Frustrated with lawn

stuarta99

So after repairing my lawn again this year and thought it looked ok. I have it a treatment of nematodes in September after a horrific scene of crane flies but yet again I'm losing it. I did see what looked like dead leather jackets on the surface so assumed it was ok.

This is it in October with a random burrowed hole that appeared and never got to the bottom of it. And again a picture of it now. The burrowed hole seems bigger and I don't know if it's leather jackets or just bad drainage.

Lizzie27

That looks like very bad drainage but I'm afraid I don't know what the remedy would be, expensive probably.

Dovefromabove

I’m wondering if there’s been a lot of wormcasts this autumn on the end of the lawn nearest the camera. 

stuarta99

Lizzie27 said:

That looks like very bad drainage but I'm afraid I don't know what the remedy would be, expensive probably.

That's what I've been thinking as I like to think it can't be leather jackets.

I know the soil is clay and last year when I redid it I found lots of plastic bin liners underneath so assumed that was stopping the drainage. It seemed better but we are back here again. The seed is also supposed to be clay specific. I know the neighbour also comments on how wet is his by I guess because it's been down longer, it's more tolerant.

I'm kinda fed up of this ever year and will probably end up reseeding again in the autumn but then I think the alternative of slabbing, decking or fake grass will be expensive as well

Dovefromabove

What is your lawn-care regime?
How often/when do you mow it in the growing season?  It looks like a very young lawn that has not been mown often enough to promote tillering sideways growth. 

As I asked earlier … have you noticed wormcasts on the lawn?

As for the hole … is it a new hole that has reappeared after repairing, or have you not repaired it?  it looks like rodent damage to me. Do you have rats in the area?  

Fairygirl

Looks like a rodent to me too. 
That general area shows signs of being very badly drained. If you want grass, you may have to dig down in that area and put in  proper drainage, ie a French drain.
At least it's only a small area to do, so shouldn't be too difficult, but if you have clay soil, and shade, I'm afraid the prep, before seeding or turfing, is key to successful drainage. That means improving the soil very thoroughly several months in advance of that.

stuarta99

The hole appeared in October and although I did fill it in with sand, it appeared a few weeks later. 

I probably mow it once a week during the summer and don't go tight.

The whole lawn is thining out but that side near the camera is always the worst

Dovefromabove

Which way does the garden face?  How much sun does it get?

Wormcasts?

stuarta99

North facing and not much in the winter which is why I think the camera side is the worst.

Sorry I don't know what wormcasts are

Fairygirl

They're the excretions of worms, and often seen on lawn surfaces. It shows you have worms working away. Harmless 

stuarta99

Can't say I've seen anything. It was last treated by the guys that treat it quarterly in September I think and without looking at the report I think it was basically moss and greening treatment