Starting in April we began the repair of our leaking swimming pool. The job was even worse than we feared and in essence we had to strip the pool back to the original concrete basin removing everything else. In consequence there were diggers and bobcats working all around the pool for several weeks. That thoroughly destroyed the grass surrounding the pool and to a greater area than I had hoped.
Our original plan was to turf the damaged area but that eventually proved to be too expensive. With an irrigation system, the estimate amounted to €9K for an area of 700 square meters. We were also unhappy with other elements of the contractor's proposal.
Owing to delays in finishing the work of repairing the pool, it was not until July that we were able to start to repair the grass and by that time we were into a long period of very high temperatures but also significant rain storms. Because we had a series of guests due to arrive (end July) we decided that although the weather was inimical to the growth of grass we would seed the area and install temporary irrigation, hoping at least to turn what was a sea of compacted mud into something that looked better. The plan, if the seeding failed, was to turf the area in the autumn. We restricted the seeding to an area of about 500 square meters.
In the main, the grass seeding has succeeded well beyond our expectations. About 80% of the area is growing extremely well and does not need to be turfed. Three relatively large patches are not growing any grass at all.
The entire area was prepared in exactly the same way and I used the same seed and fertilizer. In the failed areas, one patch is growing an abundant crop of one type of weed, another a different type and the third is not growing anything. There are also small patches where the grass is not growing. I have a 30HP tractor and I rotovated the whole area, with a tractor mounted tool, to a depth of about 20cms. The entire area is well covered with irrigation. Where the grass is growing it is abundant and dense.
Can you suggest what may be the cause of the problems and how I should go about overcoming them?
I have attached photos of the preparation, healthy growth and the 4 different problems.
Our original plan was to turf the damaged area but that eventually proved to be too expensive. With an irrigation system, the estimate amounted to €9K for an area of 700 square meters. We were also unhappy with other elements of the contractor's proposal.
Owing to delays in finishing the work of repairing the pool, it was not until July that we were able to start to repair the grass and by that time we were into a long period of very high temperatures but also significant rain storms. Because we had a series of guests due to arrive (end July) we decided that although the weather was inimical to the growth of grass we would seed the area and install temporary irrigation, hoping at least to turn what was a sea of compacted mud into something that looked better. The plan, if the seeding failed, was to turf the area in the autumn. We restricted the seeding to an area of about 500 square meters.
In the main, the grass seeding has succeeded well beyond our expectations. About 80% of the area is growing extremely well and does not need to be turfed. Three relatively large patches are not growing any grass at all.
The entire area was prepared in exactly the same way and I used the same seed and fertilizer. In the failed areas, one patch is growing an abundant crop of one type of weed, another a different type and the third is not growing anything. There are also small patches where the grass is not growing. I have a 30HP tractor and I rotovated the whole area, with a tractor mounted tool, to a depth of about 20cms. The entire area is well covered with irrigation. Where the grass is growing it is abundant and dense.
Can you suggest what may be the cause of the problems and how I should go about overcoming them?
I have attached photos of the preparation, healthy growth and the 4 different problems.
