For some reason my back and side lawns are OK - considering the drought here
in SE Qld. But the grass out the front of the house is DEAD DEAD DEAD!
Basically it has almost gone back to bare soil. I have a few gum trees
bordering the property - but I dont feel that is the problem. Many years
ago when it used to rain the grass grew quit lushly - but now, even after we
get some rain , it is very sick. I think that the biggest problem is that
the clay soil is really badly compacted - standing on a fork with my full
weight, I can barely push it in deeper than an inch.

I know that you can hire motorised aerators - or get somebody in to do the
job - has anybody ever had their lawns aerated/cored. Would it work for a
VERY hard and compacted clay? - if not , any recommendations please?

Thanks

Barry in Beenleigh

Barry Ward wrote:
For some reason my back and side lawns are OK - considering the drought here
in SE Qld. But the grass out the front of the house is DEAD DEAD DEAD!
Basically it has almost gone back to bare soil. I have a few gum trees
bordering the property - but I dont feel that is the problem. Many years
ago when it used to rain the grass grew quit lushly - but now, even after we
get some rain , it is very sick. I think that the biggest problem is that
the clay soil is really badly compacted - standing on a fork with my full
weight, I can barely push it in deeper than an inch.

I know that you can hire motorised aerators - or get somebody in to do the
job - has anybody ever had their lawns aerated/cored. Would it work for a
VERY hard and compacted clay? - if not , any recommendations please?

Thanks

Barry in Beenleigh


Not worth doing it until it rains. IMHO

"Barry Ward" wrote in message
...
For some reason my back and side lawns are OK - considering the drought
here in SE Qld. But the grass out the front of the house is DEAD DEAD
DEAD! Basically it has almost gone back to bare soil. I have a few gum
trees bordering the property - but I dont feel that is the problem. Many
years ago when it used to rain the grass grew quit lushly - but now, even
after we get some rain , it is very sick. I think that the biggest problem
is that the clay soil is really badly compacted - standing on a fork with
my full weight, I can barely push it in deeper than an inch.

I know that you can hire motorised aerators - or get somebody in to do the
job - has anybody ever had their lawns aerated/cored. Would it work for a
VERY hard and compacted clay? - if not , any recommendations please?

Thanks

Barry in Beenleigh
Hi Barry,

Lawn aerators do work and ideally should be used around October (primarily)
to obviously aerate and then top dress lightly with a sandly loam mixed with
an appropriate fertiliser so that the fertiliser and loam then fill up the
holes left after the aeration and promote deeper growth by the roots.

Rob in Hervey Bay where the lawns are green as we have had heaps of rain
over the past 8 weeks or so

"Barry Ward" wrote in message
For some reason my back and side lawns are OK - considering the drought
here in SE Qld. But the grass out the front of the house is DEAD DEAD
DEAD! Basically it has almost gone back to bare soil. I have a few gum
trees bordering the property - but I dont feel that is the problem. Many
years ago when it used to rain the grass grew quit lushly - but now, even
after we get some rain , it is very sick. I think that the biggest problem
is that the clay soil is really badly compacted - standing on a fork with
my full weight, I can barely push it in deeper than an inch.

I know that you can hire motorised aerators - or get somebody in to do the
job - has anybody ever had their lawns aerated/cored. Would it work for a
VERY hard and compacted clay? - if not , any recommendations please?

Won't work on hard and dry compacted clay. Wait for rain (good surtained
soaking rain) then get someone in or hire one.

I'd agree with the others - wait for the day after some decent rain ten go
for it (though you may have had decent rain by this stage). You might also
consier at the same time putting in some ag pipe to improve drainage. You
could also use the ag pipe as a channel to put grey water down in the dry
times to keep the water up to the grass.

Kathy Vickers
My grandfather lives in Beenleigh!


On 10/3/07 12:15 PM, in article , "Barry Ward"
wrote:

For some reason my back and side lawns are OK - considering the drought here
in SE Qld. But the grass out the front of the house is DEAD DEAD DEAD!
Basically it has almost gone back to bare soil. I have a few gum trees
bordering the property - but I dont feel that is the problem. Many years
ago when it used to rain the grass grew quit lushly - but now, even after we
get some rain , it is very sick. I think that the biggest problem is that
the clay soil is really badly compacted - standing on a fork with my full
weight, I can barely push it in deeper than an inch.

I know that you can hire motorised aerators - or get somebody in to do the
job - has anybody ever had their lawns aerated/cored. Would it work for a
VERY hard and compacted clay? - if not , any recommendations please?

Thanks

Barry in Beenleigh