My Garden Progress

Hi Kevin,

If the garage is on your boundary, is it possible for you to put another bracket on the guttering?

 

Hello @Sheal

Possible, Yes, desirable, No.

I do not see why I should Fix an Issue that is the Neighbours responsibility, or is that just me

I managed to Talk to the Neighbour, Yesterday, regarding the Issue, hopefully they will sort it.

Now that they are aware of the Issue I just need to remind them which is a much easier thing for me to do than it was to have the Initial Conversation.

Kevin

 

Hello all

With the Hot Weather we have had recently, the Lawn in the Back Garden has developed a few Yellow Patches, all of them along the Edge of the Pato or Edging.

Since we currently have a Break from the Hot Weather, I removed a section of the affected Lawn.

Under the removed area there was Concrete which must have spilled over when the Landscaping was done Last Year.

I have broken up the Concrete and removed it, Topped up the Hole with Soil and replaced the Turf.

I have Watered it in and am now able to push a Screwdriver more than 6" into the Ground, before removing the Concrete I could only push the Screwdriver into the Ground approximately 2", maybe less.

Is there anything that I can do to help the Turf recover, other than Watering it?

I think I will need to Level the areas but I will do that once the Grass recovers.

Thanks

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,

It's good that you've managed to sort the gutter issue with your neighbour and hopefully they will fix it. I realise it isn't your responsibility but when an issue gets bad and the neighbours don't want to know, it's the only way to solve the problem.

You have probably solved the problem with the yellowing lawn edges. Grass needs a depth of four inches or more to grow well, so removing the concrete was the right thing to do.

I would leave the turf now to recover on it's own - with a little watering of course.

 

Hello @Sheal

Regarding the Grass, a couple of the Areas were Dead, do you think that these areas will regrow?

Or, should I remove the Turf from those Areas, Fill with Topsoil, Level and Re-Seed.

Suggestions welcome.

Thanks

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,

Grass is very resilient. It can be scorched by the sun and turn brown for weeks on end, but the roots will still be alive and it will eventually recover with rain or watering. I'd leave it for the next couple of weeks and see if it re-shoots.

 

Hello @Sheal

It looks as though I did not fill the Holes left when I removed the Concrete sufficiently as the Areas have sunk somewhat.

This is how the Area looks now:



I will leave it and see if the Grass Grows and then work on Levelling the Area.

Thanks

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,

If you didn't firm the soil down enough in the holes that is probably why it's sunk. It's just the surface that needs to be loosened so that the grass seed can germinate a little easier.

 

Hello @Sheal

That is the thing, I thought I had firmed down the Soil sufficiently

After I had broken up the Concrete with a Bolster Chisel and Lump Hammer, I removed all the Bits, broke up the bottom of the Hole to improve Drainage, partially Filled the Hole, Compacted it, Watered it to Settle it and Repeat until I got the correct Level.

There was not much else I could do.

Hopefully, now that the Concrete Layer has gone the Lawn in that Area will Recover, hopefully.

I have 5 Bags of Topsoil being Delivered Tomorrow, primarily for another Job but I may use some of it to Top Dress the Area.

Thanks

Kevin

 

Hello

Just a quick Update on the Lawn in the Front Garden.

The New Grass Seed that was put down where the Tree was removed has Grown and Filled in Nicely.

This is how the Front Lawn looks now:



All that is left is to Level the Lawn as it has Dips throughout but I will probably wait until September to do that as I have Cataract Surgery coming up.

Thanks

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,

Sometimes it doesn't matter how much the soil is firmed it will still settle a little more. It also depends on the type of soil and air that dissipates over time. Not something we like to think about but newly filled graves are always left with a dome of soil, which over time levels out.

It looks good and we wouldn't know there had been a tree there.

 

Hello @Sheal

Thanks, the Front Lawn is looking really Good, except the Dips that is.

Having a Grass Seed Mix that Matches the Turf exactly definitely helps.

I just need to get the couple of Dead Areas in the Back Lawn to Grow, then, I can look at Levelling the Lawns, again.

The Sage Icterina looks to have Failed, again and I really do not understand why.

It is Planted in a South Facing Border in Free Draining Soil (Sandy Loam) and only gets Watered Once a Week.

All of the above should be an ideal situation for it.

I need Help, in more ways than one

Thanks

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,

I don't understand why your Sage has failed again. Perhaps you should ask our friends here via another thread. The only other idea I have is trying it in a pot.

I think you're doing okay, and gardening is trial and error for all of us despite whether we have years of experience or not.

 

Hello @Sheal

Thanks for the Reply.

My statement that 'I need Help, in more ways than one ' was more to do with my Life, away from Gardening, sorry.

I have removed the remains of the, very small, Sage and have Dug over the Area to Aerate it and Dry the Soil, if needed, however, the Soil does not seem Wet so that should not be the issue.

I have Ordered, yet another, Sage Icterina, this Time a 1L Pot whereas the previous Plants were 9cm Pots.

Hopefully the extra Size will help.

I have Posted a Thread in 'Other Plants' which can be found here:

Struggling to Grow Sage Icterina

Thanks

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,

That's okay. I thought perhaps it was a mixture of the two but it would be impolite for me to question your personal life.

Perhaps the Sage just isn't happy in your soil?