Does your lawn still look tired and sad? Winter can take it’s toll on your lawn, but we are well into summer and your lawn should have bounced back and fully recovered from the rigors of winter and be looking ...well GREAT!
But if it’s not...read on to find out how with a little bit of effort you can have that ‘perfect golf course lawn’. And I hope regenerate your sad, tired looking grass for very little money, then you’ll be the envy of your neighbours!
Why Have a Beautiful Lawn?
I adore looking at a golf course, and as I don’t play it’s NOT the golf that attracts my gaze it’s the green smooth grass, I like to see how far I can look before seeing a bump, weed or thistle...and it’s a long way! There is certainly something mesmerizing about a good lawn and it can really be the ‘icing on the cake’ that makes an ordinary garden be the envy of the neighborhood. I also know in many countries, the lawn is regarded in the same way as the BBQ in New Zealand, seriously considered ‘the man’s domain’ and many a wage packet and weekend is spent mowing, raking, fertilizing and watering that precious piece of lawn and it still looks like it’s having a bad hair day!
What type of grass do you have?
The amount of time you spend tending your lawn depends upon which type of grass you have or choose to have and the degree to which it has become an obsession, which has absolutely nothing to do with how much time or money, you can spare to look after your lawn. Grass is the ONLY plant I can think of that can grow restlessly over such a long period of time, we are talking years here. And grass is the World’s most popular ‘plant, but it’s the only plant that is subjected to SO much abuse by us, we really don’t respect our grass areas, infact we hardly even give the tough treatment we give our grass a second thought.
We trample all over it, we stomp around on it during rain and snow, we play games on it and a whole lot more and most of all we all still expect it to look green and lush. So what can you do to have your lawn the envy of the neighborhood and not break the bank?
There are two main cultivars of grass and many varieties within those cultivars:
Cool Season Grasses These are ideal for climates which have cool or mild summers and the have two main periods of growth, one in the spring and one in the autumn. They keep their green color even in extreme temperatures and grow in a very dense fashion rather like a carpet.
Warm Season Grasses These grow in warmer climates and their growing habit is different to that of cool season growth in that they have one long growing period usually from early spring until early autumn with ‘spurts’ f growth in between.
Is the Right Type of Grass in the Right Place?
One major factor that contributes for a sad looking lawn is the unrelenting treatment we give it, as I have pointed out we don’t respect it at all and we still expect it to bounce back, would your shrubs or vegetables do the same after you jump all over them especially after a good storm? The answer is a resounding NO!
Have you ever considered why a golf course looks SO good..it gets walked on constantly, even in the wettest weather or driest summers, yet there is not a bare patch or weed in sight, this is because the have the RIGHT type of grass for the amount of wear and tear it going to get, and they also manage their grass better then you!
Think a minute and consider the areas of your lawn and ask yourself this:
• Do the children play all over the lawn or in a designated area?
• Do you have dogs that, if they are like mine career around the house like a pack of demented wild wolves?
• Do you have a ‘quite’ area where there is a nice comfy bench that is a retreat for some peace and quite a reflection area?
• Is all your grass the same type and are you expecting it to perform to every bit of punishment you give it?
• Do you have a tough grass for those rough and tumble areas?
• Do you have a softer grass for those relaxing small traffic areas?
For low traffic areas a single blend of warm or cool season grass may be sufficient, it’s always good to check with the experts and buy your seed from a reputable source, any seedsman worth his salt will be able to give you the correct advice.
For heavy traffic areas you can purchase a blend of grasses that is basically a mix between warm season seed and cool season seed. This helps the overall area grow at different times, reducing the ‘bare’ patches caused by so much scuffing and pounding, golf courses, playing fields use a mixture like these.These ‘blends’ can be used to ‘over sow’ a very high traffic area and they ‘green up’ the whole area by growing at different times and at different rates especially through the cooler months.
How to Get your Lawn Looking Good
Before the invention of the lawn mower in 1830 lawns were managed by scythe cutting or by grazing animals, infact, the latter was were the word ‘lawn’ originated and today, we are pressured into keeping our lawn the ‘pride of the neighborhood’ by peer pressure from the neighbors for to have an unsightly ‘lawn’ has come to depict lack of wealth and social status. so what can you do with your ‘bad hair day’ lawn? Are you a constant mower?
One of the biggest mistakes in lawn maintenance is cutting it too short, we appear to have an obsession with mowing our lawn to within an inch of it’s life. All this habit achieves is to weaken the blades of grass, so eventually they get exhausted at the constant struggle for growth.
So over a period of time the blades become thinner and thinner and eventually just die. This then makes gaps in the soil, and the Earth was not intended to be left bare, this is why Mother Nature invented weeds, so this is exactly what happens, the weeds occupy the vacant lot.
Mowing Rules:
• Set your blades to 2.5cm MINIMUM and don’t over mow - a once over should leave the blades long enough to regenerate to be thicker, more vigorously and stronger. the end result will form a thick healthy covering and allow the roots to produce a wider, stronger ground base which overtime will be able to dig deeper into the ground.
• Never mowing when lawn is wet or damp, this tears the blaeds out of the ground and yes, you’ve guess it, the then weeds move in.
• Alternating the direction of cut each time you mow. I remember my father going all out for the striped effect, this is NOT what I mean. Mow all the grass in one direction once, put the mower away. Next time you cut your grass mow in the opposite direction. There is nothing to stop you mowing frequently this actually encourages new growth, its when you ‘scalp’ the grass that the damage is done.
• Rake up the majority of the grass, leave a little covering so it can return it’s goodness back into the ground and the earthworms will love you too!
A Good Maintenance Routine
Grass has a surge of new growth in spring, like all plants. this makes spring the ideal time to rake over the whole area, removing any dead patches, mosses and weeds and reseeding the ‘bare’ patches.
Raking the grass with a ‘spring box rake’, this is a fine wire rake which is shaped like a fan. It will remove all the loose dead grass, moss and surface weeds and give the stronger grass a good fluff up. This is best done in late winter, so then early spring growth can rejuvenate the whole area . This is a process known as ‘dethatching’.
Reseeding the bare patches is best done late winter/early spring. How to reseed and area:
• Remove any dead grass, runners (long roots) and weeds from the patches.
• Then loosen the surface of the soil just a little no digging required.
• Mix your seed with a little sand and scatter liberally but evenly over the patches.
• Gently press the seed into the soil, so the seeds make contact with it, use the back of the spade and give it a good hard pat, or do a clog dance around the area!
• Keep the area just dark damp until germinated then weekly deep water to encourage the roots to seek out the moisture making them stronger. If you water little but often the grass will grow weaker and the roots won’t spread out in search of the moisture they need.
• Put over netting to stop the birds thieving the seed, raise this at least six inches off the ground or they will still be able to peck the seeds out!
• When the new growth has reached 10cm give it a quick ONCE over mow with the blades on the highest setting this will also encourage strong root growth.
Aerating and Scarifying Aerating is making small holes in the ground, and scarifying is making cuts or scratches in the surface, you can use either method. For aerating borrow some spiked golf shoes if you don’t want to use a fork and run around like a mad thing (or get the kids too!) or hire a push spiked lawn aerator.
This is a good thing to do in late winter as the holes created break up the compaction of soil from the rain and winter cold weather. Heavy traffic areas will benefit from this process several times a year depending upon just how heavy the traffic is. Once you have your hole, then scatter coarse dry sand over the whole area it will flow into the holes and act as drainage plugs.
Feeding should be done at the beginning of each season. Try using a worm tea for established lawns and/or a seaweed tea for new growth as it encourages strong root development.(This is best done monthly for new growth). Dilute them down until the color of weak ‘tea’. Wait until after a good rain, so the grass has got a good drink first, use a watering can and drench the area evenly.
Follow these simple suggestions and your lawn should be the pride of the neighborhood is no time at all and the money you save you can buy a deck chair and a crate of beers and enjoy the results:)
A former ER Nurse with over 15 years experience is now a healer of The Earth. I have now dedicated my life to tending my piece of paradise and returning the chemical torn landscape back to its former glory with lovingly applied organic principles and tender loving care. I am on a quest to help share my knowledge of organic vegetable growing, so you and others may feel the goodness of Mother Nature and eat her bountiful gifts.
