Light patches on new lawn

I had a new lawn laid about a month ago and it seemed to take very well. After three weeks I gave it a first mow on the highest setting with a new mower blade but since then the lawn has started to develop several quite large patches where the grass is not growing as fast as that surrounding it and is much lighter in colour. I have been watering carefully and evenly and have no pets and not applied weedkiller anywhere else in the garden. Is it perhaps a nutrient deficiency? I am hesitant to add anything that might make it worse. Thanks.

 

Apart from the shorter area in your second photo, your lawn looks fine to me. Differences in appearance can be caused by differences in soil conditions such as compaction, drainage or rubble or plant roots below. It’s still early for a new lawn to be fully settled in. I would keep it well watered as you are doing and gradually reduce the height of your mower blade to a medium height. I have found that an application of diluted seaweed extract can help lighter patches in my lawn green up after just one application. You could try this on one area to see if it helps but I wouldn’t be too worried at the moment.

 

If I am correct in reading your post, I am presuming your lawn was turfed. Perhaps your supplier has turf containing different grass species, which if left uncut , would develop into a pasture. By cutting this you mave have revealed the lower stems of some which are lighter coloured naturally. With regular mowing these stronger grasses may die out but otherwise will always differ. Was any description applied as to the varieties; its intended use; or any further characteristics it may have ?

 

Possibly a fox relieving itself on your lawn. I had this problem in the back garden and a female dog at the front as it is open plan and a dog walker has an extra long lead with no idea what is going on behind her.

 

There's too many of them around @waterbut, frequently making it difficult for pedestrians too! Ludicrous also if the dog is much smaller than the length of the lead .

 

I was walking down a narrow alleyway behind someone walking a Boxer dog on an extending lead. The owner disappeared around the corner but the dog looked back, saw me and stopped. Then it leapt at me, all four feet in the air. Luckily it was just being "friendly" but I'm quite small and it could easily have knocked me over.

 

I don't think your grass looks bad at all @Neil1961 . I'd be quite happy if that was mine!
Re what the others are saying about animal urine, have you got a wider view of the site? Cats will also mark territory. A section of my hedge was ruined by one, and I couldn't understand why it was dying back until I saw it for myself. It's a repeat offender too.

If there's nothing obvious, it should gradually improve with a bit of care as described, but there can often be inconsistencies due to the prep, and how good or bad it is before turf is laid. A month is quite a short time, so I wouldn't be unnecessarily worried at this stage. Some area may not have rooted as well as others yet.

Re dog owners/walkers, it's certainly the more common experience I have here.
Those leads should be banned IMO. They're like lunge reins.
I had a similar experience to you @Escarpment , although I stopped before the dog got anywhere near me, and the owner just laughed. Yeah - hilarious luv. No consideration for others at all

 

The only use for extending leads should be in a park or field for exercise if the dog will not recall reliably

No dog is ever properly under control on an extending lead. There should be a maximum length for leads on dogs being exercised in public footpaths and alongside roads.

I’ve seen a dog on an extended lead run into the road in front of a cyclist and cause an accident. The owner was lucky the cyclist wasn’t badly hurt, or didn’t swerve into a car or lorry.