[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?

2. 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 (http://www.tealturf.co.uk/turf.htm) so it looks like dwarf
ryegrass.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Will.

[adm]

On 2008-04-22 19:46:46 +0100, Will said:

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?

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.


2. 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 (http://www.tealturf.co.uk/turf.htm) so it looks like dwarf
ryegrass.

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.




Any thoughts?

Thanks

Will.

[clot]

Will wrote:
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?

2. 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 (http://www.tealturf.co.uk/turf.htm) so it looks like dwarf
ryegrass.



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]

Will wrote:
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?


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.


2. 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?

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
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 (http://www.tealturf.co.uk/turf.htm) so it looks like dwarf
ryegrass.

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.



Any thoughts?

Thanks

Will.

[pied piper]

"Will" wrote in message
...
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?

2. 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 (http://www.tealturf.co.uk/turf.htm) so it looks like dwarf
ryegrass.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Will.
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]

On 23 Apr, 12:05, "pied piper" wrote:
"Will" wrote in message

...



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?

2. *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 (http://www.tealturf.co.uk/turf.htm) so it looks like dwarf
ryegrass.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Will.

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- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thank you one and all.

Will.