How to patch my lawn?

[mikec_au]

Hello everyone. Hope everyone is warm in this chilly weather.

I just wanted to ask some advise on what could have possibly gone wrong or the problem with our front lawn. I've attached some photos.

 

Did the grass just turned dormant due to the winter season? Is it due to the weed and feed that I used around mid-April? Can this still be fixed?

I tried to put some lawn seeds to patch it up but with no success. Hoping someone can help advise what might have caused the lawn to look like this and how it can be fixed.

Thank you everyone!

[EricL]

Hello @mikec_au 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. Its sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your lawn.

It's possible that it could be die back due to the cold weather or it could be due to lack of nutrients. Can you please tell us a little bit more about your lawn habits? How often do you water it? What kind of fertilizer have you applied? Have you topped up the soil recently? Any extra information will help us diagnose your lawn.

I also suggest having a look at these guides -How to detect lawn problems by @Adam_W and How do you control weeds in lawn?

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[mikec_au]

Hi @EricL 

Thank you for the warm welcome and for replying to my post

How often do you water it? - During winter time, I water it once a week.

What kind of fertilizer have you applied? - I used Yates Weed and Feed Granular Lawn Weed Killer mid April to try killing the weeds. Used it only once. Then I use Seasol Hose On Lawn Care spray to fertilise it.

Have you topped up the soil recently? - Yes I did after putting lawn seeds on it. I used Seasol Top Dress Mix.

Thank you.

[EricL]

Hello @mikec_au 

Thanks for getting back to me so soon. It appears that you've been looking after your lawn, I'm wondering what could have caused such a large patch to appear and yet leave the weeds and some of your lawn intact.

Let me call on our experienced members @Noelle, @mich1972 and @Adam_W for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know. 

Eric

[Noelle]

Hi there @mikec_au 

It is distinctly possible that the lawn weeder + feeder product you used is not suitable for your specific type of lawn, and as a result, the lawn has been damaged.  The 'vacant' real estate has allowed opportunistic weeds to take over.

To be on the safe side, particularly if you do not know what type of grass your lawn is, check the label of the product you intend using to see if it says 'Buffalo friendly' or 'Safe to use on all lawn types including Buffalo'.

I can see you used a lawn weeder with fertiliser in it, and then used another lawn fertiliser afterwards. This is double-dosing and not recommended as this too can cause lawn damage through over-application of nitrogen, which can severely burn the grass.

As we are now in winter and the soil and air temperatures are quite chilly in most areas, trying to repair the lawn by oversowing isn't going to be terribly successful - the seeds won't germinate. Wait until the weather warms a bit in spring and then try again.

Looking to the future, I'd be more inclined to use a hose-on lawn weeder+feeder, suitable for buffalo, rather than a granular one as there's less chance of the lawn being damaged through over-application.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @mikec_au,

What's the drainage like in that lawn area? Does the soil stay moist for an extended amount of time after rain or watering? The area looks a little damp in your images, and I'm wondering if it could potentially be a water retention issue.

Mitchell 

[mikec_au]

Hi @Noelle 

Thank you so much for the valuable insights. This is a lesson for me to be very careful on the products I use on my front lawn.

Will grass still grow on these vacant areas if I sow new seeds when weather is warm? I'm based in Victoria where it's very cold right now. I will just wait for the weather to warm up and try to repair my lawn.

[mikec_au]

Hi @MitchellMc 

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I noticed this area stays damp or wet for a while after watering it. During spring or summer, it only gets sun late in the afternoon. In autumn or winter, it doesn't get enough sun. House is south facing. This area doesn't get enough sun. Thanks.

[Noelle]

Hi again @mikec_au 

Hopefully all the advice you have read here will help you!

Don't think about sowing lawn seed until at least mid September in Victoria - the soil should be a little warmer by then. Prepare the bare patches by raking the soil to break it up a little before sowing and add a light amount of lawn starter fertiliser to give the seed the best possible chance to sprout and grow away well, before summer.

Just going back to your answer to Eric regarding watering - I don't water my lawn in Melbourne at all over winter as I find it just doesn't need it even when the weather's been dry for a few weeks.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @mikec_au,

As per @Noelle's advice, I also don't typically water in winter. If there are drainage issues in the area, it's best to keep watering to a minimum and only when needed. I suspect you have a bit of a wet spot here, which has led to a decline in the health of the grass. If the soil is waterlogged, it might be best to investigate some drainage solutions. Here's a helpful guide: How to install garden drainage.

Mitchell