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Two Years Ago

About two years ago, the lawn in our back garden was full of dandelions. We decided to replace it with brand new turf, the kind you roll out into place. I tried my best to remove the dandelions, tap-root and all.

Today

Looking at it now, it's in a sorry state. The dandelions are back. I removed thirty a couple of weeks back, and there are probably twice as many left, if not more. There are large patches of clover, and another weed that produce rather nice and very tiny purple flowers. Where there is grass, most of it is dead (brown and straw-like), or it's twice the height of everything else.

Questions

I accept that I will probably have to start over, but before I do that, I would like to know what I can do to reduce the chance of this happening again.

I read somewhere that weeds tend to grow in places where grasses find it hard to grow. Does that mean my soil needs treatment? If so, with what?

When I dig up the soil, in places there's about 5cm of soil, and then nothing but sand. Is that a problem?

Note: I'm only interested in non-chemicals/organic solutions, though please feel free to explain that option as it might be useful for others :)

Update 1 - photos

Here are some photos I just took. I supposed it looks greener than I led on, but it's very patchy. If I were to mow it, you'd see it better. The dandelion heads I've been picking off whenever I see them.

Update 2 - Location and habits

I'm in The Netherlands and not near the coast, just in case that makes a difference.

I don't mow that often because our lawn mower isn't adjustable, and tends to cut quite short. Moreover, when I laid the turf I ended up with bumps. Only a few, but as you can imagine, the mower takes them right off. Also, there are patches where what looks like grass grows really fast, while the rest stagnates.

When I laid the turf I actually pulled up the old turf as well - it was a lot of work.

Two Years Ago

About two years ago, the lawn in our back garden was full of dandelions. We decided to replace it with brand new turf, the kind you roll out into place. I tried my best to remove the dandelions, tap-root and all.

Today

Looking at it now, it's in a sorry state. The dandelions are back. I removed thirty a couple of weeks back, and there are probably twice as many left, if not more. There are large patches of clover, and another weed that produce rather nice and very tiny purple flowers. Where there is grass, most of it is dead (brown and straw-like), or it's twice the height of everything else.

Questions

I accept that I will probably have to start over, but before I do that, I would like to know what I can do to reduce the chance of this happening again.

I read somewhere that weeds tend to grow in places where grasses find it hard to grow. Does that mean my soil needs treatment? If so, with what?

When I dig up the soil, in places there's about 5cm of soil, and then nothing but sand. Is that a problem?

Note: I'm only interested in non-chemicals/organic solutions, though please feel free to explain that option as it might be useful for others :)

Update 1 - photos

Here are some photos I just took. I suppose it looks greener than I led on, but it's very patchy. If I were to mow it, you'd see it better. The dandelion heads I've been picking off whenever I see them.

Update 2 - Location and habits

I'm in The Netherlands and not near the coast, just in case that makes a difference.

I don't mow that often because our lawn mower isn't adjustable, and tends to cut quite short. Moreover, when I laid the turf I ended up with bumps. Only a few, but as you can imagine, the mower takes them right off. Also, there are patches where what looks like grass grows really fast, while the rest stagnates.

When I laid the turf I actually pulled up the old turf as well - it was a lot of work.

Two Years Ago

About two years ago, the lawn in our back garden was full of dandelions. We decided to replace it with brand new turf, the kind you roll out into place. I tried my best to remove the dandelions, tap-root and all.

Today

Looking at it now, it's in a sorry state. The dandelions are back. I removed thirty a couple of weeks back, and there are probably twice as many left, if not more. There are large patches of clover, and another weed that produce rather nice and very tiny purple flowers. Where there is grass, most of it is dead (brown and straw-like), or it's twice the height of everything else.

Questions

I accept that I will probably have to start over, but before I do that, I would like to know what I can do to reduce the chance of this happening again.

I read somewhere that weeds tend to grow in places where grasses find it hard to grow. Does that mean my soil needs treatment? If so, with what?

When I dig up the soil, in places there's about 5cm of soil, and then nothing but sand. Is that a problem?

Note: I'm only interested in non-chemicals/organic solutions, though please feel free to explain that option as it might be useful for others :)

Update 1 - photos

Here are some photos I just took. I supposed it looks greener than I led on, but it's very patchy. If I were to mow it, you'd see it better. The dandelion heads I've been picking off whenever I see them.

Update 2 - Location and habits

I'm in The Netherlands and not near the coast, just in case that makes a difference.

I don't mow that often because our lawn mower isn't adjustable, and tends to cut quite short. Moreover, when I laid the turf I ended up with bumps. Only a few, but as you can imagine, the mower takes them right off. Also, there are patches where what looks like grass grows really fast, while the rest stagnates.

Two Years Ago

About two years ago, the lawn in our back garden was full of dandelions. We decided to replace it with brand new turf, the kind you roll out into place. I tried my best to remove the dandelions, tap-root and all.

Today

Looking at it now, it's in a sorry state. The dandelions are back. I removed thirty a couple of weeks back, and there are probably twice as many left, if not more. There are large patches of clover, and another weed that produce rather nice and very tiny purple flowers. Where there is grass, most of it is dead (brown and straw-like), or it's twice the height of everything else.

Questions

I accept that I will probably have to start over, but before I do that, I would like to know what I can do to reduce the chance of this happening again.

I read somewhere that weeds tend to grow in places where grasses find it hard to grow. Does that mean my soil needs treatment? If so, with what?

When I dig up the soil, in places there's about 5cm of soil, and then nothing but sand. Is that a problem?

Note: I'm only interested in non-chemicals/organic solutions, though please feel free to explain that option as it might be useful for others :)

Update 1 - photos

Here are some photos I just took. I supposed it looks greener than I led on, but it's very patchy. If I were to mow it, you'd see it better. The dandelion heads I've been picking off whenever I see them.

Update 2 - Location and habits

I'm in The Netherlands and not near the coast, just in case that makes a difference.

I don't mow that often because our lawn mower isn't adjustable, and tends to cut quite short. Moreover, when I laid the turf I ended up with bumps. Only a few, but as you can imagine, the mower takes them right off. Also, there are patches where what looks like grass grows really fast, while the rest stagnates.

When I laid the turf I actually pulled up the old turf as well - it was a lot of work.

Two Years Ago

About two years ago, the lawn in our back garden was full of dandelions. We decided to replace it with brand new turf, the kind you roll out into place. I tried my best to remove the dandelions, tap-root and all.

Today

Looking at it now, it's in a sorry state. The dandelions are back. I removed thirty a couple of weeks back, and there are probably twice as many left, if not more. There are large patches of clover, and another weed that produce rather nice and very tiny purple flowers. Where there is grass, most of it is dead (brown and straw-like), or it's twice the height of everything else.

Questions

I accept that I will probably have to start over, but before I do that, I would like to know what I can do to reduce the chance of this happening again.

I read somewhere that weeds tend to grow in places where grasses find it hard to grow. Does that mean my soil needs treatment? If so, with what?

When I dig up the soil, in places there's about 5cm of soil, and then nothing but sand. Is that a problem?

Note: I'm only interested in non-chemicals/organic solutions, though please feel free to explain that option as it might be useful for others :)

Two Years Ago

About two years ago, the lawn in our back garden was full of dandelions. We decided to replace it with brand new turf, the kind you roll out into place. I tried my best to remove the dandelions, tap-root and all.

Today

Looking at it now, it's in a sorry state. The dandelions are back. I removed thirty a couple of weeks back, and there are probably twice as many left, if not more. There are large patches of clover, and another weed that produce rather nice and very tiny purple flowers. Where there is grass, most of it is dead (brown and straw-like), or it's twice the height of everything else.

Questions

I accept that I will probably have to start over, but before I do that, I would like to know what I can do to reduce the chance of this happening again.

I read somewhere that weeds tend to grow in places where grasses find it hard to grow. Does that mean my soil needs treatment? If so, with what?

When I dig up the soil, in places there's about 5cm of soil, and then nothing but sand. Is that a problem?

Note: I'm only interested in non-chemicals/organic solutions, though please feel free to explain that option as it might be useful for others :)

Update 1 - photos

Here are some photos I just took. I supposed it looks greener than I led on, but it's very patchy. If I were to mow it, you'd see it better. The dandelion heads I've been picking off whenever I see them.

Update 2 - Location and habits

I'm in The Netherlands and not near the coast, just in case that makes a difference.

I don't mow that often because our lawn mower isn't adjustable, and tends to cut quite short. Moreover, when I laid the turf I ended up with bumps. Only a few, but as you can imagine, the mower takes them right off. Also, there are patches where what looks like grass grows really fast, while the rest stagnates.