Thanks to all for very useful comments. Some responses: - Yes the mower blades are sharp, the mower is only a year old and the last time I took it for annual service I was told that the blades looked like new, didn't need sharpening. However, the blades seem unable to deal with the tufts of the matted grass. the mower slows down or even stalls and stops when I go over the matted areas. - There is no moss, it's all very compacted matted grass, mostly long thin yellow stems, green only at the tips. I've not had this problem before, some areas of the lawn are still OK, but the problem seems to be spreading, almost as if another type of grass is taking over. - Raking it to separate and aerate the matted lumps seems almost impossible, the rake lifts off chunks of the matted lumps without separation and if I rake harder the whole chunks come out, leaving bare patches. - I agree that my lawn expert is a bit shy on offering additional services beside spreading the treatment, so have booked a rep of a bigger professional company to come and have a look this Wednesday. I chose this company as it was recommended by several neighbours on the local neighbourhood website.
It looks to me the grass maybe rooting into the thatch layer, the thatch layer can become rich in nutrients when granules are spread it doesn't reach the soil it sit on top of the thatch hence why the grass maybe rooting into it , that could be why clumps of grass are being ripped out .
Having a lawn expert coming over next Monday - the first time ever. How do I know he is a good one? What questions do I ask to see if I can trust him with my lawn?
How did you get their details? Word of mouth? Please say it's a local independant firm, not a national franchise...
I think they are a franchise 🤔 I was googling for someone close by and they are just a few miles away. I asked for a quote and they called back first thing next morning. Was it not such a good idea?
Having a lawn expert coming over next Monday - the first time ever. How do I know he is a good one? What questions do I ask to see if I can trust him with my lawn?
How did you get their details? Word of mouth? Please say it's a local independant firm, not a national franchise...
I think they are a franchise 🤔 I was googling for someone close by and they are just a few miles away. I asked for a quote and they called back first thing next morning. Was it not such a good idea?
The issue you have is excess thatch.
This level of thatch is created by the feeding regime. In short, the fertilisers contain more Nitrogen than they should.
Why? Why would a lawn care firm do this? Because it makes the grass grow fast and green, so customers THINK it's a great lawn.
As you're discovering though, this manifests itself in a horrible thatch growth over time.
This national franchise (with colourful digits?) are one of the worst firms for putting down too much nitrogen. I spend many lawn visits sorting out their lawns for unhappy customers!
They advise customers to mow lawns on the highest setting their mowers can go to, just to keep them looking green rather than mowing into the thatch.
Then they'll do a deep scarify every winter (yes, winter... the worst time to do this, but it suits them as it's their quiet period) and leave bags full of moss all the way down your driveway because they don't remove any waste.
Having a lawn expert coming over next Monday - the first time ever. How do I know he is a good one? What questions do I ask to see if I can trust him with my lawn?
How did you get their details? Word of mouth? Please say it's a local independant firm, not a national franchise...
I think they are a franchise 🤔 I was googling for someone close by and they are just a few miles away. I asked for a quote and they called back first thing next morning. Was it not such a good idea?
The issue you have is excess thatch.
This level of thatch is created by the feeding regime. In short, the fertilisers contain more Nitrogen than they should.
Why? Why would a lawn care firm do this? Because it makes the grass grow fast and green, so customers THINK it's a great lawn.
As you're discovering though, this manifests itself in a horrible thatch growth over time.
This national franchise (with colourful digits?) are one of the worst firms for putting down too much nitrogen. I spend many lawn visits sorting out their lawns for unhappy customers!
They advise customers to mow lawns on the highest setting their mowers can go to, just to keep them looking green rather than mowing into the thatch.
Then they'll do a deep scarify every winter (yes, winter... the worst time to do this, but it suits them as it's their quiet period) and leave bags full of moss all the way down your driveway because they don't remove any waste.
I couldn't of summed it up better than what glasgowdan said, he just missed out when they do scarify they take out the moss but most of the grass with it.
That is some very useful information thank you so much @glasgowdan I am planning only to get my lawn scarified. I normally fertilise it my self. Now I just hope they don’t ruin my lawn as it seems to have stopped growing for the season
That is some very useful information thank you so much @glasgowdan I am planning only to get my lawn scarified. I normally fertilise it my self. Now I just hope they don’t ruin my lawn as it seems to have stopped growing for the season
Now and the next 2-3 weeks is the best time for a scarify, followed by late March into mid April in most of the UK.
Thanks glasgowdan and perki for interesting ideas, it does seem as if the grass is not rooting into the soil properly, is only attached by very thin roots that can be detached easily when raking. However, I can't see any significant layer of thatch covering the soil, just clumps of long thin whitish-yellow grass stems with short green blades at the tips (see photo). Also the blades seem to branch excessively (photo), creating matted clumps that the mower is unable to cut cleanly and instead tends to rip out the whole clumps on which the blades jam. Confirming glasdowdan comment, my 'lawn expert' did recommend that I keep mowing high in order to keep moisture in and prevent dry patches, which I have done for over a year now. It seems to me that this may have lead to the compaction and clumping, as well as preventing fertilizer reaching the soil properly. However, as you say, the lawn did stay nice and green, until my most recent attempt at a shorter cut during which I discovered this problem.
PS note that the comment regarding the use of a franchise company was made by Big Blu Sky, not myself. I did mention that I've asked another company to come and take a look at this tomorrow morning.
Your lawn looks like mine did a year ago, mine still has a long way to go but an electric scarifier, twice over, spring and autumn, is making good headway.
I only needed moss killer the first autumn and spring, it seems to be under control now although still plenty of thatch to come.
Make sure you have a way of disposing of it - I tried composting it against the advice I received here, and sure enough I have decent compost...with loads of thatch in it!
Posts
- Yes the mower blades are sharp, the mower is only a year old and the last time I took it for annual service I was told that the blades looked like new, didn't need sharpening. However, the blades seem unable to deal with the tufts of the matted grass. the mower slows down or even stalls and stops when I go over the matted areas.
- There is no moss, it's all very compacted matted grass, mostly long thin yellow stems, green only at the tips. I've not had this problem before, some areas of the lawn are still OK, but the problem seems to be spreading, almost as if another type of grass is taking over.
- Raking it to separate and aerate the matted lumps seems almost impossible, the rake lifts off chunks of the matted lumps without separation and if I rake harder the whole chunks come out, leaving bare patches.
- I agree that my lawn expert is a bit shy on offering additional services beside spreading the treatment, so have booked a rep of a bigger professional company to come and have a look this Wednesday. I chose this company as it was recommended by several neighbours on the local neighbourhood website.
I was googling for someone close by and they are just a few miles away.
I asked for a quote and they called back first thing next morning.
Was it not such a good idea?
The issue you have is excess thatch.
This level of thatch is created by the feeding regime. In short, the fertilisers contain more Nitrogen than they should.
Why? Why would a lawn care firm do this? Because it makes the grass grow fast and green, so customers THINK it's a great lawn.
As you're discovering though, this manifests itself in a horrible thatch growth over time.
This national franchise (with colourful digits?) are one of the worst firms for putting down too much nitrogen. I spend many lawn visits sorting out their lawns for unhappy customers!
They advise customers to mow lawns on the highest setting their mowers can go to, just to keep them looking green rather than mowing into the thatch.
Then they'll do a deep scarify every winter (yes, winter... the worst time to do this, but it suits them as it's their quiet period) and leave bags full of moss all the way down your driveway because they don't remove any waste.
I am planning only to get my lawn scarified. I normally fertilise it my self.
Now I just hope they don’t ruin my lawn as it seems to have stopped growing for the season
Now and the next 2-3 weeks is the best time for a scarify, followed by late March into mid April in most of the UK.
Confirming glasdowdan comment, my 'lawn expert' did recommend that I keep mowing high in order to keep moisture in and prevent dry patches, which I have done for over a year now. It seems to me that this may have lead to the compaction and clumping, as well as preventing fertilizer reaching the soil properly. However, as you say, the lawn did stay nice and green, until my most recent attempt at a shorter cut during which I discovered this problem.
PS note that the comment regarding the use of a franchise company was made by Big Blu Sky, not myself. I did mention that I've asked another company to come and take a look at this tomorrow morning.
I only needed moss killer the first autumn and spring, it seems to be under control now although still plenty of thatch to come.
Make sure you have a way of disposing of it - I tried composting it against the advice I received here, and sure enough I have decent compost...with loads of thatch in it!
Fire or council garden waste. 👍