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Gardening

Growing lawn

(18 Posts)
Fuchsiarose Fri 18-Dec-20 12:33:19

I have tried to grow a small lawn. The wood pigeons eat the seed. The cats dig it up. What can I do?

Tweedle24 Fri 18-Dec-20 12:36:46

Buy some turf. It is not expensive and easy to lay. There are lots of different grades so it is a good idea to ask the advice of the supplier. I am not sure if the time of year makes a difference but, that is something else you can ask.

Hope it works out so you can enjoy it.

tanith Fri 18-Dec-20 13:19:31

I grew a small add on patch of lawn in October which took really well. I would wait till the Spring when the ground warms up and when you've sown the seed buy a pea net if you don't have one then use pea sticks and to pin it down cover with the net. I tied strips of plastic on the top of sticks which kept the birds off.

grandtanteJE65 Fri 18-Dec-20 13:25:20

Turf certainly, But surely not at this time of year?

Tweedle24 Fri 18-Dec-20 14:59:37

grandtante I would not have thought so but, am no expert, which is why I suggested asking the supplier.

Fuchsiarose Fri 18-Dec-20 15:43:19

Thank you all for your lovely suggestions, especially the pea net. It's only a small patch where costs


It was the cats digging up the soil, where shrubs were removed.. so I will try the net

Fuchsiarose Fri 18-Dec-20 15:44:03

Sorry. Fingers wont straighten

Nandalot Fri 18-Dec-20 15:47:04

DH reseeded some small patches earlier in the year. He covered them with the white fleece you get to protect plants with winter frosts held down by twigs. It looked hilarious and I did laugh at him but it was eminently successful and kept pigeons at bay.

Fuchsiarose Fri 18-Dec-20 15:50:13

Thank you Nandalot. If I wasnt so disabled, i would have. Cant get down to do it, wont get back up again. Lol. Such is life. You have all been very helpful.

tanith Fri 18-Dec-20 16:08:38

I’d forgotten I took a picture, here is what I did

glammanana Fri 18-Dec-20 16:53:57

I was very lazy when we moved here its only a smallish garden
in very poor condition so I paid for plastic turf,an instant green lawn no mowing or watering and looks as good as when it was laid 4 yrs ago,it was not expensive and laid in an afternoon.

MissAdventure Fri 18-Dec-20 17:07:13

>faints!<

Fuchsiarose Mon 21-Dec-20 19:17:58

Update. Tried most of your suggestions. Even bought smelly manure pellets. Result. Cats hate the smell. Wood pigeons cant get to the seed. Many thanks to you

GillT57 Tue 22-Dec-20 15:06:58

we too have a new patch of lawn. Have seeded it, and relying on the dog chasing off the pigeons. At the moment it is mud.

Fennel Tue 22-Dec-20 19:37:27

It's not a good time to start growing a lawn from seed. the birds are hungry, the ground is cold and too damp.
Best time is spring - March-April. When the ground is warming up and the birds have more food sources.
Also Taniths suggestion of pea net and little sticks with white flags.
We need a new small lawn - got in touch with a company who laid new turf to do the job but they never turned up sad

Fuchsiarose Tue 22-Dec-20 22:19:05

It worked. I have patches of grass. About 2.5 cm high. All that work. Finally.

Fennel Wed 23-Dec-20 12:27:53

Well done! I expect you'll look after it as if it was a new baby!

Shinamae Wed 23-Dec-20 12:53:27

This was seeded in September, will cut it in the spring....