Reconditioning Grass

[sm1thson]

We have just bought our 1st house, and are redecorating prior to moving in (renting before & notice hasn’t expired yet). Whilst the garden is the last thing on my list I think it may be worth addressing this whist the house isn’t in full use.

The grass looks good from a distance but close up its mossy and weedy, is there anything I can put on it to turn it into good quality grass? –something to discourage the moss and encourage the proper grass?

My concern is (other than the fact I don’t know about grass or anything gardeny) that I have a 7month old son who likes to crawl so I am weary of what chemicals I put down, but if there is something that will do the trick within a few weeks I’ll do that as I can keep him off the lawn for a few weeks if needs be (if it means the grass will be better in the long run)

Any suggestions from the pros/experienced?

 

[JohnD]

If it is mossy it is probably too wet most of the time. This is a longer job. you can scatter coarse gritty sand on it but I wouldn't try to fix it this year.

Give it a rough cut, then apply a lawn mosskiller (it is a powder you mix with water) and leave it for a week or so. The moss will die and go black. You are then supposed to rake it out (which is much easier if the lawn is cut short). The rough cut will make it look a lot better.

A couple of weeks after applying the moss killer, use a lawn weedkiller like Verdone (liquid that you water on) several days after the grass has been cut and while it is growing actively (so, not in time of drought).

The reason for the time gap between cutting/mosskiller/weedkiller is to let the grass recover its strength between treatments. If there is a great deal of moss you can hire (or buy) a raking machine (bit like a lawnmower) that will comb out the moss. If you prefer you can do the weedkiller before the moss killer - depends which you think looks worse straight away.

After a week, you will see the weeds flopping over and dying.

Give them at least a week to die then cut it again. Regular cutting will kill most weed plants, the ones that remain are special low-growing lawn weeds that the mower does not cut off. Do not let lawn weedkiller get on to any other plants.

As you have not moved in yet this is a good time to use garden chemicals, within a day they will have soaked in and not be a problem to pets or children. If you have rabbits, guinea-pigs or other grass-eating pets you may have to allow longer - read the instructions.

 

[sm1thson]

I think my son falls into the latter ‘grass eating category’ haha.

All sounds good so far, might give it a go if I can get a brake from decorating. My concern now is:

If I kill all the moss and all the weeds I fear I may end up with little (or no) grass? What do I do about further encouraging the grass to come back? (and how long will it take)

 

[JohnD]

grass spreads on its own.

as soon as the drought is over it will start filling bare patches.

If you are fond of birds you can sprinkle some lawn seed for them to eat.

 

[Ghandalf]

Hi sm1thson
JohnD is right about the method on this but there is another approach.
Get yourself down to your local garden centre diy merchant, pick up a pack of Weed-Feed-and Moss Kill.....it will do exactly what it says on the box only all at the same time. Without meaning to advertise, Levingtons evergreen is a good one but there are plenty about.
No need to take a 3 pronged attack and no in between waiting.
I would obviously read the directions regarding grass eating munchkins but if you can keep him off lawn for a while this stuff degrades quite quickly.
Good luck.

Ghandalf
____________________________________
Lynda, moderator

you are giving advice, so Levingtons is ok to say. (Its advertising your self / your products etc, that is not allowed)

 

[sm1thson]

thanks for the advice. I'm not sure when i will takle it as redecorating the whole house is taking priority, and the wife and baby are currently using the garden more than anticipated. But now i know what i need to do when we decide to do it, so thanks again.

 

[ModernMaterials]

thanks for the advice. I'm not sure when i will takle it as redecorating the whole house is taking priority, and the wife and baby are currently using the garden more than anticipated. But now i know what i need to do when we decide to do it, so thanks again.

no worries we will think of possible other advice you may or may not need while you anticipate the possible movements of your wife, bairns or anyone else who may or may not be helping with the improvements which may or may not be of an improvable nature...