Rejeuvenating or relaying a damaged lawn?

[MisterBoy]

We have a large lawn/small paddock about 30x20m. Historically it's clearly been mown and nothing else for years, so while it looked nice from a distance it was very slow growing (we only had to mow a handful of times a year) and a lot of moss.

We've now started using it for up to 20 toddlers in a playgroup, running around and predictably in the winter months it's taken a pounding.

From this:

To this:

On the plus side I think they might have killed all the moss, a lot of that green wasn't grass before.
The second photo was on a wet grey day last week so this is as bad as it looks - not great.

Simply rotating which areas we use doesn't really help as even in summer it doesn't grow back quickly. We've been reluctantly looking into reinforcement mesh products but again they need a lawn that will actually grow and bind in.
The soil is pretty decent though with a slight tendency to clay so in very wet weather it doesn't drain perfectly.

I would love any advice from anyone who has any experience in this sort of area.
Re-seeding is the easy option which hasn't worked before - because we weren't strict to keep people off long enough and watering is problematic.
I considered returfing but don't know what sort of prep is needed for that with the existing lawn. We have some budget but not unlimited and some options will clearly get pricey fast.
We only close completely for 1 week at a time 3 times a year - no school summer holiday to have a proper break. We are trying to use it less but there's only so much we can do as being outside is our USP - there are woods to explore but we can't do that all day every day!

 

[Odds]

You could look into using an artificial grass on areas of most footfall
Artificial Grass & Turf for Play Areas - Nomow
And using real grass on areas where little feet can calm down to sit outside. I'd choose turf rather than seed, but that's just a preference.
Perhaps using bark chips could add contrast and protection around swings and slides.

If you do choose to re-turf the old ground will need to be dug-raked and made flat as possible then avoid using it for several months to allow the grass time to bed in.

 

[Notch7]

its a tricky one

the cheapest option is grass seed -you need a dwarf rye grass sports amenity mix

maybe consider adding clover and daisy in the mix as these stay green. Clover is less hard wearing than glass but it has a tough root system and will overwhelm other weeds.

but -you have to give the grass seed time to grow -If you want to get the fastest coverage, buy a big roll of fleece and metal hoop clips -if you cover the newly seeded area with fleece it will a) stop pigeons nicking the seed and b)make growth really rapid -and you can seed a bit out of the season.

the problem you will have is new seeded areas need a while before they can be played on.

 

[MisterBoy]

Artificial grass in a paddock just sounds horrible to me though practical @OddsBodkin although in a similar vein we are trying to manage how we use the area... choke points and heavily used routes are likely to be barked or turned into proper paths and then we can also encourage people to keep on the path areas when it's wet.
When you talk about re-turfing, do you mean we'd need to strip all existing turf to nice bare soil?

@Notch7 I hadn't come across the fleecing technique I may look into that. Being rural, seed wastage to birds is a real issue. It seems re-turfing while the best option if money isn't an issue is probably impractical except in limited areas. I've come across the amenity grass before - a mix of annual and perennial grasses which also germinates in much colder weathers.

Anyone used any of these reinforcement products? The concern there is how unpleasant they make the ground to kneel/crawl/fall on, how far they disappear into the turf as it grows through..

 

[Odds]

Artificial grass in a paddock just sounds horrible to me though practical @OddsBodkin although in a similar vein we are trying to manage how we use the area... choke points and heavily used routes are likely to be barked or turned into proper paths and then we can also encourage people to keep on the path areas when it's wet.
When you talk about re-turfing, do you mean we'd need to strip all existing turf to nice bare soil?

Yes, taking up the old ground and laying new turf or building up on top of that to improve drainage.

 

[MisterBoy]

In terms of fleece, are we simply talking this sort of thing: https://www.littlefieldsfarm.com/gardening/thermagro-fleece-cover-4m-x-20m
Quite cheap even for a large area (I imagine the hooks cost more!)
Presumably it doesn't impede sunlight noticeably?

 

[HawkEye244]

No matter what you do to the surface the moss is indicative of there being extremely poor drainage, and extensive human traffic in these areas will only lead to further compaction and make things worse. As you have said the grass is slow growing even when left alone.

The only thing I can think of is the use of a broad fork. Broad forks are used to slightly lift and aerate the soil to the depth of about a foot underneath. They are conventionally used by market gardeners for the exact same issue you are experiencing. The key is not to lift the soil too much with each lifting action. If you type in broadfork into a search function you will find images of the tool. Blackberry lane make them and it may be worth you contacting them and asking them for help with the matter as they may be able to advise.

 

[MisterBoy]

Not come across a broadfork before @HawkEye244, thanks. Sounds like a back-breaking job on a larger area though! I know you can get motorised aerators/corers - for this size area perhaps preferable to rent?

Compaction seems to be a big part of it, which is one issue these reinforcement mats are supposed to help with - but that's a fairly irreversible step.

 

[HawkEye244]

Not come across a broadfork before @HawkEye244, thanks. Sounds like a back-breaking job on a larger area though! I know you can get motorised aerators/corers - for this size area perhaps preferable to rent?

Compaction seems to be a big part of it, which is one issue these reinforcement mats are supposed to help with - but that's a fairly irreversible step.

It's not actually back breaking at all because the motion is done with the legs and the arms - you don't actually bend your back. I would say it's worth investigation. Keep in mind that you don't need to broad fork the whole area in one go. You can work small areas at a time. The tines are quite thick and I can promise you it will have a noticeable affect on drainage.There is of course the cost of the broadfork to consider.

I've no experience of the aerators/corers you refer to but yes it sounds like a good idea. Anything that helps channel water quicker through that top foot of soil will help a great deal. Yes, if you can hire as opposed to buy it, even better.

I don't want to give you the impression that I am certain about the correct strategy but personally I would want to deal with the core problem if that was me instead of trying to patch over the problem with plastic grass or mats. Perhaps consider these options after you have tried everything else.

This guy makes it look exhausting haha; but keep in mind that anything is achievable when done a little at a time.