Lawn/turf questions/problems

[Will]

At great expense we have had our lawn returfed, it having been destroyed by the builders last year. It's looking pretty good, but there are two problems.

1. It has weird patches, mainly circular about a foot in diameter, of much lusher, darker green grass. When it was laid all the turves, so far as I could tell, were identical. The turf came from a very reputable supplier. Has anyone got any explanations?

1. Boys and football. I have sons aged 11 and 9 who regard the lawn as a football pitch (can't really blame them) and they really want to kick a ball about. Just the two of them (they can play at the park if their friends want to get involved) and mainly just practising their skills. Are they likely to do the lawn any harm? There won't be any tackling, or a goal area, and they play in ordinary trainers. I'm afraid I don't know the variety of the lawn - it was supplied by Teal Turf so it looks like dwarf ryegrass.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Will.

[adm]

Do you have a bitch (in the female dog sense of the word)? If so, bitch urine will do this - although it's normally accompanied by a bald patch in the middle. I understand it's becuase bitch urine is extremely high in nitrogen, so in high concentrations it kills the grass in the centre, but fertilises the grass on the perimeter as it dilutes.....I have loads of these circles of lush green with little bald spots in the middle. However, I have a very large dog (Deerhound)- if you have a smaller one, it might not be enough to kill off the grass, just fertilise it a lot. Training her to only pee in one area is proving impossible so far.

Yes, they will destroy the lawn in parts, and unless you want to ban them from the garden (which my wife frowns upon - i have 3 boys).

In essence, if you have kids and dogs you are just going to have to get used to lawn damage. Just fix it up as best you can, enjoy your kids and wait forthem to leave home before you get a perfect lawn!

Life's too short - don't get too precious.

[Clot]

I'm in agreement with adm on both points, though to point one, how long has the turf been down, and what preparation was done beneath? This can also be caused by fungal mycelia in the soil; fungal rings in grass can grow very large and are more associated with mature lawns. As the mycelia grow outwards, they help release nitrogen to the grass at the outer reaches, depleting it behind them.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Cat pee or cat crap. Or horse pee, or something like that. Cat crap is total riocket fuel for grass..when I seeded mine in similar circs..the cats foudn teh sandy topsoil irrelsitble Bright green 4" tufts sparng p everywhere.

Yep. They will wear it flat. Get used to it or reseed with ultra tough grass, over well drained substrate and fence off for 5 years till it is grown.

There won't be any

Kids and lawns, pets and carpets. Just take it on the chin. HER pets have destroyed about 4 grand of fitted carperts,. peeed on 3 grand of oriental rugs and slapped muddy tails on all the walls, and the cats have shredded all the rush seated chairs.

I would say the pets have cost about 10 grand off damage.

Kids are FAR worse.

When we were kids lawns wer bare earth with a few tufts till we grew up enough to have biucycles..and be allowed on the roads.

best you can do is leave teh gras long - a couple of inches - and pray,.

Mind you,all that means is that the rotary will find the hidden dinky toy and sling it through the patio windows.. \ Get some good insurance.

[pied piper]

sounds like nitrogen rings a spring/summer feed will bring all the grass to the same colour a bit of aeration would help to. Re the football keep your grass at 2inches plus the longer the more hard wearing it shall be. If u do have dwarf ryegrass this is very tough and will recover well

[Will]

Thank you one and all.

Will.