Disappearing lawn

Hi,

Last March I re-turfed my lawn using Rolawn Medallion turf, but i'm having some major problems with it this winter and I'm wondering if anyone could offer any thoughts on what might be causing the problem?

The problem is that although the grass grew very well over the summer, over the past couple of months or so it has been gradually disappearing - in fact most of the lawn is just soil now (see picture), and will need re-seeding or possibly re-turfing if it keeps getting worse. The grass wasn't under watered and didn't turn yellow but seems to get more sparse every day. I suspected chafer grubs and I think I saw one of the beetles in the summer, but I've dug a few patches up and can't see any evidence of them, though we do have a lot of earthworms. I've also seen foxes in the garden but can't see any attempts to dig holes in the lawn.

So do you think the damage is probably chafer grubs even though I can't find any or does it look like something else, like bad drainage?


Thanks

 

Oh gosh @David cobbold what a terrible shame after you have gone to all the trouble of turfing, I'm not a lawn expert, so I can't offer any advice but I will tag a few who might be able to answer or tag a lawn expert!
@Zigs @ARMANDII whos our lawn expert?

 

new sensitive seed/turf that just didnt get long enough to establish before the monsoon came along and drowned it ?

 

Possibly leatherjackets causing this?

 

To me it doesn't look like the grass has disappeared as such. It looks more like soil has ended up on top of it. Earthworms would do that to some extent with their worm casts, but it seems like far to much of it for that. Also, I think I can see what look like splats of soil on the patio/path, which a worm couldn't do.

 

Can I see small patches of moss there? If there is moss then the grass will possibly be growing in a shaded area or it's down to bad drainage. Is the whole lawn affected or just this area and does it get any sunlight please?

 

Thanks for the replies. Yeah that's soil on the path - when i came back home after a few days away over christmas there was loads of it scattered around, and loose soil on the top of the lawn. Possibly caused by foxes because there's a few around, but can't see any holes.

The whole lawn is bad but it is worse on one half, which is closer to the two trees at the back of the garden than the other half so probably does get a little less light, though it seemed to cope fine in the summer. Also the trees lost their foliage before this got really bad.

Actually one more point to make is when the trees dropped their leaves most of it went on the half in the picture. I cleared it up as quick as I could but this was bringing lots of earthworms up to the surface which were leaving casts everywhere, which definitely killed quite a bit of the lawn. The casts were very wet so I couldn't just flick them off like I read to do. I tried CastClear to try to stop them coming to surface which seemed to help a little, not sure if that could be related to these problems. I still see plenty of holes in the soil from worms though.

Don't think there's any moss, not yet anyway. It gets sunlight but don't think the drainage is too good.

 

I don't think the holes you are seeing are necessarily made by worms, birds, particularly starlings will come down to pick grubs out of the lawn and it's surprising how many holes they make. The grubs they are after are usually either chafer grubs or leatherjackets, both of which can damage the lawn so the birds will be doing you a favour by taking them.

I think you've probably got a combination of problems. Perhaps poor drainage and shelter from the trees taking away sunlight.

 

Hi there. I'm having a similar issue with my lawn, although I think to a much more significant extent.
first pic is the garden in autumn 2015, second in autumn 2014, and final picture is roughly how it is now


I understand that we've had a very wet winter so far, but the soil towards the top left of the garden is a slimey sludge and there is very little drainage in the soil. It looks like it hasn't been turned since the 1960's.
Another point to add is that there is only about 3-4" of soil before what looks like hardcore and rubble from when the houses were built, and also there is a crack in the paving in the alley behind, resulting in all the water from the alleyway draining directly into the garden

Thanks guys.
Mark

 

@Mr Laybury lay, pic 1. Realistic. Pic 2. Lots of newly germinated grass seed. No way to tell soil quality as grass at that stage is running off energy reserves in seed and would look like that in good quality soil, sand, clay, cotton wool, toilet roll, or anything else. Looks like someone scattered seed 4 weeks before the pic.

I can't guess what's happened in the last pic. It doesn't look like natural causes to me. The ground is clearly churned up, and there's crap all over, as though something has been carelessly demolished. Has stuff been scattered over an immature lawn and trampled it and deprived it of light?

 

We've dug a bit of the lawn up to aid with drainage, so that'll be the bits towards the bottom of the picture. So if you can ignore the dug parts, and look to the rest. Though come to mention it it does actually look like, with a similar consistency to 'fresh' cow pat.
That could well be the case though with the new grass in the second picture. Bit disappointing.

 

Hi.
It looks like it has rotted away, with all the rain fall and drainage may have been a problem. is it just in that corner. also is it shaded in that area. but not to worry all is not lost. once spring comes you can lightly prepare the damaged areas and reseed them. i have seen worse.

 

@David cobbold

My guess is that that you have a combination of things leading to your lawn issues. If it's any consolation, I have the same too.

The wet winter may have rotted the grass roots if it is constantly boggy. Also leatherjackets or chafer grubs may have had a good feast on the grass roots.

Also, worms casts may have played a big role with your problems as they seem to pus up grass that is not well-established. They certainly did with mine but I feel guilty using a product that kills them as they do so much good in the garden. Only a few species are responsible but they tar the rest with the same brush, regrettably.

 

My lawn is in a terrible state too, combination of monsoon conditions, also when very wet I admit to encouraging my bitch to "wee", and she has her prefered spots, was hoping the rain would be enough to wash it through, and to save me getting a soaking, just hanging on in there till Sprng