Saving new lawn

Hi

I turfed my yard on Sunday for the first time. The soil isnt great quality and so I thought I'd help the turf along with one of those complete lawn care granual treatments. Its a weed/moss killer and fertiliser in one.

Four days later and the new turf is turning black! I've watered it carefully and some areas are green still, but its patchy and looks scorched in the spots where a lot of the granulised treatment fell. The guy in the garden centre didnt say there would be an issue with using the stuff on a new lawn, but having browsed this site I thought I'd go back and read the small print. Low and behold 'do not use on lawns younger than 6 months'

So I take it then that black turf is a bad thing? Does anyone know for sure if the treatment would have caused this kind of effect? I'm tempted to fetch it all up and start again but am hoping that the lawn recovers somehow. Or should I just bite the bullet and re-turf?

I'd post an image up, but am not sure how to do it!

Thanks in advance...

 

Yeah I think they need to be established first, I think you can feed them (we have been using aftercut on our new turf) but I think it's the weedkiller that's a problem - feed and weed can sometimes kill established lawns as well from what I've read. Also I think if you use granular feed and it doesn't rain to water it in it can scorch the grass. Sorry I don't know the solution I'm afraid

 

Thanks for the response

The mother-in-law has been around and shes a dab hand at gardening. She says that I can seed the patches once the turf settles a bit, but to be honest its half grass half black dead stuff so I'd rather s**** it and start over.

I guess though that the week killer washed out of the granuals and will be sitting in the soil. Is my next set of turf likely to go the same way? My thinking is that if I lay the turf and water it, by the time it roots into the subsoil, the rain and watering will have diluted the weed killer down there a bit. Or is this an awful idea?

 

sounds like you have applied to much ..i work on bowling greens and if you spill fertilizer the area goes black ,,it will eventually recover but could take a few months ,better to lightly rake surface and apply seed,,

 

hi dslo1234

my brother in law layed new turf and fed it a month or so after , i told him it was to soon to feed but he did it anyway ............. the lawn was fine as he only used the lawn food not the weed and moss killer but.........as he had consumed several beverages :D he dropped the rest of the box on the lawn in a big patch in the middle which went black ,

he cut the area out took the top soil away replaced that and then put some new turf down in its place and after a month it was blended in nicely so just depends on how quick you want to it to be right ,
i would also really drench your lawn to wash away as much of the lawn food that you can and only use lawn food not weed and moss killer as i have always found that it kills the lawn as well

good luck

 

In the end I pulled the blackened turf up and replaced it with new. Oddly enough - the new turf seems to be much better quality and a lot greener, even though I bought it from the same source.

Rather than risk more granules I added some top soil which has the added benefit of smoothing out the lumps and bumps. My garden looks a whole lot better now

Thanks for the responses!

 

Never been a believer in "all in one" products especially for lawns. I dont like pellets either, too many do's and don'ts. As Ive posted before, I use foliar feed treatments for lawns using a hose end sprayer every two or three weeks thro the growing season. This way you get even feed and colour rather than a massive boost then nothing until you pellet feed again. Whoa betide if it doesnt rain soon after or the pellets could scortch the grass.

I use a liquid moss killer too.

Plants take in feed thro the leaves as well as the roots. Grass grows from the base so the more yuo mow the thicker it gets the less space for weeds to establish. Moss is a short daylight plant and likes damp conditions. Killing moss is ok but you need to improve the drainage too.

Cant beat a long knife type tool for digging out the dandies and other larger lawn weeds. Just fill the hole with compost and sprinkle a few grass seeds over. Have a look at www.superspray.co.uk for lawn magic and moss magic plus the sprayer which is so much cheaper than spreaders.