[boosmummy]

odd question what type of grass would this be?

[mikem]

I know this isn't helpful as I don't know the answer but from walking in the countryside it seems to appear when the land is waterlogged!

[Ice]

I think mikem is correct.  Have a look at this.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=65

[boosmummy]

both of these would make sense because the land has been waterlogged!! do you think this is going to be a problem for me?

[Christine]

If the land is waterlogged, it may be that the water table is high in which case you will always have water near the surface.

Otherwise you need to find the source of the water so that you can divert it and put in good drainage (heavy work, hard going and time consuming but worth doing if you are determined to work this area).

Then you will need to do a lot of soil improvement as if the patch has been waterlogged for a period (looks like it has with that amount of growth), in my opinion the soil will be on the sour side and won't be productive till improved.

Often an area like that is surrounded by other patches in an equal state and if these are not improved you could be thinking of gardening in the wrong place.

[boosmummy]

If the land is waterlogged, it may be that the water table is high in which case you will always have water near the surface.

Otherwise you need to find the source of the water so that you can divert it and put in good drainage (heavy work, hard going and time consuming but worth doing if you are determined to work this area).

Then you will need to do a lot of soil improvement as if the patch has been waterlogged for a period (looks like it has with that amount of growth), in my opinion the soil will be on the sour side and won't be productive till improved.

Often an area like that is surrounded by other patches in an equal state and if these are not improved you could be thinking of gardening in the wrong place.

thanks for this and everyone else advice too.

the allotments have put new drainage systems that drain down into the local river.  in terms of other patches, they dont seem to be as waterlogged because they have grass growing on the not rushes, some people said they have rushes cut them back and then they have been fine since.

xx