How to fix a lawn without returfing

Discussion in 'Renovation & Home Improvement' started by bob shovel, 10th Dec, 2016.

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  1. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Hi lawn guru's

    Need some ppor lawn fixeruppering :D

    What's a good plan of attack to revive a lawn without returfing?

    So far I've spayed for bindis and a weed n feed to get rid of the other nastys.

    The lawn probably needs airating and a good dose of fertiliser. It's probably old fill and rubbish when the place was built 30 years ago because the back yard has great grass and decent soiland just needs watering to get it going good.

    Here's a pic
    20161210_100617.jpg
     
  2. Johnny Cashflow

    Johnny Cashflow Well-Known Member

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    Looks good compared to what I have as "lawn"

    Getting some quotes for turf and irrigation ATM...

    Consider synthetic , don't have to water that!
     
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  3. Propertunity

    Propertunity Well-Known Member

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    The lawn probably needs airating and a good dose of fertiliser, as you have already identified.
     
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  4. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG]

    Green concrete?
     
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  5. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    But then how do have a beer and water it? The mrs would be onto that
     
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  6. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    @bob shovel - You've gotta water it to ensure that it cures properly and doesn't crack.

    I suggest several times each day (this may take several years - refer AS3600-2009 S4 Cl 15 Beer curing of concrete - dosage).
     
    Last edited: 10th Dec, 2016
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  7. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    You could hire a spiky roller or hire someone who will bring a ride-on spikes roller. Then fertilize.
     
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  8. Hodor

    Hodor Well-Known Member

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    I recently used Bin-die (first time I tried it) on my lawn, gave it a week and mowed it really short and then top dressed it with a lawn mix (70% sand 30% organic matter from memory) and gave it water (rain was well timed). It has come up really well.

    Never had luck with weed n feed, doesn't seem to do either very well.
     
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  9. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

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    Looks pretty good to me :) you have high standards.

    It's probably an aerate/core issue then give it a good fertilise and wetting agent
     
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  10. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    The neighbours have set the bar to high! !:mad:
    I have old mate OCD across the road and another guy who has a golf green on the front and nature strip! :eek:

    What flavour fertiliser? After airating? Chook?
     
  11. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Bull! Well seasoned/matured of course.
     
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  12. WestOz

    WestOz Well-Known Member

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    Hey Bob, maybe ask your fussy neighbours for advice, their likely aware of local soil conditions etc, no-doubt will be glad to help ya out to further lift the street appeal etc. Might make a new drinking buddy.

    Failing that, all depends how fussy u wanna be, what level of end result u want, i.e. just above bogan level, golf course etc, each requires diff levels of prep, equip, maint, time, cost etc.

    Being your PPOR and what I'd prob do if mine on a medium budget (altho if mine I'd low maint native garden/mulch the lot);

    If not already, perhaps drop in some simple retic, depending water pressure you could possibly use a single large pop-up gear drive behind the street gutter facing back towards the house running 180, and simple impact sprinklers from the garden bed/s - Holman 12mm Metal Impact Spike Irrigation Sprinkler
    Can either run a timer or just run the line underground to a tap, plug & play etc.

    Looks like it may have been compacted by vehicles, also has a fair bit of thatch.
    Give it a low cut with a rotary mower (with catcher, less raking later).
    Hire a petrol dethatcher, drop it as low as you can without it getting bogged/caught up, this will both de-thatch and air-rate sufficiently.
    Rake it all up, throw it in your own trailer if you have one, if not barrow it aside near the drive outta the way. Run the rotary mower over it again to vac up as much remaining loose crap.

    Chook feed granular wetting agent, if your still in WA Watercorp have a 2 for 1 deal running with Bunnings - Water Corporation of WA - Waterwise Garden Rewards. While there also grab some seasol - Seasol 2L Hose On Complete Garden Health Treatment - Twin Pack

    Grab a trailer load (or 2) of quality top dress from a local landscape yard (should contain fertilisers etc required for your soil area), spread it evenly (filling low points etc) with the back of a large broom, when satisfied spray well with seasol.
    (If ya don't have your own trailer use this one to get rid of the crap before returning it, most yards allow ~2hrs)

    For the first couple of weeks keep the water up, preferably 3 times a day (depending local restrictions/permits), give it another spray of seasol the 2nd week.

    When it comes time to cut, don't cut it so short, the higher the grass the more cover/shade the soil has from drying out/looking patchy, the healthier lawn.

    If a wanna smart the yard up a bit, maybe use some treated pine sleepers to boarder off the garden beds, & maybe across the front, also keeps vehicles off it.

    Plenty of info on youtube ;)
     
  13. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Just had another good look at the picture:

    upload_2016-12-10_11-49-16.png

    It would appear that your lawn has been attacked by the Yellow-eyed Green & Blue lawn bug. Looks like it may have been there for about 2-3 years before rising out from the soil to become visible. At this stage of maturity, the bugs still look quite cute but don't let that deceive you, the damage has already been done.
     
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  14. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    That guy is the problem! Doesn't wear shoes then walks out onto the bindi's! Thought I'd give it spray as it's been looked after by the tenant green keeper.... he just looked after his own leaves he kept under the laundry tub! Unfortunately not enough gear to cover the cost of new plants and the orchy bottle and garden hose won't help me:cool:
     
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  15. andrew_t

    andrew_t Well-Known Member

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    Get this guy to spray it green

    lawn-web.jpg
     
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  16. andrew_t

    andrew_t Well-Known Member

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  17. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the detailed info! :)

    I'm not in wa so we don't use retic as much over here. Thats for rich folk that pay someone to dig in the clay!
    The clay is handy though, i did have avege garden and the clay acted like a pool holding in the water but did get to soggy after decent rain.

    There's good patches of grass i need to spread across the rest. I want to get that good then work on the garden beds.
    I'll check out chook feed wetting agent, hadn't heard of it. I'll do that then top dress it in a month or so i guess. I need to fit it in with am the other stuff on list :rolleyes:
     
  18. Bayview

    Bayview Well-Known Member

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    That looks like Kikuyu grass? If so; it tends to go a bit light coloured and yellowish if not watered (especially in winter because it goes dormant) - and even in summer.

    Over summer; give it a good fertiliser, and then regular watering - maybe 30 mins every 2nd day for a few weeks.

    In winter; nothing you do will make it look healthy, other than spray it green.
     
  19. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    The darker green is the good kikuyu.then i think it's compacted kikuyu and towards the road is rubbish and weeds. I'm hoping the good kikuyu will come through all over. The back is great with a bit of water
     
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  20. T.C.

    T.C. Well-Known Member

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    Just needs some nitrogen I reckon. Get some urea or some other nitrogen fert and get it on.
     
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