I layed new turves five months ago and the lawn has been healthy since. But over the lasts few days it has become very patchy and uneven and the middle of the lawn is sagging.
Lorraine Healy (26.08.07)
Mary: I suspect that the ground was not adequately firmed before laying the turf and so the land is settling gradually, and the dips are showing up. I expect you are noticing the dips because of the patchy colour.
The patches could be caused by leatherjackets or chafer grubs. These are larvae that eat the roots of the grass. Lift the grass in one of the bad patches and look for grey, legless caterpillars, or creamy white 'C'-shaped larvae with brown heads. If either of these are present, it is possible to control them using Provado Lawn Grub Killer, which is available from yur local garden centre. If the grubs are not the problem, then I suggest you feed the lawn with a product such as Scotts Summer Lawn Builder.
The dips can be corrected by lifting the turf, filling in the dip and relaying the turf. I would do this in late September of early October so that the grass re-establishes while the soil is still warm. It is possible to overseed the lawn in the autumn to help thicken up the sward. I suggest you use a grass seed mix containing a dwarf perennial ryegrass as this is very resilient and easy to manage – try EverGreen Multi Purpose Grass Seed.
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