Can we save our lawn?!

[ArtyFartyQueen]

We spent about £500 last year, having our garden re-turfed and after cutting it today, it looks worse than before having it done. It's very patchy and we have a large patch of no grass at all, under our trampoline (understandably!). Wondered if anyone had any advice on how to we could save our lawn, we don't really have much money to spare on it, considering the cost of it last year. Any advice would be gratefully received!

Did you feed it? You need to fork it with holes feed it and seed it good time to start now.

It looks like it didn't get enough water when it was laid. Grass is quite tough and sends out runners. I'd treat it kindly by walking on it as little as possible, for the moment and giving it a specific grass feed.
If you have to mow, set the mower on a high cut, until there is a thicker appearance. Also watch out for weed growing in the bare bits and hand weed.

It looks evenly sparse to me so I think the turf didn't take very well in the first place, but it will look much better by the end of the summer if you are gentle with it for the next few months.

Move the trampoline to a different spot more frequently to stop the grass under it dying from lack of light and water.

You could sprinkle more grass seed on top, particularly in the bare spots. It is a good time of year to do this. Just rake the bare bits a little if the soil surface is hard to give the seeds something to get into. Water it and keep people off it for a few weeks to give the new grass time to get established.

You can just increase what you have to fill the gaps. As JT05 says, set your mower on high. It looks like you have been cutting it too short, better to leave it longer and cut frequently to encourage runners. They will fill it in in no time. My lawn is quite shady (north facing garden) and the lawn is like yours at the end of every winter, but by summer it is lush and green only by doing this.

Get a spring time grass feed to encourage growth. Water it in well if there is no rain after you put it on.

Water the lawn if we get any prolonged dry spells or you will be back to where you started as the new growth will be less tolerant of harsh conditions.

I would use a feed & seed mix
water well twice a week or so if dry.
good luck.

The good bit is that what you have is healthy grass and no weeds/moss. You just don't have enough grass.

Aerate the crap out of it now. Plus a spring feed for the grass that is there. Oversow with grass seed and water it daily (if not raining) to help it germinate.

And then try not to mow for about 6 weeks to give the new grass a chance and when you do mow, set your mower to cut it long.

I'd spike it and throw more seed down it will soon pick up. Try not to walk on it.

Did it really cost £500 to turf it?? Yes, it can be 'saved', but I would also look at the contract for the turfing, and see if they give any guarantees.

Unless it didn't get watered in properly after turfing, I really wouldn't expect it to look as bad as this.

Hard to tell from one pic, but it looks as if it has been allowed to get quite long? Grass needs water, but it also needs regular careful mowing to encourage growth. Little and often is best, otherwise you can get tufts and bare patches developing.