which order

hi my grass has took quite a hammering last year and is full of dandelions etc and large bald areas thanks to my dogs , my question is do I use a weedkiller/lawn feed first the reseed or seed first then weed/feed and add more seed cheers j

 

If you put the seed down first the chemicals used to weed/feed are likely to damage it, so yes it's best to weed/feed first. Try and stay off the lawn, your dogs too for a few days after using it as it could create patches where you've walked. I'd leave it a few weeks after treating before you re-seed, the fertiliser will make it grow quicker and will need mowing at least once a week to start with, when growth slows down re-seed. Don't forget to keep it watered or the seed won't germinate and grow properly.

 

I'm not in the least bit convinced about the value of lawn weed and feed mixes. Others might disagree, but in my experience they just don't work.

Grass will out-compete most things given a chance, and that includes the infamous lawn weeds like dandelion and dock. That's if you put the grass at the advantage by regular mowing. Grass thrives off being cut, whereas other plants are weakened and ultimately die.

If the infestation is really bad though, as in there's maybe (plucking numbers out of the air) one dandelion per square foot, I'd cut them out by hand first. This is actually a very quick and simple job. I take a large flat blade screwdriver, push it into the ground right at the point where the tap root is close to the surface, push down a couple of inches, then lever back and the dandelion or dock just pops out. Much of the root will still be in there, but it is now severed from its energy source (the foliage) and at the same time the surround grass now gains its energy source as its no longer shaded out by the weed leaves. The result is that the grass grows thicker and faster and gets a good lead on any re-emerging weed foliage. As grass has evolved to thrive from being grazed almost to ground level (or cut in modern day) whereas weeds haven't, regular mowing makes the grass stronger and the weeds weaker until the grass wins.

If the infestation is at the point where its more weeds than grass, then I'd consider blitzing it and re-seeding.

Either way, once you've sorted out the weeds, I'd put down a mix of sharp sand and grass seed over the bald/sparse patches and just leave it to get on with it, and set the mower blade height to the highest setting and just use the lawn as normal. My view is that although regular use may delay the lawn's recovery, declaring it off limits is the same as not having a lawn for a few months, and life's too short and all that.

 

I have used Evergreen liquid weed and feed for years ,(used to be called Verdone I think ) it works really really well . I use it once a year in April . Just got the last bottle from B and Q yesterday for £5 .Around July I feed again with a liquid seaweed based lawn fertiliser . I have virtually no weeds on my lawns Just a bit of moss which is easily treated with iron sulphate . I have never used granular feed / weed ,don't really trust them to reach all the lawn and disperse evenly . Next door burnt his lawn badly last year . With liquid you know every square metre is fed and its difficult to overdose.

http://www.lovethegarden.com/product-details/evergreen-feed-weed-liquid

 

Sorry Clueless. This is fine on any soil but a sandy one which I have. I would never add sand to my lawns as it would starve it further being it's a soil that lacks nutrients. Use a fine compost or topsoil instead.

I've used both granular and liquid feeds and personally I prefer granular but it does have to be spread evenly so the lawn doesn't burn. At least I can see what areas I've covered with it.

 

this is what it looks like at the minute before I cut it , thanks for the advise I hope it works

 

I hope it does too. Let us know what progress you make please.