By Annelise
Warwickshire,
United Kingdom 
My son has scalped the lawn can it be repaired?
We were away on holiday and asked our son to mow the front lawn as he said it had been growing fast since the last mow we did a week before going away. I forgot the lawnmower setting was on a higher one for the neater shorter back lawn. It's now ripped the longer lawn right out in areas. It almost looks dreadful almost like scorched patches. Will we have to re-seed it?
8 Jun, 2012
Answers
The trouble is that its often weeds and moss that take over these areas and with this wetter and cooler weather we are having now it would be a good time to put down some grass seed.
8 Jun, 2012
I agree I would reseed the bad areas or you could just try mowing on a higher cut every 3-5 days as this will encourage the grass to grow side ways and thicken up, keeping it well watered.
8 Jun, 2012
Thought so,thanks! -
It would have to be the front lawn wouldn't it Guess it's going to look worse before it gets better with having to rake the patches etc...
Sorry Drc726 but could you please elaborate about the mowing?
8 Jun, 2012
Unless you had a poor lawn to start with, I think you may still have the grass roots and need to encourage them to regrow.
Lawn grass will grow side ways and thicken up if its kept short by regular mowing when its growing. So if its very wet and warm weather and growing fast mow every 3-5 days. If its very hot and dry it wont grow much unless you water it well.
You should be able to tell in a couple of weeks if this will work or if you do need to reseed some areas.
8 Jun, 2012
These sparse straw looking patches where lawn was scalped just seem to be in the centre of the otherwise green growing ok lawn (think our son must have lowered the lawnmower level when he realised it was ripping it out)
So are you saying to mow over them then as surely mowing over them again will take out even more out? Or is that what you are suggesting me to do?
It's been raining earier this week so the rest of the lawn is growing fine
9 Jun, 2012
No, only mow when it grows Annelise, but when it does keep it short by regular mowing. If it does not grow in wet conditions in a couple of weeks then you may have to reseed those areas.
9 Jun, 2012
Gottcha! - Thanks.
9 Jun, 2012
Lawns are usually cut too short, but they do regenerate. If there are bare patches of soil with a few wispy bits of straw growing, I would buy one of those lawn repair boxes and scatter seeds over the worst areas. Lawns do usually repair themselves, but in the severe cases and depending on the lawn grasses growing, it will be the stronger, broader leaved grasses that will take over and may end up looking like patches of wild grass. Especially if it is utility lawn grasses that were there originally.
8 Jun, 2012