Weed identification needed please...

Are you sure that they are not ryegrass?

 

I am no expert, but I am still of the mind that it is ryegrass that you have; here is an idea of what it looks like



As far as I know, it is a hardy sort of grass that is often used for high traffic areas and in cool climates (I remember it from back home in Scotland) - trouble is, in the kind of temperatures we are getting in England at the moment, I don't think it would take much persuasion to run to seed; the image above is actually the flower/seed head which is atop a long thin but sturdy stem, and I reckon it is those flower stalks that you are seeing in your lawn.

If I am right, then it is not a weed as such, but of course you are quite at liberty to decide that it is not right for your garden. The only suggestions I have to avoid it laying flat and not getting cut are:

- Don't bother with a Flymo type mower, they are less than useless
- Sharpen or even renew the blades on your mower to make sure that if it does encounter a rye flower stalk that it cuts it and doesn't flatten it out.
- Mow regularly to keep the stems as short as possible

 

The lawn is likely to be a mixture of 'amenity' grass - basically, it is a blend of different types of grass that will give an overall lawn that looks good, tolerates extremes of temperature, wears well, etc etc etc.

I wouldn't be tugging them out, I would get yourself a lawn mower that actually mows the lawn. A hover mower either flattens or rips the grass to shreds depending on how strong the grass is - ryegrass is as tough as old boots so it will flatten and then spring back up.

If I can be so bold, can I suggest you treat yourself to a Bosch Rotak - there is a large range of varying sizes, but they all share one characteristic which is that they do a really good job of cutting grass.

The other thing I would suggest, is to get yourself a sprinkler and water the lawn at least a few times a week in this sort of weather - part of the reason that the grass is bolting (going to seed) is because it is stressed and thinking it is going to die with the heat - it is pre-programmed to reproduce before it dies.

Our @Sheal is better than I am with lawns (although I have recently given myself a crash course!), and I am sure she and others will join in to help you. Fear not, we will get you sorted