawn time to recover. The more I keep messing with it the worse it seems to look so I've cut it for the winter and now I'm not touching it. However upon giving it another cut the thinning is getting worse and I haven't even been touching it. Took some photos today to show you how thin it looks now. The fertiliser has all washed out now and the grass appears to be toughening up but it's terribly bare and very lumpy and soggy and in some of the shady areas the moss has started to take hold. I've got to the stage where I just don't want to touch it until next year when I can start again but this thinning out is really bugging me.

 

Did you get it aerated? Looks like you didn't.

Looks like it's thinned in those areas due to poor drainage and heavy soil, as I said before.

Put some holes in it to help the roots find their way and wait for the winter.

Basically, just follow what everyone has said throughout this entire thread!

 

Yes I got it aerated but it seems worse now than before. It's gone really mushy and all the firmness seems to have out of it.