Grass growing help.

[Ricard with an H]

Notice I didn't ask for help on lawns, you would be hard-pressed to call our grass areas as lawns. I gave up on using 6X which is my favoured and recommended lawn fertiliser but cocker spaniels like to eat it then we have to suffer the involuntary-evacuations that result.

I'm fairly sure I understand how the NPK analysis effects plants and in this case grasses but I'm not trying to do vivid-green for show purposes.

I've been online and viewed the daft/silly prices being aimed at lawn purists but it worries me about the extra grass cutting.

I want green and healthy but no extra cutting, or something close, or a volanteer.

[Monika]

I believe Alan Titchmarsh uses fish, blood and bone on his lawns, so you could try that or, if you don't mind non-organic, just the cheaper Growmore at a reduced rate. It should keep your grass green and not make it grow excessively.

[Geoff]

Use nothing and see how long it is before you notice the difference. If after a year or two you don't like the look of it perk it up with a bit of Growmore as Monika suggests.

[Ricard with an H]

Yes, both grow more and fish-blood-bone came to mind and I did try nothing. On the paddock and our front grassed area I never pick up, mostly because it's extra work and I believe the rotted down grass helps with feeding but on the two area of grass that are walked on I have to pick-up or I get grass cuttings to clear up in the house but mostly bought in by my dog.

The difference between grass where I pick up and grass where I don't pick up is noticeable, on the grass that I don't pick up it stays green longer but has a more pronounced collection of weeds and moss.

Another problem is that the areas of grass I need to treat have much shallower depths of good soil and in one case a lot of stone so presumably this means it won't store any nutrient.

I can buy economy fertilisers from the farmers Co-op but they are strong in the same way some 'Green-up' fertilisers are with the weakest being 15-3-3. I suppose I should help stronger root growth where the soil is thin.

Where I live is lovely but it's a farm and whilst I'm not trying to create a suburban garden I do like it tidy and nice.

Chicken manure like 6x is perfect if you don't mind the stink and mess on your shoes, I'll probably go for FIsh-Blood-Bone.

Thanks.