Welcome to the Garden Ninja Gardening Forum! If you have a gardening question that you can't find answers to then ask below to seek help from the Garden Ninja army! Please make your garden questions as specific and detailed as possible so the community can provide comprehensive answers in the online forum below.

Welcome to the ultimate beginner gardening and garden design forum! Where no gardening question is too silly or obvious. This online gardening forum is run by Lee Burkhill, the Garden Ninja from BBC 1's Garden Rescue and a trusted group of experienced gardeners.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert gardener, it's a safe place to ask garden-related questions for garden design or planting. If you have a problem in your garden or need help, this is the Garden Forum for you!

Posting Rules: This space is open for all garden-related questions. Please be polite, courteous and respectful. If you wouldn't say it to your mum's face, then don't post it here. Please don't promote, sell, link spam or advertise here. Please don't ask for 'cheeky' full Garden redesigns here. They will be deleted.

If you need a garden design service, please use this page to book a design consultation. I will block anyone who breaks these rules or is discourteous to the Garden Ninja Community.

Join the forum below with your gardening questions!

Ask a Gardening QuestionBeginner Gardening Questions & Guides: First time gardener questionsRenovating my ruined newly laid l …

Please or Register to create posts and topics.

Renovating my ruined newly laid lawn!

#1 · 22nd November 2022, 2:16 pm

Hi all,

Beginner here ?‍♀️

We laid our turf this September and it grew surprisingly long. We weren't sure whether to leave it long over winter or cut it. Unfortunately, we decided to cut it and are now left with this, still long, wet, discoloured and flat ? In hindsight the ground was probably too damp when we cut.

Any tips please on recovering the grass or getting it looking tidy over winter? Should we try cut again on a dry day?

Many thanks!! ?

#2 · 22nd November 2022, 8:58 pm

Hi Katie,

If it were my lawn I would just give it a good rake to clear any surface debris, leaves, old dead grass, any weeds showing etc, if the grass is really wet don't walk on it as you may compress the soil, wait for a dry period before raking, I would advise not to cut as the frosts are nearing.

Then just wait until next spring and the warmer weather, grass will recover, during this summers hot period my grass looked like straw, now the green is back, so just be patient, when it perks up again on the first cut make sure your mower is on the blades highest setting, making sure the grass is not wet.

Hope all goes well, post a picture next spring.

Bob

Lee Garden Ninja has reacted to this post.

#3 · 23rd November 2022, 12:28 am

Hello again Katie,

Ultimate lawn laying guide: How to Lay Turf

https://staging.gardenninja.co.uk/how-to-scarify-a-lawn/

Lots of info gained from these articles on Lee's website, hope they assist you?

Bob

#4 · 23rd November 2022, 2:41 pm

Hi @katienewbiegardner

I think what's happened here is the grass hasn't been cut early enough after laying i.e. after 2 weeks of it being laid. Hence it's grown long and straggly then its got wet and all gone a bit matted and flat.

Bob's advice about not mowing during a frost is correct. However, given the length of it, the frost will probably damage it given it's all matted together if left as it is leading to yellowing and it becoming a mushy.

Here's what I'd do (asap) to fix this newly laid lawn:

1.On a dry day use a stiff brush to comb the lawn to separate the blades of grass and get it to stand upright

2.Using a mower do a cut on number 4 to take the tops off

3.Brush or rake the lawn again

4.Make a final pass cutting on a 3 or even 2 to get it back to a normal length ready for winter

5.Leave it well alone until spring - don't need or fiddle too much with it.

Then the lawn should bounce back. Lawns are tough and you just need to get them into shape and not pamper them too much!

Happy gardening.

Lee