Official NPR Gardening Thread

[Blackmac]

Any tips/advice for shite, patchy grass? I assume a combination of the dog pissing, a clay like soil and very poor drainage are all combining to fuck me over.

Is it a new build.
The most dedicated lawn expert will struggle to beat the efforts of a dog.
Ideally at this time of year you should be looking at putting down iron to kill the moss, scarify, top dress and reseed, but given all the problems you are highlighting I doubt you will ever be able to produce a decent lawn unless you spend a decent amount of money sorting out the underlying issues.

[Jock42]

Any tips/advice for shite, patchy grass? I assume a combination of the dog pissing, a clay like soil and very poor drainage are all combining to fuck me over.

Is it a new build.
The most dedicated lawn expert will struggle to beat the efforts of a dog.
Ideally at this time of year you should be looking at putting down iron to kill the moss, scarify, top dress and reseed, but given all the problems you are highlighting I doubt you will ever be able to produce a decent lawn unless you spend a decent amount of money sorting out the underlying issues.

It is.

Actually OK for moss (so far), last year we had quite a bit though. Aye I think I might look at getting a quote for proper drainage at some point. And train Hackle to pish in one spot. Cheers.

[lemonhead]

Yep, newbuilds can be notorious for a mix of dumped site waste, rubble and hardcore with an icing layer of topsoil sprinkled over it.

Drainage by definition will be shite if so, unless you can get down and break through the compacted layer.

[Jock42]

Yep, newbuilds can be notorious for a mix of dumped site waste, rubble and hardcore with an icing layer of topsoil sprinkled over it.

Drainage by definition will be shite if so, unless you can get down and break through the compacted layer.

Yeah it's definitely the case in this estate.

[laurent]

Yep, newbuilds can be notorious for a mix of dumped site waste, rubble and hardcore with an icing layer of topsoil sprinkled over it.

Drainage by definition will be shite if so, unless you can get down and break through the compacted layer.

Yeah it's definitely the case in this estate.

Got a few concrete block out of my garden in Dublin...

[TB63]

Given up on my lawn now, after being here, at my parents house, since 1953..(the lawn, not me)it's never properly recovered after 2 hot summers. Ok, don't water it as on a meter, riddled with leather jacket, I've finally convinced the old uns to go wildflower..
Scarified the shit outta it, more moss than grass and going to scarify the shit out of it again tomorrow then sowing wildflower seed..
Planted insect friendly shrubs all over it and let the bees and butterflies have a field day instead of a desert of green....
Fuck mowing twice a week, let's look at wildlife instead....

[TB63]

As an aside....

Sown 3 different black eyed Susie in trays. 64 of each for baskets/troughs. 800 coleus just sprouting. 400 rudbeckia showing as well. Cuttings off silver ragwort taken, 64 now after buying 1 plant 2 years ago...Hard winter we had killed off all the geraniums which never bothered to put away as normally very mild here, waiting to see if my hosta collection has survived as loads of what I thought were hardy plants suffered in the cold snap..

[Sandstorm]

My tomato seeds are starting to poke through the dirt in their seedling trays. 10 days in the kitchen on the window sill under the boiler cupboard have given them a good start.

[TB63]

Fucking hate tomatoes..

[fishfoodie]

Given up on my lawn now, after being here, at my parents house, since 1953..(the lawn, not me)it's never properly recovered after 2 hot summers. Ok, don't water it as on a meter, riddled with leather jacket, I've finally convinced the old uns to go wildflower..
Scarified the shit outta it, more moss than grass and going to scarify the shit out of it again tomorrow then sowing wildflower seed..
Planted insect friendly shrubs all over it and let the bees and butterflies have a field day instead of a desert of green....
Fuck mowing twice a week, let's look at wildlife instead....

I find your ideas interesting, & wish to subscribe to your newsletter !

I inherited a garden pond & few fish, but a heron took care of the fish, but I now have a prodigious crop of frogs every year, & I only mowed a line in & a loop back out of the lawn near the pond, to avoid the frogs. I disturbed one of the adults yesterday when I went to mow the area.

I like the idea of just converting that side of the garden to wild flowers, Do I need to dig it out, or is it just a case of scattering the seeds over the area & letting nature taking its course ?

[lemonhead]

Same. Established grass will choke almost anything if left undisturbed.

Ideally dig out and sow some yellow rattle to parasitise the remaining roots. Called the meadowmaker as it opens the soil up for wildflowers.

[sockwithaticket]

Given up on my lawn now, after being here, at my parents house, since 1953..(the lawn, not me)it's never properly recovered after 2 hot summers. Ok, don't water it as on a meter, riddled with leather jacket, I've finally convinced the old uns to go wildflower..
Scarified the shit outta it, more moss than grass and going to scarify the shit out of it again tomorrow then sowing wildflower seed..
Planted insect friendly shrubs all over it and let the bees and butterflies have a field day instead of a desert of green....
Fuck mowing twice a week, let's look at wildlife instead....

I find your ideas interesting, & wish to subscribe to your newsletter !

I inherited a garden pond & few fish, but a heron took care of the fish, but I now have a prodigious crop of frogs every year, & I only mowed a line in & a loop back out of the lawn near the pond, to avoid the frogs. I disturbed one of the adults yesterday when I went to mow the area.

I like the idea of just converting that side of the garden to wild flowers, Do I need to dig it out, or is it just a case of scattering the seeds over the area & letting nature taking its course ?

Depends a lot on your type of soil I think. Some places you can chuck some seeds down, turn them into the soil and let things happen. Others you'd do the same and get bupkiss. I know my parents often start growing stuff in trays before planting it out.

Of course you can always leave a patch to grow wild and see what comes up there of its own accord, you'd be surprised at what might pop up.

[TB63]

Wrong time of year to sow yellow rattle so leaving some areas with grass until late summer, mainly annuals going on this year and perennial with rattle going in later this year. Have a large cemetery next door which they let flower then cut so should get some blown in also..

[Glaston]

Given up on my lawn now, after being here, at my parents house, since 1953..(the lawn, not me)it's never properly recovered after 2 hot summers. Ok, don't water it as on a meter, riddled with leather jacket, I've finally convinced the old uns to go wildflower..
Scarified the shit outta it, more moss than grass and going to scarify the shit out of it again tomorrow then sowing wildflower seed..
Planted insect friendly shrubs all over it and let the bees and butterflies have a field day instead of a desert of green....
Fuck mowing twice a week, let's look at wildlife instead....

What will the neighbours say about the lawn?

I tried doing a bit of bee/insect friendly garden stuff and all I got was complaints about the scruffiness of my garden.

[sockwithaticket]

Given up on my lawn now, after being here, at my parents house, since 1953..(the lawn, not me)it's never properly recovered after 2 hot summers. Ok, don't water it as on a meter, riddled with leather jacket, I've finally convinced the old uns to go wildflower..
Scarified the shit outta it, more moss than grass and going to scarify the shit out of it again tomorrow then sowing wildflower seed..
Planted insect friendly shrubs all over it and let the bees and butterflies have a field day instead of a desert of green....
Fuck mowing twice a week, let's look at wildlife instead....

What will the neighbours say about the lawn?

I tried doing a bit of bee/insect friendly garden stuff and all I got was complaints about the scruffiness of my garden.

Frankly, fuck them and what they think. The UK is incredibly nature depleted and we should be doing everything we can to reverse that, which starts with all the little critters that pollinate and form the diet of other, larger creatures. It's a sorry state of affairs, but those fortunate enough to have gardens actually have really important potential habitats.

[fishfoodie]

Given up on my lawn now, after being here, at my parents house, since 1953..(the lawn, not me)it's never properly recovered after 2 hot summers. Ok, don't water it as on a meter, riddled with leather jacket, I've finally convinced the old uns to go wildflower..
Scarified the shit outta it, more moss than grass and going to scarify the shit out of it again tomorrow then sowing wildflower seed..
Planted insect friendly shrubs all over it and let the bees and butterflies have a field day instead of a desert of green....
Fuck mowing twice a week, let's look at wildlife instead....

What will the neighbours say about the lawn?

I tried doing a bit of bee/insect friendly garden stuff and all I got was complaints about the scruffiness of my garden.

Tell them it's wild flowers, or you start keeping pigs, or chickens to keep down the grass !

Let the gobshites consider living with essence of pigshit during the summer, rather than the hum of bees, & the smell of flowers.

[TB63]

1. It's my back garden.
2. one side is a 6 ft wall. Over that wall, my neighbours, if they complain, I'm moving the fuck outta Dodge. It's a cemetery..
3. Other side are planting they're own as well..
4. It's a 90 sq MTR garden, not an Openflies Surrey estate with wildebeest galloping in the distance..

[tabascoboy]

Harvested this year's first runner beans from the garden and having them with lunch today

[TB63]

Few weeks ahead of you here...3rd crop picking today...

[tabascoboy]

Few weeks ahead of you here...3rd crop picking today...

Well I don't plant mine out until June

[TB63]

Few weeks ahead of you here...3rd crop picking today...

Well I don't plant mine out until June

Planted mid April under glass, then into ground 6th may..

[Sandstorm]

My tomatoes are ripening nicely. Should have the first crop of cherries next week.

[tabascoboy]

My tomatoes are ripening nicely. Should have the first crop of cherries next week.

I've picked a few (full size) so far, the May and June weather was very good for them, July not so great. One plant indoors and one outdoors, after a couple of years with poor yields decided to cut down on the number of plants this year.

Leafy veg as usual succumbed to a combination of slugs/snails/caterpillars, herbs - which overwintered outside very well - now very prolific and have oregano springing up all over the place. Loads of dried coriander seeds which again overwintered for early harvest I now have to do something with too...

[Sandstorm]

My tomatoes are ripening nicely. Should have the first crop of cherries next week.

I've picked a few (full size) so far, the May and June weather was very good for them, July not so great. One plant indoors and one outdoors, after a couple of years with poor yields decided to cut down on the number of plants this year.

Leafy veg as usual succumbed to a combination of slugs/snails/caterpillars, herbs - which overwintered outside very well - now very prolific and have oregano springing up all over the place. Loads of dried coriander seeds which again overwintered for early harvest I now have to do something with too...

Me too. I used to have 6-8 tomato plants spilling out of my pots. This year just two and they seem much happier.

[Glaston]

The 2023 Cold wave has screwed my peppers and chillis.
It's nearly Aug and my Bell Peppers have almost started flowering. Couple of Poblano's plants have been completely decimated by snails/slugs, even down to eating parts of the stems

Tomato crop is shit.


Only thing thats has done well is Mint

Last Sat max temp in my part of Somerset was 13c

[TedMaul]

Tomatoes a few weeks off from being ripe, peppers and chillis galore. Parsnips slow. First time trying courgettes, bloody hell they’re big beasts. 2 plants have taken over a 2 m Sq box

[Uncle fester]

Thinking of upgrading lawnmower. Grass has loads of different patches. FIL suggested a push/cylinder mower.
Open to the idea. Has anyone else here tried one?

[laurent]

Thinking of upgrading lawnmower. Grass has loads of different patches. FIL suggested a push/cylinder mower.
Open to the idea. Has anyone else here tried one?

Had a manual in Ireland it was fine cut was good. As long as the grass area is not >100m you should be ok

[Sandstorm]

Thinking of upgrading lawnmower. Grass has loads of different patches. FIL suggested a push/cylinder mower.
Open to the idea. Has anyone else here tried one?

Fix the lawn patches with chemicals and weeding by hand, not a new mower.

[Blackmac]

Thinking of upgrading lawnmower. Grass has loads of different patches. FIL suggested a push/cylinder mower.
Open to the idea. Has anyone else here tried one?

Not sure why the FIL thinks a different mower will make the difference. Dull blades and not cutting regularly enough can lead to disease and discolouration but weed grasses need to be removed and reseeded.

[Blackmac]

Speaking of mowers. I ended up with both my Hondas in bits on the patio this weekend. The older one started playing up so I took the carb apart and cleaned it out and refitted it, however I couldn't get the mower started. In an effort to fault find I took the carb off the other mower and fitted it to the dead mower, but before I did so I stupidly took it apart and cleaned it as well. It also failed to start the mower. I now had two dead Hondas and as you can imagine wasn't best pleased with myself. After a bit of research on the tinternet I realised that I had reassembled them both wrong after the clean. I took them both apart again, put them back together correctly and now both mowers are running like a dream. Only took up about 10 hours of my weekend but satisfying as hell.

[Line6 HXFX]

Slugs and flutterbys ate all my lettuces, beetroot and brocolli. Radishes went to seed before I could thin them out... and couldn't get runner beans from anywhere this year (put up the frames ready and everything).


Raining constantly for 2 months, would just mow the lawn and take care of hedges when sun came out (and when back was up to it).

Oh and the weeds...my gawd the f'king weeds.

Need a green house and a few less other hobbies.

My flowers and roses looked lovely though.

[Sandstorm]

Speaking of mowers. I ended up with both my Hondas in bits on the patio this weekend. The older one started playing up so I took the carb apart and cleaned it out and refitted it, however I couldn't get the mower started. In an effort to fault find I took the carb off the other mower and fitted it to the dead mower, but before I did so I stupidly took it apart and cleaned it as well. It also failed to start the mower. I now had two dead Hondas and as you can imagine wasn't best pleased with myself. After a bit of research on the tinternet I realised that I had reassembled them both wrong after the clean. I took them both apart again, put them back together correctly and now both mowers are running like a dream. Only took up about 10 hours of my weekend but satisfying as hell.

Thank God for Youtube, got me out of many mechanical jams too.

[Blackmac]

Speaking of mowers. I ended up with both my Hondas in bits on the patio this weekend. The older one started playing up so I took the carb apart and cleaned it out and refitted it, however I couldn't get the mower started. In an effort to fault find I took the carb off the other mower and fitted it to the dead mower, but before I did so I stupidly took it apart and cleaned it as well. It also failed to start the mower. I now had two dead Hondas and as you can imagine wasn't best pleased with myself. After a bit of research on the tinternet I realised that I had reassembled them both wrong after the clean. I took them both apart again, put them back together correctly and now both mowers are running like a dream. Only took up about 10 hours of my weekend but satisfying as hell.

Thank God for Youtube, got me out of many mechanical jams too.

Yeah, it was an elderly American lady with a lawnmower repair channel that made me realise I had put the float needle in incorrectly.

[Uncle fester]

Thinking of upgrading lawnmower. Grass has loads of different patches. FIL suggested a push/cylinder mower.
Open to the idea. Has anyone else here tried one?

Not sure why the FIL thinks a different mower will make the difference. Dull blades and not cutting regularly enough can lead to disease and discolouration but weed grasses need to be removed and reseeded.

Sorry I need to clarify. The grass is in multiple separate patches so a mower with those drive aidy things is no use to me. FIL said take that one step further and use a push mower altogether.