What is the story with these clumps of grass?

Hi, wondering what these clumps of grass are in my lawn? Noticed them more often recently dispersed throughout my lawn.

Thanks.

 

Looks like couch grass - you will find lots of information on how to remove it, or embrace it instead for its biodiversity benefits, on the link.

 

Thanks Clare that is exactly what it looks like, over the last month or two it has become real noticeable.

My garden is around 15 months old, new build housing estate and has poor drainage, lots of moss, grass just not growing in areas, big rocks underneath my soil and god knows what else and now this couch grass.

I know a couple of neighbours got back onto the builder who came out and dug up the garden, put proper drainage and soil down before putting rolls of turf down instead of seeding it like before.

I think I will have to do the same, I have tried lots - aerating regularly, adding sand to help improve drainage, fertilizer, extra seed and now I am still faced with moss all over the soil and now couch grass.

 

It looks like there is some dead thatch in there so perhaps a good raking will help overall.
If you cut closer the Couch grass wont like it.

 

I’d be inclined to do as your neighbours have done, you’ll get a better lawn if there is proper drainage and a decent turf laid @NoviceGardener2023. Now is a good time to get it put right.

 

Thanks, I actually got onto the builder this afternoon and they want me to send them pictures of the problems with garden. This is where all the work I have done to improve the garden such as:
Regular aerating
Adding sand
Adding fertiliser
Regularly getting down on hands and knees and removing the high amount of weeds (creeping buttercup and clover) that constantly grew in my garden

will backfire on me as my neighbours on either side didn’t do any of that and their garden is full of weeds, poor grass growth etc. whereas mine actually looks good in comparison.

I have no doubt the moss on soil surface, poor grass growth in some areas, moist soil and high amount of weeds are all due to the poor drainage/compact soil but harder to take pictures of that as it’s more underground. Now I have couch grass means it will only get worse.

Hopefully they don’t push back and say my garden is fine, because I have followed all the helpful advice on here and at this stage the garden will get worse unless they fix the soil and what’s beneath it!

 

I know that there are a lot of new build houses that struggle with the gardens but thinking back I dont think builders have ever really done much to the gardens of houses they have built until recent years.
They do cover up a multitude of sins with some grass admittedly but many years ago I'm pretty sure you didn't even get the grass .

Weeds are not something I think you can get the builders on, they are there, they grow, its nature.

Now if you had a landscape company in you could have a claim, but even then after a while weeds are the responsibility of the owner.

 

If you can identify the areas of poor drainage, moss, poor grass growth and rocks under the soil mentioned in your earlier post, the builders may provide help to rectify the problem as they have done with your neighbours. They seem to be willing to consider your situation so explain it in writing along with the photographs and see what they say.

 

If the builders decline to assist then you could at least ask that they supply more grass, either as seeds or as turf so that it matches that they previously supplied.
Then you can kill the couch areas with glysophate (yes it will kill all the grass !) . It may take more than one application.
Replant and then when established, consider weed 'n' feed etc. Its fine tuning, you have 95% of a lawn.