puppilup said:


1) Should I still look for a fungicide, do you think it still needs
one?

No.

2) Will the grass thicken up or is the dead bit dead? I want to get it
back to a thicker denser, multi-bladed, healthy grass.
Is the dead part of the lawn at ground level actually completely dead in
the roots, or will new grass push through to thicken it up again.
Can I risk scarifying it in the Fall or Spring to remove the dead
stuff?

I would hold off on anything like that, and prefer core aeration to raking
out thatch. (I am guessing that you may have mainly fine fescues,
notorious thatch producers, but decent shade tolerence.)

Treated decently, the turf should thicken up, albeit, with fescues, it
will only thicken up slowly. It might be wise to overseed, but if you
don't you could consider applying a pre-emergent herbicide this fall.
(There are 'winter' weeds which sprout in the fall, like speedwell and
chickweed.)

Your lawn is small enough to spot weed, by hand or with a tool,
should it come to that.

3) How do I keep weeds at bay? - where the grass is thin, do I need to
top dress (seed/soilo/compost/sand) and when?

If it doesn't seem to be filling in well, yes overseed and topdress.

4) Approaching autumn/Fall - do I have to remove the dead grass? Should
I put a treatment on it to feed it through the winter? { You Trader4
said "Yes, put a Fall fertilizer down in a month". I will use the
Rowlawn Autumn Lawn Food.Autumn Lawn Food from Rolawn

I would go with a light feeding at the beginning of September and a
Fall/Winter fertilizer blend in mid to late October. But my soil is quite
sandy so YMMV.

5) What height should I mow at? - I have raised the mower to a 2.5" cut.
It won't go higher. What height should I be working towards as 'normal'
and by when?

I would suggest no less than that in midsummer. Mow every 3 days if
neccessary to keep it looking tidy. You can drop it back a bit in fall
(after the growth has slowed) and for the first cuts in spring, then raise
the height again.

Do I go for 1.5" during next spring/summer? Remember this is supposed
to be a fine blade 'show' lawn.

I suggest you leave it taller and mow more often; it will give you less grief
that way and still look tidy. And keep the mowing blades sharp. Very sharp.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

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