Lawn care for beginners

[BlueShed]

Hello, where do I start please? We have had a small lawn (10m x 10m) laid about five years ago. Work and kids means we just haven't looked after it and now it's a mess. It's partially shaded by some conifers and we have a lot of moss. We returfed the worst corner last year but really the whole lawn needs some tlc. There are also a lot of dandelions and other such weeds. It's fairly well draining but does seem to have quite a bit of mud now at ground level. Not sure if that means it's still well draining or not?

This is what I think I need to do - what order do I do it in? Anything else? Any tips? I have no issues using chemicals, I just need the job doing! Can I use moss killer and weed killer at the same time?

• moss killer
• rake out moss
• weed killer
• then dig out weeds?
• use a spikey thing to aerate lawn
• use lawn seed

You can get lawn feed which includes moss and broad leaf weed killer ( dandelions, daisies, anything but grass)

I had a similar lawn to yours but it was also taken over by creeping buttercups.

So, apply lawn feed/ moss/ weed killer and
leave several days.
When moss turns black rake it out and sow new lawn seed.

If you get more weeds coming up with the new grass, give it a mowing.

Grass likes to be mowed as it strengthens it whilst weeds don’t and eventually the grass will take over.

To improve drainage I also go over my lawn pricking and slightly lifting the turf with the garden fork then don’t stand on it for a week or so.

Meant say, the weeds will turn black as well as the moss.
Depends on how long it is, you could mow it once it goes black.
I did this because the weeds were long and mowing cleared the way so I could see what needed done.

Embrace the moss and dig some flowerbeds in? It doesn't sound like it's ever going to be an amazing lawn....that will mean fewer chemicals too....so less killing of bees and beneficial insects.

Thank you.

@BarrelOfOtters ideally yes, but it's our whole garden save for some side beds and a thin strip of patio. It was all a patio garden beforehand but we wanted grass for the DC, and despite the state of it, it was the right move.

Honestly either accept the moss or pay a lawn company to do it for you.

I have DIYed and properly scarifying, aerating and top dressing is a shitload of backbreaking work.

Personally, I would just champion the grass.

Get a large bag of high quality, tough grass seed. Like the kind they use for sports pitches.

Get a large bag of granulated grass feed.

Once a month through the spring and autumn, alternate a spread of one or the other - slowly building up grass and feeding what you have.

If the grass gets stronger and is mowed regularly then most moss will go and weed die out. Not all, but enough that it will look and feel ok.

If you feel extra energetic, then prick the lawn bed in autumn, to increase drainage ready for winter. Then give the whole area a good rake over in spring to clear out anything blocking the way for fresg grass shoots.

My in laws have a company that come every so often to sort their lawn out, it doesn't cost them terribly much and they have more lawn than you do.

I'm embracing the moss and the dandelions...

@BlueShed Perhaps you could buy this book:

The Lawn Expert, by DG Hessayon.

Loads of cheap second-hand ones on ebay and you often find this series of books in charity shops as well. I'm often recommending one or other of them.

When we moved into our house the lawn had a shit tonne of moss. We scarified it last spring (hard work!), and got 9 green garden waste bags full of moss out. This year we got two. It made a world of difference to our lawn. Aerated with good seed down and it’s beautiful now. I have a great little jabby tool for dandelions so it’s easy to keep on top of them.

I just completed the spring routine in one area of my garden (two more to go!):

• took out the dandelions (I have a little manual tool to take out the roots)
• scarified (that takes the moss away)
• aerated (with a fork, but I am planning to buy the right tool)
• sprinkled a ready-made mixture of grass seeds and fertilizer

It took me half a day on my own and the scarification was soooooo much hard work!

Scarifying once is hard work. Scarify twice a year and you’ll cover the ground in a fraction of the time and have a much better lawn for it.

You need some 4-in-1 lawn feed and moss killer first of all.

Cut the grass really short then apply that.
Scarify or rake out the dead moss.
Grass seed with some lawn top dressing.
Once the seed has established look at some summer fertiliser.

For areas that require patching up get some seed and mix with compost, throw it down and trample in.

Lawn care in my experience is about little and often. Rather than leaving it 2 weeks between cuts cut the grass 2/3 times a week. It will take less time than doing one big cut every fortnight and you will have a nicer, healthier lawn as a result.

If you mow the lawn every other day, you don't even need to put the grass box on, the clippings are tiny and fall down between the grass blades. That helps the thatch and makes the lawn springy to walk on, and will rot down and improve the soil too. Retains moisture in hot, dry spells as well.

The constant trimming also helps kill off weeds, which don't like it.

Hi,

I'm no expert myself, but I've been following the advice on this page and garden is looking well!

https://icanlawn.com/how-to-hub