Front garden grass blank patches

[AMO]

My front garden seems to have developed patches where grass not appear to grow. I have tried to lay down additional top soil and grass seed, but it doesn't seem to work. Any advice?

Thanx

AMO

[Lobster]

Presumably you don't have a female dog? Or being a front garden, can roaming ones access it? Bitchpee plays merry hell with grass.

If not, uk.rec.gardening is thataway -->

David

[Phil Anthropist]

I can confirm that male spaniel piss stops grass growing. That's fine by me, a bit less to mow.

[Mary Fisher]

We have no grass AT ALL in our back garden. It all disappeared a few weeks after we got a couple of chickens.

That's fine by me too :-) Nothing to mow, nothing to pull out.

Mary

[The Natural Philosopher]

Pigs are even better. Pigs take out the trees as well, and teh shrubs.

Goats are good too.

[Mary Fisher]

I know, but I grow vegetables. As it is I have to keep them in runs. The vegetables, that is. The hens range freely.

Mary

[Chris Bacon]

Stop the bitch pssing on it (or water heavily afterwards, the grass that is, not the dog!).

[AMO]

Well, I can't say I got a pi$$ poor response! ;0)

That might be it - there was a short while when next door had dogs, but that was over 3 months ago. We'll see how it goes.

Thanx and to all else who replied.

AMO

[Guy King]

The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words:

Them lettuces can be right little escapologists.

[john2]

Are there any pets that kill moss and leave grass growing ?? The moss is >75% of the area.

john2

[Steve Firth]

But enough about your children.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Ive git an area like that too. Had a portakabin parked over it during the rebuild..then I topsoiled it and seeded it and now its all frigging moss.

I think its drainage or something. Must give it a good pricking ;-)

[Skokiaan]

You could try cutting out the patches & replacing them with turf, a lot of the garden centres are selling singles now. Water it well & see how that works, if the turf dies you obviously have contaminated soil & will have to dig the soil out & replace it. (or wait a couple of months for it to wash out).

Chris

[Aidan]

Isn't there a gardening forum where they may know about grass? I think moss is indicative of problems with inadequate drainage &/or soil pH.

[Dave Fawthrop]

| |AMO wrote: |> My front garden seems to have developed patches where grass not appear to |> grow. I have tried to lay down additional top soil and grass seed, but it |> doesn't seem to work. Any advice? | |Isn't there a gardening forum where they may know about grass? I think |moss is indicative of problems with inadequate drainage &/or soil pH.

uk.rec.gardening know all about lawns.

[Mary Fisher]

Moss is nice and green and doesn't need mowing.

Mary

[john2]

So everybody tells me, but a patchy mix with grass, or moss with spikey grass growing thru looks a mess and the neighbours think I'm an incompetant gardener.

john2

[Mary Fisher]

Well, dig up your grass and let the moss take over and tell them you're an environmental - or lazy - gardener.

Or plant cabbages.

Who the heck wants grass?

Apart from stock (cow and sheep) farmers?

Mary

Mary

[Owain]

Yeah, "evironmental" is a good excuse :-)

And why go to the trouble of growing your own when it's so easily purchased from slightly dodgy looking characters standing outside pubs.

Owain

[Mary Fisher]

Or down Chapeltown Road.

Or next door ...

Mary