Random gardening/horticultural questions

[Jonboy]

Question one:
 

Having recently bought a new house and moved in we have found an issue with the lawn.

 

When we first viewed it appeared to be a simple grass lawn. Once we moved in around 4 weeks ago the grass had been cut within an inch of its life (rental tenants ensuring they got their deposit back) and revealed a number of bush roots all across it that make walking barefoot impossible.  There are around 20 on 25sq metre lawn. They initially appeared dead and so I planned to just dig them out when time permitted  however they have since started to sprout leaves and I would like to identify them to make sure that is the correct way to dispose of them.

 

Each one is around 4” across with 2 weeks growth.

 

Does anyone recognise their species or have suggestions as to how to confirm?

 

(Whoever set the garden out had a love of spiky plants and thorny rose-bushes)

 

 

[Jonboy]

Question two:

 

We acquired two of these planters at an antique fair a few years back, any suggestions as to original purpose or species that could be fun to plant in them?
 

 

[Ian Smeeton]

I have just tried a Google Image search, but nothing conclusive.

 

2nd post_ Strawberries?

 

Regards

 

Ian

[rab]

1 hour ago, Jonboy said:

Question one:
 

Having recently bought a new house and moved in we have found an issue with the lawn.

 

When we first viewed it appeared to be a simple grass lawn. Once we moved in around 4 weeks ago the grass had been cut within an inch of its life (rental tenants ensuring they got their deposit back) and revealed a number of bush roots all across it that make walking barefoot impossible.  There are around 20 on 25sq metre lawn. They initially appeared dead and so I planned to just dig them out when time permitted  however they have since started to sprout leaves and I would like to identify them to make sure that is the correct way to dispose of them.

 

Each one is around 4” across with 2 weeks growth.

 

Does anyone recognise their species or have suggestions as to how to confirm?

 

(Whoever set the garden out had a love of spiky plants and thorny rose-bushes)

 

 

There are apps available, such as Leafsnap which will identify plants. If it can't identify it, assume its a weed!

[Jonboy]

50 minutes ago, rab said:

There are apps available, such as Leafsnap which will identify plants. If it can't identify it, assume its a weed!

Thanks for the app suggestion, giving it a go at the moment.

 

As they are where we don’t want them, they already meet my definition of weeds, just trying to work out how thorough I need to be in the eradication attempt.

[Ian Hargrave]

My assumption is that this is a fairly new build house ?  That being the case the lawn will most probably have been laid on top of less than ideal sub surface..i.e.builders rubbish.which means probably poor aeration & drainage now being worsened by drought conditions.  So then firstly ask yourself if you really need a lawn or maybe hard landscaping is an acceptable alternative bearing in mind the effects of climate change. If you do want that ideal patch of green well manicured turf, one avenue of exploration might be to ask for a visit from a specialist in lawn care company such as Green  Thumb.They might be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.The drastic solution is of course to dig it all up and lay the new turf with a properly prepared sub surface. Not inexpensive.

 

 

 

 

[Jonboy]

No it’s an early 70’s ex-council house within a terraced block. It has been on the rental market for around a decade and (from historic estate agent listings) it appears it had loving owners prior to that, with just basic maintenance to what was already there in the interim during its rental period.

 

 Not worried about a perfectly manicured lawn, just one I can walk on barefooted when putting the washing out etc.