I want a super lawn, please help!

[twiddley]

Hi,

As you can hopefully see from the arial shots front and back of my garden, my grass has inconsistent spots of brown and patchy grass at the back and at the front, which is a horizontal patch, on the edges, it appears sparse, brown and not the best quality.

I have been looking after this grass from new as i was the first to live here. I have spend hundreds on the front and back and it still isn't fantastic. I feel like for the effort put in, it should be looking better. I want it to look as good as a football pitch if i can aha!

Some things i do already:

1. Scarify often, at least start and end of season
2. Feed after cutting with after cut
3. Cut at a higher level, at least weekly
4. I use a long term feed for spring and winter which lasts 3 months at a time
5. I seeded it this year and have seeded it and over seeded it on various occasions
6. Last winter i put top soil down, fed it and prepped it for winter
7. I have an aerator, one of the crappy spike ones about an inch max

If anyone has any tips, that would be great. I think i am in need of some high quality seeds, a proper aeration machine along with a proper top dressing.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Another member was saying that he always had trouble with the edge of his front lawn where it touched the drive, I remember the post because the same happens to me. He put it down to the darker tarmac heating up, which seems reasonable. I guess that would cause more evaporation so maybe an extra can of water down the edge from time to time would help, mine certainly seems a bit drier there.

 

[twiddley]

Another member was saying that he always had trouble with the edge of his front lawn where it touched the drive, I remember the post because the same happens to me. He put it down to the darker tarmac heating up, which seems reasonable. I guess that would cause more evaporation so maybe an extra can of water down the edge from time to time would help, mine certainly seems a bit drier there.

Sounds reasonable when i think of it, as the edges are awful!

 

[DirtMechanic]

Another member was saying that he always had trouble with the edge of his front lawn where it touched the drive, I remember the post because the same happens to me. He put it down to the darker tarmac heating up, which seems reasonable. I guess that would cause more evaporation so maybe an extra can of water down the edge from time to time would help, mine certainly seems a bit drier there.

Let it grow taller

 

[mac1911]

Have you done a soil sample lately?
I did a soil sample in 2021 and it looked like I was just maintaining a low PH prior. I have it up to 6.5 now d

I have had to really up the water dosage along my drive and walk way to not have the “brown edge”
I mow at 4”

 

[Reba]

Why is it so important to have a perfect lawn? Lawn are the least best thing for the environment... That looks like a townhouse yard?

 

[mac1911]

Why is it so important to have a perfect lawn? Lawn are the least best thing for the environment... That looks like a townhouse yard?

Same reason anyone wants something nice.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Why is it so important to have a perfect lawn? Lawn are the least best thing for the environment... That looks like a townhouse yard?

True in a way, but gardens are artificial, some may be constructed to look natural,but they are not. Even having a bird table in the garden alters the balance of bird species and is going to be really damaging to some. To really be environmentally friendly you would need several acres, allow re-wilding, knock down the house and live off the land. It is not what most people want, humans like controlled environments.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Why is it so important to have a perfect lawn? Lawn are the least best thing for the environment... That looks like a townhouse yard?

Show me yours and I will show you mine?

 

[Black_Thumb]

Why is it that anyone gives a rat's ass what kind of lawn I like? I love a thick green and lush lawn with no weeds. What is worse for the environment is taking out the grass and putting down rocks, like a majority of the people did back in California where I just moved away from. Grass helps cool the environment rather than heat it up with rocks everywhere. Bugs, birds, and other wildlife enjoy my grass. If they prefer weeds, they can go to the neighbor's yard.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Why is it that anyone gives a rat's ass what kind of lawn I like? I love a thick green and lush lawn with no weeds. What is worse for the environment is taking out the grass and putting down rocks, like a majority of the people did back in California where I just moved away from. Grass helps cool the environment rather than heat it up with rocks everywhere. Bugs, birds, and other wildlife enjoy my grass. If they prefer weeds, they can go to the neighbor's yard.

You are not wrong. I have watched videos of a fellow that owned Churches Chicken. He reclaimed a rocky barren patch of Texas ranch. He started with prairie grasses. The before and afters are stunning and informative.

 

[Meadowlark]

Sounds like his growing skills far surpass his fried chicken. At least, one would hope.

 

[mac1911]

Wonder whats worse our lawn practices or what it took to get us communicating like this.
All these phones, computers, towers satilites and everything it took to make them?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

The driveway next to the lawn is far more of a problem than the lawn. In suburban London, as car ownership has expanded, thousands of people have converted the space at the front of the house from a garden into somewhere to put the car. The result is that there have been times when the drainage system has been overwhelmed by all the extra surface water, and the level of the water table is falling. That's without the problems the motor vehicles themselves bring. Lawns are one of the lesser problems.

 

[NigelJ]

A good lawn (not perfect) takes too long, is too expensive and boring,. I'd rather spend time with a rough patch of grass full of wildlife and flowers, cut once every 4 -6 weeks and put the effort and money into growing unusual and interesting bulbs, perennials and shrubs.