Lawn resurrection
 

Hello

I have today used a hired petrol lawn scarifier, having put down
mosskiller sometime before.

I now plan to overseed the lawn that remains.

I saw one website that said I should put down more mosskiller now,
because it can get at the remaining moss more effectively, and then do
the overseed.

Any thoughts on that - and if it's a good idea, can I do the
overseeding straight away or wait a while?

Thanks

Lawn resurrection
 

Chris Hogg wrote:

On Fri, 28 Aug 2015 11:33:00 -0500, "JIP" wrote:

Hello

I have today used a hired petrol lawn scarifier, having put down
mosskiller sometime before.

I now plan to overseed the lawn that remains.

I saw one website that said I should put down more mosskiller now,
because it can get at the remaining moss more effectively, and then
do the overseed.

Any thoughts on that - and if it's a good idea, can I do the
overseeding straight away or wait a while?

Thanks

I have no thoughts as to whether a second round of moss-killer is
needed; was that recommendation made by a moss-killer manufacturer?
They would say that, wouldn't they! But even if you do treat again,
unless you do something more fundamental to improve the soil, the moss
will return.

Moss likes moist, poorly drained and compacted soil. You need improve
the drainage and aerate the soil by spiking it and brushing in some
coarse sand. Don't be tempted to get a 'spiker' of any sort. IMO
they're useless. You can't beat spiking with an ordinary garden fork,
although it's hard work. Drive the fork in as far as you can,
preferably at least six inches, and wiggle it a bit, before moving on
about a foot and repeating. You should then spread a thin layer of
gritty sand over the lawn and brush it in, so that it fills the holes.

Thanks for the comment - what do you mean by "coarse sand" - is that
"builder's sand"? I understand that you can't use "lawn sand" on new
grass.

Lawn resurrection
 

In article ,
JIP wrote:

Thanks for the comment - what do you mean by "coarse sand" - is that
"builder's sand"? I understand that you can't use "lawn sand" on new
grass.

No. Sharp sand, which can also be bought from builders' merchants.
Don't waste your money on 'lawn sand'.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Lawn resurrection
 

On 29/08/2015 16:08, JIP wrote:
Chris Hogg wrote:

On Fri, 28 Aug 2015 11:33:00 -0500, "JIP" wrote:

Hello

I have today used a hired petrol lawn scarifier, having put down
mosskiller sometime before.

I now plan to overseed the lawn that remains.

I saw one website that said I should put down more mosskiller now,
because it can get at the remaining moss more effectively, and then
do the overseed.

Any thoughts on that - and if it's a good idea, can I do the
overseeding straight away or wait a while?

Thanks

I have no thoughts as to whether a second round of moss-killer is
needed; was that recommendation made by a moss-killer manufacturer?
They would say that, wouldn't they! But even if you do treat again,
unless you do something more fundamental to improve the soil, the moss
will return.

Moss likes moist, poorly drained and compacted soil. You need improve
the drainage and aerate the soil by spiking it and brushing in some
coarse sand. Don't be tempted to get a 'spiker' of any sort. IMO
they're useless. You can't beat spiking with an ordinary garden fork,
although it's hard work. Drive the fork in as far as you can,
preferably at least six inches, and wiggle it a bit, before moving on
about a foot and repeating. You should then spread a thin layer of
gritty sand over the lawn and brush it in, so that it fills the holes.

Thanks for the comment - what do you mean by "coarse sand" - is that
"builder's sand"? I understand that you can't use "lawn sand" on new
grass.

No - you want a sharp sand that is very free draining - closer to fine
grit really. And I'd recommend using a hollow tined fork if the lawn is
horribly compacted and not free draining - bigger holes and slightly
less effort than using an ordinary fork and wiggling it around.

I wouldn't leave it too late before reseeding either the new grass will
need to germinate and get established before the winter.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Lawn resurrection
 

On 01/09/2015 13:43, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Tue, 1 Sep 2015 11:45:39 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

And I'd recommend using a hollow tined fork if the lawn is
horribly compacted and not free draining - bigger holes and slightly
less effort than using an ordinary fork and wiggling it around.


Have you ever used one? On hard compacted soil?

I bought one a while ago, thinking it was just the thing for a mossy
compacted grass path. The hollow tines were tapered, wider at the top
than at the bottom, ostensibly to allow the plugs of compacted
grass/soil to discharge freely. They did no such thing! After two or
three insertions into the soil, they blocked, and I had to spend ten
minutes or so clearing them out, only for the same thing to happen
again. It actually worked very well on grass where the soil wasn't
compacted, which drained well and which wasn't mossy, but it was
absolutely hopeless on compacted soil where it was needed and intended
to be used.

Mine was OK on damp heavy clay apart from when it hit stones. I suspect
it would be a nightmare if there were many small stones or rubble in the
ground. As ever YMMV.

I threw it away, and reverted to using a fork, which worked very well!

I suspect something along the lines of a pair of sharpened stainless
steel pipe inserts welded to a significantly wider long mild steel pipe
with a pogo stick style foot rest on it would work even better.

I agree that most of the hollow tined forks you see are a bit weedy.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Lawn resurrection
 

On 01/09/2015 13:57, Martin Brown wrote:
On 01/09/2015 13:43, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Tue, 1 Sep 2015 11:45:39 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

And I'd recommend using a hollow tined fork if the lawn is
horribly compacted and not free draining - bigger holes and slightly
less effort than using an ordinary fork and wiggling it around.


Have you ever used one? On hard compacted soil?

I bought one a while ago, thinking it was just the thing for a mossy
compacted grass path. The hollow tines were tapered, wider at the top
than at the bottom, ostensibly to allow the plugs of compacted
grass/soil to discharge freely. They did no such thing! After two or
three insertions into the soil, they blocked, and I had to spend ten
minutes or so clearing them out, only for the same thing to happen
again. It actually worked very well on grass where the soil wasn't
compacted, which drained well and which wasn't mossy, but it was
absolutely hopeless on compacted soil where it was needed and intended
to be used.

Mine was OK on damp heavy clay apart from when it hit stones. I suspect
it would be a nightmare if there were many small stones or rubble in the
ground. As ever YMMV.

I threw it away, and reverted to using a fork, which worked very well!

I suspect something along the lines of a pair of sharpened stainless
steel pipe inserts welded to a significantly wider long mild steel pipe
with a pogo stick style foot rest on it would work even better.

I agree that most of the hollow tined forks you see are a bit weedy.

If it's a large lawn then think oh hiring a machine to do the job

Lawn resurrection
 

In article ,
Martin Brown wrote:

On Fri, 28 Aug 2015 11:33:00 -0500, "JIP" wrote:

Thanks for the comment - what do you mean by "coarse sand" - is that
"builder's sand"? I understand that you can't use "lawn sand" on new
grass.

No - you want a sharp sand that is very free draining - closer to fine
grit really.

Coarse sand is known as "concreting sand" at the builder's merchants,
whereas "builder's sand" is used fro making mortar for bricklaying -
softer and finer.

Caveat: This is the usage oop 'ere in't'North -- it amy be different
further south.

Sand of either type will cost you about 3 quid per 25kg bag.

My 2p
John