Lawn Repair

Firstly hi to everyone, I have been looking for a place to best ask my questions and this site seems like a helpful site from what I have read.

Up until recently I have never owned a property with a garden, however now my family is growing I have a small lawn attached to our new home. The garden has a lot of bald patches, some bigger than others and I have been trying to find the best way to repair it.

I have seen some sites that say add soil and then grass seed, and some that say remove the patches (which there are a few but some small) and then add soil.

I am just looking for a point in the right direction or any tips on where to start, any good products or techniques to help me. I want to repair the lawn for my daughter starts to crawl but not sure where to start.

I want to learn more about gardening and think of this as my first project so any advice given will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Aarron

 

Hi Aaron and Welcome
The best way is rough up the bare patch with something like a garden rake to expose the soil , and mix your grass seed with some compost and scatter over area, you will find the birds will take some so dont be mean with the seed.It will take about a fortnight before you see it. Then dont forget its baby grass and will take its time to get a good solid root system so mow lightly

 

Hi Pam,

Many thanks for your reply. I did exactly what you said, I mowed and then raked the lawn. I bought a repair kit by Evergreen which had lawn food and grass seed and scattered them both over the lawn evenly, I can see the seeds laying on the surface but am sure that's fine, isn't it? lol - Unless it rains, I am watering the lawn ever morning, is that the best time to water?

I have attached a picture for your guidance if you would be so kind. As you can see there is a small part of the garden at the rear that isnt grassed over, I am looking to add plants there and add small fencing to stop my little ones getting in there. Complete novice at this, but can I buy any outdoor plants and can any go together? Also, I want to add soil to the back section also, is compost good as I used top soil on the lawn when adding the seed?

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me.

Regards,
Aarron

 

Hi Aaron
Most plants go together ,taller shrubs at the back. You dont say which way your garden faces as some plants require more sun than others

 

Hi Pam,

Im not 100% sure which way it is facing, but I know the sun rises at the front of the house and sets behind the garden fence you see in the picture. I was thinking of having a trip to B&Q to see what plants they have their, am looking for some with beautiful colors as well as just leafy plants.

 

So that wall of the house gets the sun from late morning until it sets ,I would plant some climbers up that ,put trellis up and the lists are endless try.

http://www.shootgardening.co.uk/ they give a lot of very good info

 

Hi Aaron

For lots of summer colour try antirrhinum (snapdragon). I prefer the dwarf variety, "Tom Thumb" being the common one you will find. Best thing with these are that you can get an amazing range of colours from one packet of seed. Just sprinkle the seed on the flower bed in the autumn and then about this time of year you will start to see hundreds of seedlings. Thin these out when they are large enough to handle and leave the rest to flower. Then in the autumn let them produce and spread their own seed before removing the dead plants during the winter and you will have flowers next year for nothing.

 

Many thanks for the replies... I do like the look of a trelis, but I am not sure how I get it to attach to the brick wall, think I will have to look into it. Heres probably a silly question, but how does the plant stay on the trelis? Do you know any useful guides on setting up a Trelis?

Also, I have been watering the garden every mornign at around 8am, but the seeds are still laying on the surface, is this right?

 

It seems to be taking ages this year for grass seed to germinate. But it will sit on the ground for a while, then suddenly you'll see new growth appearing.

As to your plans for a flower bed against the wall - good idea, but take the opportunity now to make it bigger as there is nothing worse than having to dig into grass that you've lovingly sown and nurtured...and you will want to extend it eventually. The deeper a flower bed, the more plants you can have, that will extend the flowering period and interest in the garden

 

Fixing trellis to a wall means you will have to drill into the wall and screw the trellis directly to the wall or to timber battens fixed to the wall. The battens would make the trellis stand a little bit away from the wall. Alternative would be to drive some Metpost sockets into the soil about 4-6 inches from the wall and then fix posts into the metposts and screw the trellis to the posts. Make sure you treat any woodwork with a preservative otherwise in a few years it will rot.

Climbing plants have two ways of climbing. They either send out tendrils, side shoots that coil around any available support. Others twist as they grow and the main stem entwines itself around any support.

If you wanted you could add a runner bean or two to any trellis and get fresh beans in amongst the flowers.