Lawn advice - can this be saved?

Hello all,

It would be great if I could get advice on how to rectify some problems I am having with a lawn I had laid last October. I am really concerned about the state it is currently in, but i'm unsure what to do next.

I had no part in the preparation or laying of the turf but have since become concerned that it hasn't been carried out correctly.

At first, I noticed it start to thin at the far end of the garden, now, it seems that there are bare patches developing throughout, with some areas being a lot worse than others.

From inspecting the grass I can feel that the soil feels moist, and have tried seeding and feeding but after a couple of weeks i'm a but stuck with where to go next.

Attached are a few pictures, if any other information is required then let me know.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

@fat controller - some good advice there mate

@tomhorn3r - it looks as though the grass, particularly around the edges could've keeled over because of poor drainage, thus causing the roots to rot away.

It may be worth contacting the people who laid the turf and tell them you're not happy with the job to see if they offer any warranty. But, even if it is re-done, the same issue could arise in the future if poor drainage is a problem.

It looks like the grass is surrounded by way built from railway sleepers (or similar heavy duty wod)? If the sleepers/wall are buried deeply, they'll increase water retention and prevent water from draining away. In pic 1, the soil on the left looks dry as a bone.

I'd put the spring tine rake (in pic 6) aside for now unless moss or thatch are present (which neither appear to be an issue). If you decide to continue seeding by yourself, rake the seed gently backwards, forwards and sideways just a couple of cm at a time with a soil rake rake to help move it under the soil. A top dressing to stop the birds eating it or the sun baking it, particularly in the barest areas is ideal.

 

Thanks for taking the time out to reply @fat controller and @Mowerman - Appreciated!

The sleepers you can see in the pictures used to form what were two raised flower beds. Last Autumn I had them removed (to have the turf laid) and used them instead to form a border along side of my garden.

There is actually another row of sleepers below those you can see, which are dug out and laid level with the lawn. The soil to the left of the sleepers is what was removed from the raised beds (I haven't yet done anything with it) and is fairly dry and compacted.

I have forked the turf over the past weeks in order to try and diagnose the problem myself, albeit with my limited knowledge, but in places I noticed the ground just below the turf was very hard. I have also cut the grass twice since laying, with the most recent being around 3 weeks ago.

So what you seem to have correctly determined from the pictures is that the sleepers are preventing proper drainage of the lawn? It also seems to me that the ground was not properly prepared prior to laying the turf.

If all of the above is true, is the lawn in its current state beyond repair? It still seems to be growing in 75% of places, but I am concerned that all my efforts to seed and grow the rest may be wasted if the lawn itself has not been prepared properly in the first place.

 

Morning!

Yeah I have been over it a few times with a fork, the first few inches of turf are soft enough, but then it seems to reach a really hard section which takes quite a bit of effort to get the fork into. I gave it a good wiggle too!

Thinking back to when the turf was laid, there was a considerable gap between when the sleepers were removed and soil dug out, to when the turf was laid. Perhaps when they came back to lay the turf the soil had become too compacted and wasn't dug out again.

I had hoped for a nice lush lawn come spring / summer but I am a long way from that at the minute I'm stuck between wanting to rip it up and do the job myself (at greater cost) or try and salvage what I have.

I am happy to take your advice and give it a chance. I think I have become worried because I have seen the grass deteriorate over the autumn / winter with no sign of improvement - yet!

 

Can I post an answer to this in a couple of days time? I've accepted an invitation to a lawn seminar hosted by an agricultural university here. After that, I might just know what I'm talking about as regards lawns...

 

And now I have spent two days on the lawn seminar....To say the least, I did learn a lot. I'm just not sure how much applies to the UK...

Edit: The comment regarding how much applies to the UK is a serious one, nd not meant in any way to be funny. The local climate means that certain things that would be considered correct lawn management here would probably be most unsuitable for those that live in warmer parts.