Annual Lawn Re-laying!

Idris

Idris

Junior Guinea Pig
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Llundain, Cymru
How do two piggies and two bunnies manage to trash the lawn so much that it needs re-laying every year? I think we need to move them more frequently but any other top tips welcome. Last year, due to the cold spring, it was overgrown before the pigs made a start but it was very sparse by the autumn.70BB3E6F-E671-48C8-BE08-5D45B2AF5F3B.jpeg
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Maybe if you're always relaying it the roots don't get properly established before being nibbled right down and so it lacks the reserves to recover well? Perhaps sowing grass seed into the remains of the lawn in autumn instead would be a good option? Also with those lovely trees it looks like your garden might be nice and shady in the summer but lower light levels will make it harder for the grass to thrive too. There are varieties that do better in shady conditions but have no idea if they are commercially available.
Have to say I admire you dedication to providing your furry family with lawn time❤
 
I move my runs most days so they don't eat the grass too short. It does look patchy at the moment but it soon fills itself back in once it starts growing again. I rake out any moss sometime in March and reseed any patches that are completely bald. Other than the odd water if we have weeks of very hot dry weather in the summer and a weed and feed about every five years it looks after itself. I weed and feed one side at a time (we have grass on two sides) so we still have grass they can eat.
 
One of my local garden centres sell loose grass seed. They have various options depending on lawn needs - hard wearing, shady areas etc. It is an independent centre. I’ve never seen such a variety in larger chain stores nor being able to buy in bulk - the independent centre has the seed in bins and you can buy as much or as little you need.
As pound shilling and pig has said, looking for a specific seed variety to sow in autumn may be something worth trying.

I have four piggies and two rabbits - although two of the piggies are new and haven’t had lawn time yet - I’ve never had to do any reseeding etc to my lawn.
 
I had to returf my lawn 2 years ago.now weve some weeds,and a bald area where i put weed killer,but it killed the grass .I'm going to get some hardy grass seed to see if it take,or a small amount of turf.The cat has unfortunatly being digging up areas,despite having a litter tray.i move the runs 3 times a week,but 11 guinea pigs soon devour the small lawn.i go walking and pick grass in the spring and summer !
 
Thanks for the tips. The bunnies get to roam free, but only outside the Omlet cage under supervision due to the local foxes (and indoor overnight). I think it’s the piggies that thin the grass out (wee etc?). Have tried seeds but they seem to get snaffled up by the birds but maybe other varieties will work better so will investigate further. Despite watering, one large patch under the tree went brown and died off while the moss tries to take over in other areas. Raking the leaves and moss out is something else to try. Planning some more edibles for the borders too.C88AE4AF-EFE1-4FF4-9CEA-3E70AC50557A.webp
 
It's hard to keep grass alive under trees due to lack of light and the tree taking most of the moisture. We are bordered by hedges and the grass really struggles close to them. I tried a type of grass for dry areas nearest the hedges which grew well but the piggies don't like it!
 
I remember when my dog used to wreak havoc on my lawn, and keeping up with it was a never-ending battle. Have you considered incorporating some hardy ground cover like a thyme lawn into areas they frequent?
 
We have had so much rain this winter I can barely walk on it without sinking. It’s poorly drained even in summer. I can’t wait to get them out in their runs but not likely for the next month or so, it’s just saturated
 
We have a underground stream run under our garden so the grass remains green in the most severe drought. Only down side, it gets very sodden during winter and spring. So I have to wait for a rain free week before cutting the grass spring into summer.
 
BraydenDay said:
I remember when my dog used to wreak havoc on my lawn, and keeping up with it was a never-ending battle. Have you considered incorporating some hardy ground cover like a thyme lawn into areas they frequent?
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It could help minimize the damage and add a touch of greenery. Also, rotating their grazing area more frequently might spread out the wear and tear.
 
We moved house back in the autumn and the’new’ lawn is patchy. First outing of the year on Saturday but there’s ground elder and bindweed to remove before we can move the small run or let them loose in the big Omlet run. On the plus side we have dandelions and sticky weed growing. Will probably dig over and turf the worst sections. In all this wet weather I’ve been snipping so grass as a daily treat while they are still indoors.IMG_2762.webp
 
My lawn is dreadful! It’s never “dry” badly drained and if you stand on it in winter you actually start to sink 😁
 
Idris said:
Sounds like you need to write in to ‘Gardeners’ Question Time’ on Radio 4! 🤔
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yes, I think the whole lawn needs digging up, drainage and re turfing to be honest. It also contains that dread thousand tears plant which grows into the boarders which is a never ending task of keeping it in check. If it wasn’t for the piggies I’d have artificial which is against all my principles
 
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