General Purpose Lawn Mix

Why it suits Ireland

Perennial ryegrass is the grass Ireland grows better than almost anywhere. It wants exactly what we have, which is mild winters, cool summers and steady rain, and it keeps growing at soil temperatures that stop most other species. That is why it dominates every Irish amenity mix and why a general purpose lawn here establishes so quickly.

The other half of the argument is recovery. Irish lawns get damaged in winter, not summer. Ground that is walked on while saturated compacts and thins, and the gaps that leaves are what moss colonises in January. Ryegrass regrows from the crown after wear, and the creeping red fescue in the blend spreads by underground stems into bare soil, so the sward closes itself up rather than waiting for you to patch it.

Where this mix is weakest is deep shade and very close mowing. Under trees it will thin out within a couple of seasons, and cut below about 25mm it starts to look ragged rather than fine.

Sowing and growing notes

Sow at 35g per square metre on prepared ground, or 25g per square metre when overseeding. September is the best month by a distance in Ireland, with April and May the fallback. Rake the seed in lightly and firm it, because seed left on the surface feeds the birds.

Mow at 30 to 40mm through the season, and higher in a dry spell or in a shaded corner. The single most common mistake with a family lawn here is cutting too short, which starves the roots, invites moss and makes the lawn less able to take wear, not more.

Feed in spring and again in autumn. The autumn potash feed matters more in Ireland than the spring one because it hardens the grass going into a long wet winter.

This mix responds well to annual overseeding. Scarify out the thatch and moss in early September, hollow tine any compacted areas, then overseed and top dress. A lawn treated this way once a year rarely needs renovating.