# Grass



## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

Can anyone help me out here? I have a garden of around 250sq.metres with lousy grass, dried out and not looked after for a long time.
I would really like to do something about it next year, but want something that doesn't cost a fortune, i have googled and there is an artificial grass on offer, although no price, and then other sorts, but no idea.
Since I will probably be paying for it and not the landlord, I do want something sturdy and long term.
Thanks. I am in sweaty hot Chiclana and jolly cold in January.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Watering it is the only way to keep it nice. Artificial grass IMO is awful. It smells rubbery when its hot, it gets very dusty and it fades in the sun

Jo xxx


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

jojo said:


> Watering it is the only way to keep it nice. Artificial grass IMO is awful. It smells rubbery when its hot, it gets very dusty and it fades in the sun
> 
> Jo xxx


Thanks Jojo, I kind of suspected that. I have thought of putting down tiles on part of it like my neighbours seem to have, but then there is the drag of asking for permission which makes me quite wilt at the moment


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

Some of the new artificial grass is good and long lasting & our local McD's has had it down for a few years now, not to mention the local football pitch that was done in 2008.
Leroy now stock quite a range of the stuff now (not saying buy there) so go in and have a look ?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

VFR said:


> Some of the new artificial grass is good and long lasting & our local McD's has had it down for a few years now, not to mention the local football pitch that was done in 2008.
> Leroy now stock quite a range of the stuff now (not saying buy there) so go in and have a look ?


My kids school had it laid down on their games pitch in 2009, it looked lovely when it was done, but after a year, it was dusty, faded, smelly and too hot to walk on without good soles. However, I dont know what the quality of it was - it wasnt cheap tho.

Jo xxx


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## Helenameva (Aug 15, 2014)

Yes, modern artificial grass is much better than it used to be, but you get what you pay for and the cheap stuff won't last long. I've just bought a roll of 30mm thick 5m x 2m from our local place, it cost 150€ (gulp). I need another few more rolls yet. But I'm confident it'll last many many years and gives us the soft, lush surface for our daughter to play on.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Helenameva said:


> Yes, modern artificial grass is much better than it used to be, but you get what you pay for and the cheap stuff won't last long. I've just bought a roll of 30mm thick 5m x 2m from our local place, it cost 150€ (gulp). I need another few more rolls yet. But I'm confident it'll last many many years and gives us the soft, lush surface for our daughter to play on.



Just make sure its heat resistant. It can become very hot in the sun

Jo xxx


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola
I live in Chiclana and have Grammon - a type of couch grass. If watered then it will stay green all year round. If you don´t water it then it will turn brown until you water it again, whereupon it will turn green (and grow). 

Davexf


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> My kids school had it laid down on their games pitch in 2009, it looked lovely when it was done, but after a year, it was dusty, faded, smelly and too hot to walk on without good soles. However, I dont know what the quality of it was - it wasnt cheap tho.
> 
> Jo xxx


Ah so its not all good then Jo & as you say they would not have used cheap stuff.

????? second thoughts they would not have charged for cheap stuff.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

VFR said:


> Ah so its not all good then Jo & as you say they would not have used cheap stuff.
> 
> ????? second thoughts they would not have charged for cheap stuff.


 I dont think it was cheap?? When it got hot, it gave off a horrible "rubbery" smell, it was too hot to touch and it collected dust and dirt which, unlike on "real grass" built up. When it rained and then dried, it almost became like concrete. After a year or so, it was just always dusty..... But that was then (2009) and who knows how things have improved by now and of course, it always had kids running about on it. Just things to watch out for tho

Jo xxx


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

davexf said:


> Hola
> I live in Chiclana and have Grammon - a type of couch grass. If watered then it will stay green all year round. If you don´t water it then it will turn brown until you water it again, whereupon it will turn green (and grow).
> 
> Davexf


Do you know where I could find grammon and would I have to turn over the earth before planting it?


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## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

What kind of grass do you have, is it the "British" kind of grass you grow from seed? I attempted to plant this kind when we first moved over and it did not survive the first summer. 
I learned the local way to make a lawn from Spanish people we knew. Go to any grassy public park areas and collect all the straggly shoots that come up, especially round the edges - fill a bag or two. Just rip them up. These have small roots every few cm. Cut them up into small sections, each with a root or two and plant them. This kind of grass needs plenty water too, but at least it does not die completely if it does dry out a bit in the summer.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

I would be looking into some good drought resistant strains like Couch or Zoysia, they are very good with minimal water and when they do turn brown they are pretty good at recovery.

If you do do that then I would make sure everything in the soil is dead first, you may need a weed killer for that and remove the dead weeds/grass and any stones or stuff that is there.

At this point it would depend on what soil type you have as to what, if anything you may need to add to the soil and maybe a fertiliser too after digging it in.
Then I would dig all this in or rotovate it to around 10-20cm depth.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

I do wish people wouldn't post threads with this type of title, it is difficult to know in advance whether advice is sought on mowing or smoking, without opening and going through the thread.


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## raynard (Nov 26, 2014)

el romeral said:


> What kind of grass do you have, is it the "British" kind of grass you grow from seed? I attempted to plant this kind when we first moved over and it did not survive the first summer.
> I learned the local way to make a lawn from Spanish people we knew. Go to any grassy public park areas and collect all the straggly shoots that come up, especially round the edges - fill a bag or two. Just rip them up. These have small roots every few cm. Cut them up into small sections, each with a root or two and plant them. This kind of grass needs plenty water too, but at least it does not die completely if it does dry out a bit in the summer.


British Grass ? how many plants can you grow legally in Spain


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## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

:hippie:Far out man :hat:


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

el romeral said:


> What kind of grass do you have, is it the "British" kind of grass you grow from seed? I attempted to plant this kind when we first moved over and it did not survive the first summer.
> I learned the local way to make a lawn from Spanish people we knew. Go to any grassy public park areas and collect all the straggly shoots that come up, especially round the edges - fill a bag or two. Just rip them up. These have small roots every few cm. Cut them up into small sections, each with a root or two and plant them. This kind of grass needs plenty water too, but at least it does not die completely if it does dry out a bit in the summer.


You may need the type they have in Florida, it is broad leaved and is often drenched each evening with the automatic sprinkler system.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> I do wish people wouldn't post threads with this type of title, it is difficult to know in advance whether advice is sought on mowing or smoking, without opening and going through the thread.


Well, if I was looking for pot I wouldn't be on a public forum. So take it as read that it was for my garden


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Have you looked after a lawn before? I have one here and have to water it nightly, weed it, feed it, mow it, cut edges and generally be it's slave. All that work and now because of the heatwave it's brown. A hot and windy May meant the watering system did its job but the wind carried it away. Once it started to get stressed and browning, the heatwave came in with a bang in June and there was no turning back. My lawn's well established, too, so if you have to begin from scratch there'll be a whole lot of extra work and there's no way it will work in the height of summer. If your water's metered, it can become expensive looking after a garden with lawn. My bi-monthly bills average €25 in the winter and sometimes over €300 in the summer.

Ikea do nice exterior rugs, I bought this one recently and have it on a terrace. 3x2m for €99.
HODDE Alfombra - 200x300 cm - IKEA
Nice for walking barefoot and I can put it in the house later on.


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Justina said:


> Do you know where I could find grammon and would I have to turn over the earth before planting it?


Hola

While it can be bought (expensive), just ask "friends" for some! What I do is to grub it up as previously described, then grow the roots for a week in water. When ready to plant, dig trenches about 3 inches deep and put a cutting with two roots on it every nine inches. Trenches to be nine inches apart. 

Water every day for the first month or in this weather, until October. In one year you'll have a good lawn

Davexf


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## fcexpat (Sep 25, 2014)

davexf said:


> Hola
> I live in Chiclana and have Grammon - a type of couch grass. If watered then it will stay green all year round. If you don´t water it then it will turn brown until you water it again, whereupon it will turn green (and grow).
> 
> Davexf


 Sounds similar to the grass we had in the tropics a few years back, it was brilliant. Kentucky blue grass, doesn't die through lack of water, just goes dormant. Soon as rain returns, green again. Really soft and springy to walk on. Sure you'll be able to buy seed, even if it has to be online. Seed of course is the cheapest method !! Google Kentucky Blue Grass and go from there !!


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Grasses*



fcexpat said:


> Sounds similar to the grass we had in the tropics a few years back, it was brilliant. Kentucky blue grass, doesn't die through lack of water, just goes dormant. Soon as rain returns, green again. Really soft and springy to walk on. Sure you'll be able to buy seed, even if it has to be online. Seed of course is the cheapest method !! Google Kentucky Blue Grass and go from there !!


Thanks for the tip and to all of you. I will do a google later.
I just can't see myself down on the ground pulling out grass by the roots and nor do I fancy paying out 300 euros as a water bill.
I would also worry about artificial grass being torn to pieces by two labs running around.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

we have a small patio, that is tiled - no grass problem.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Grass v patio*



baldilocks said:


> we have a small patio, that is tiled - no grass problem.


Well, I think I envy you. I notice that most of the houses where I live have only got small squares of grass and the rest is patio style. But that could be jolly expensive. I will have to check the piggy bank.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Justina said:


> Well, I think I envy you. I notice that most of the houses where I live have only got small squares of grass and the rest is patio style. But that could be jolly expensive. I will have to check the piggy bank.


but the patio is a one-off cost. We have pots with plants that make it quite pleasant and productive since we have a grapevine, a lemon tree and a clementino plus fresh herbs.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Grass or tiles*



baldilocks said:


> but the patio is a one-off cost. We have pots with plants that make it quite pleasant and productive since we have a grapevine, a lemon tree and a clementino plus fresh herbs.


Yes, I would like that too. However, you own your house, but still I will check out the tiles cos it would be a lot less trouble and don't see us moving in the foreseeable future.


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## CarbonCat (Jul 23, 2015)

what about astro turf


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