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This seems to be happening more regularly as taller houses are built with fences all around the tiny garden.
It happened to mine and I ripped out the lawn and a foot of crap topsoil and replaced and six months later it was no better so I gave up and put play bark in half and gravel in the other half. Don't like it but at least it's tidy!
its not too late it is just about time to start re seeding (April) scarify it if you have one or a good going over with a spring Tyne rake and after seeding a sprinkling of fine soil or compost but it looks a wet lawn even the fence posts look half rotten (and crooked) the size of the lawn its hardly worth getting the mower out maybe a hard landscape would be a solution
Another option - I would scalp it and lay new turf directly on top of the old! Reasons :-
Not expensive bearing in mind the size, less time consuming than the aerate, scarify, feed, seed option, instant results, another layer of matter if the existing is a bit thin.
Probably most of the damage was caused by the dog and total lack of ongoing lawn care. I know the purists will probably say no, but it's exactly what I did with my own lawn and it's absolutely fine now it's being looked after.
Being realistic here, I very much doubt the owner would want the expense of soakways/field drains etc..... particularly for a little bit of grass like that!! As Fraz says, most of the damage was probably caused by the dog.......... I've seen it myself in other lawns..... when the dog goes, the lawn usually recovers. If you can't persuade the owner to ditch the grass and maybe replace it with shingle perhaps, I'd opt for the simplest/cheapest option first and just reseed the bare patches with a little topsoil/seed and then with a bit of loving care, should be fine. If that fails, you might need more expensive options however I'd try this first.
Why should they be ignored?
Overturfing or reseeding may be a valid solution.
We don't know the client brief, budget or other factors.
merely suggestions my friends, no need to get all feisty.
my usual answer to a lawn like that is actually, and this is putting it bluntly: if the bitch pissed on it let her chug on some tomatoe juice!
but seeing as the dog is gone yes one thing you could do is aerate,
feed, and reseed. simply reseeding it will not do the job, I know what I'm talking about! you have to aerate it at least and if you cant be bothered to spend a bit of money aerating, you are disillusioned about lawn care! lawns are expensive and hugely time consuming to maintain no matter what size lawn you have - thats if you want a bowling green or you want to throw a few putts on it!
you could get your old trusty garden fork and DIY that way you save some money but you spend the time, either way you will have to spend something if you want to return the lawn to its former glory!
after aerating, then yes a good feed then leave for a few weeks and then reseed. again dont just throw some random seed down.
1.You need to get a nice mix of the cheap kind they sell straight out of a hessian bag at your local garden centre and mix it with a box of Johnson's "Shady Place"
2.mix this mix in with one part John Innes no.3 and 1 part sharp sand in a wheelbarrow (easiest way using your hands, gloved obviously) the john innes providing further nutrients and the sharpsand giving the mix some weight for broadcasting.
3. broadcast it in wide sweeping even arcs across the intended area.
4. Roll if you have a roller or get a sheet of MDF and jump lightly up and down on it until youve compacted the seeded area.
5. and this sounds pedantic but fleece the whole area so the friggin birds dont eat all you hard work!
6. Water with a hose on medium spray.
7. Water morning and evening for 2 weeks at least.You will have to do this before summer because if you aren't around to water it daily it will fail. If you have the luxury of being around to water regularly then fine go ahead. just remember not to water during the day otherwise you will scorch it!
8. Finally check it regularly as you dont want the newly emerging blades to grow through the fleece?!!
there that should solve our problem, if you havent got the time, hire a professional like me who will do it properly, wink wink!
Not getting feisty. A suggestion is one thing, telling people to ignore ideas/suggestions is another, then spending 3/4 of thread elsewhere ... my friend :)
A lot of members also know what they're talking about :)
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