After building the house and clearing away the garbage, it's time to improve the area. I remembered my old dream of a lawn - a lawn with emerald grass, without beds with vegetables. Just next to the house there was free space that was not occupied by agricultural land. It was decided to give it to the lawn. I started reading information on this topic, then planning in what sequence to carry out the work and what seeds to plant. I want to say right away that laying a lawn takes many months. Personally, for me, all stages, from the beginning of excavation work to the contemplation of a decent-looking lawn, took about a year. I’ll tell you how it was for me - I’ll share my experience, which, I hope, will help novice “lawn growers” avoid many mistakes.
- 2 Step 2. Excavation work
- 3 Step 3. Herbicide treatment
- 4 Step 4. Fertilize the lawn
- 5 Step 5. Sowing seeds
- 6 Step 6. Caring for the first shoots
- 7 Step 7. Measures for caring for a young lawn
How to grow the perfect lawn on your property?
Prepare the ground. Decide what kind of lawn you want to see on your site. Sow appropriate seeds or lay down finished turf and then mow the grass with a lawn mower. It seems that it is not difficult, but in every case there are many secrets.
To create a lawn, it is not enough to mow the grass regularly. It must be grown, devoting no less effort to this matter than to cultivating cultivated plants. Of course, you cannot do without special knowledge. We will briefly describe the main stages of growing a beautiful lawn and tell you what tools you will need for this. The uninformed reader will be surprised to learn how much effort this business requires. But, oddly enough, the number of gardeners who are passionate about lawns is growing every year.
Video on the topic
How long does lawn grass grow after sowing? Answer in the video:
The germination time of lawn grass is influenced by many factors. Some of them cannot be eliminated by humans. But still, most of them are related to compliance with the rules for growing a green lawn.
A properly selected grass mixture and a carefully prepared site will ensure the success of the enterprise. And if you fail, you shouldn’t be too upset: only experienced agricultural technicians can get a good grass carpet the first time.
What happens
In trade, seed material for growing lawns is presented in the form of a mixture of grasses. It is selected taking into account the purpose of using the lawn. The mixture contains herbs with the characteristics necessary for further use. In some cases, monograsses are used to grow lawns.
In total, there are 7 types of herbs used for these purposes:
- Tall lawn grasses (narrow ironweed, creeping wheatgrass, awnless bromegrass, vicoleaf sainfoin). The height of these herbs can reach more than 1 m. This group of plants is distinguished by its tallness, light-loving nature and thick stems. The advantages of grasses of this type include rapid growth, but the disadvantage is the need for frequent mowing. The grass has to be mowed several times a month.
- Semi-upland lawn grasses (yellow alfalfa, meadow timothy, perennial ryegrass). The group includes medium-sized lawn grasses. Their stems are 50-100 cm high. After cutting, the grasses very quickly come to life and grow, creating a dense lawn carpet. This type of plant is used for seeding large lawns. Herbs combine harmoniously with garden flowers.
- Medium-sized lawn grasses (red fescue, meadow bluegrass, bentgrass). The height of the plants included in the group can reach 50-70 cm. They are distinguished by thin stems and strong bushiness. The advantage of herbs of this type is their ease of care.
- Low-growing lawn grasses (white clover, periwinkle, thyme). Plants belonging to this group are used to create dense, low-growing grass carpets. They are characterized by slow growth. Despite this, lawns made from these grasses require frequent mowing. They also need regular watering. Herbs from this group are used to create lawns only in a mixture. To create a dense canvas, grass is cut to a height of 4-5 cm. The main disadvantage of plants is the high cost of seed.
- Rhizomatous lawn grasses (white bentgrass, bluegrass, meadow foxtail). A feature of plants of this type is the rapid growth of roots, which contributes to the formation of many new shoots. The grass carpets made from them are distinguished by their density, which is preserved for many years.
- Loose-bush lawn grasses (meadow fescue, wild grass, rhizomatous wheatgrass). This group of plants includes grasses with a shallow root system. They differ in that they have only one tillering node. Due to the spreading nature of the grass bushes, their lawns have good density.
- Tap-root lawn grasses (horned grass, blue alfalfa, red clover). The plants have lush bushes, are easy to care for, and look beautiful in a single carpet of lawns.
What determines the time and quality of lawn germination?
Do you dream of a rich and saturated lawn on your property? This requires perennial, high-quality lawn seeds. We offer time-tested compositions of grass mixtures and pure grass, as well as free consultation with a specialist. "Lawn yard on Leninsky." Our telephone numbers in Moscow: +7.0 [email protected]
Lawn grass, which is now easy to buy not only in Moscow, but also in almost any region of Russia, does not always take root well in plots. Therefore, many novice gardeners are interested in the question: what exactly affects the germination of a lawn?
The timing and quality of lawn grass growth depend on many factors. First, you need to strictly distinguish between the concepts of “lawn germination” and “lawn survival.” Lawn grass takes root, which can be bought in ready-made rolls, and the germination rate of a lawn is an indicator that is characteristic only of a seeded lawn. As a rule, high germination of a lawn is guaranteed by grass mixtures that include high-quality lawn grass seeds of various types. It is important. “To get thick and beautiful lawn grass, you can buy several varieties of lawn seeds.” You don’t have to bother yourself with unnecessary difficulties and purchase a ready-made grass mixture. In Moscow you can find a huge number of its varieties. Any prepared grass mixture will be correctly calculated, and the lawn seeds in it will be composed taking into account the characteristics of the soil, as well as the region and purpose of the future lawn. However, some, trying to get a high-quality lawn in the shortest possible time, prefer to compose such mixtures themselves.
Lawn care in spring
A month after the procedures described above, the area is ready for sowing lawn grass. How to sow a lawn?
- A day before sowing, thoroughly wet the soil in the area using a sprinkler.
- For convenience, mix the seeds with sand and scatter them around the area. This must be done first in one direction (for example, along the site), and then in the other (across the site).
- After sowing, rake the seeds into the ground. Work, as when sowing, first in one direction, and then perpendicular.
- Compact the soil using a roller or, if no equipment is available, with your feet or a board.
For the first 2-3 weeks, until the lawn emerges, caring for it will consist of regular watering and removing weeds. Weeds should be removed immediately after they appear, being careful not to disturb the delicate root system of young grass. When the grass reaches 10 cm, you can mow it for the first time, removing half the height. Next, you need to care for a young lawn in the same way as an adult.
In spring lawn care, the most important agrotechnical procedures are scarification and aeration.
Lawn scarification
In the spring, after the snow has melted, the lawn usually presents a rather dull sight: dry grass and bald spots everywhere. How to help your lawn recover after winter? First aid - scarification.
Scarification (also called combing) is the removal of dry grass from the lawn, which prevents light and air from penetrating to the soil surface and roots. Scarification is carried out using ordinary rakes or using special devices - scarifiers. They walk across the lawn and comb out dry grass from the surface of the lawn. When removing grass, scratching (loosening) of the soil occurs at the same time.
After this procedure, the lawn warms up better, nutrients and oxygen reach the roots.
Soil deoxidation
If you have acidic soil on your site, then immediately after scarification, start deoxidizing it. The most gentle and effective way to reduce acidity levels is to add dolomite (limestone) flour. It, unlike lime - another popular means for soil deoxidation - not only neutralizes it, but also has another positive effect:
- improves the structure, increases its moisture and air capacity, which is especially useful for clay soil;
- activates the growth of roots and shoots;
- increases plant resistance to various diseases.
If you have heavy clay soil, then it is recommended to apply dolomite flour every year; for lighter soil, once every 2-4 years is enough. After scarification, sprinkle dolomite flour evenly over the surface of the lawn.
The application rates of dolomite flour also depend on the quality of the soil:
- heavy soils – 400-500 g per 1 sq.m;
- light soils – 200-250 g per 1 sq.m.
To determine what level of acidity your soil has, you don't need to take any complicated measurements. You just need to pay attention to the plants that grow there. One of the brightest indicators is moss. If it appears on your lawn with enviable regularity, you know: your soil is acidic.
Lawn aeration
Over time, the grass roots intertwine with each other and compact the soil. Because of this, plants begin to experience oxygen deficiency. The result is a dry lawn. To ensure access of oxygen to the roots, agrotechnical measures such as aeration are carried out. Its essence is to pierce compacted soil.
You can perform aeration with ordinary garden forks. The soil is pierced to the depth of the teeth and the forks are slightly rocked in different directions. Punctures are made in those places where the lawn dries out the most, or in places where water stagnates.
Throughout the life of your lawn, do not forget about such an important procedure as weeding. Remove weeds immediately after they appear. While the weeds are small, they can be easily pulled out without harming the lawn grasses.
Advantages over wild
Plants intended for creating lawns are characterized by rapid growth of shoots. This allows you to green up your lawn in a few weeks. The seedlings of such grasses form a dense turf layer with an attractive aesthetic layer. Contact with lawn grass causes a pleasant tactile sensation. They have a velvety surface and a rich, rich color.
Lawn grasses have the following advantages:
- take root quickly;
- have a high degree of resistance to various types of plant diseases;
- suppress weed growth;
- have lush bushes with rich colors.
Germination times for different types of lawn grass
The timing of lawn grass germination depends on the type. If you plant perennial ryegrass, the first greenery will appear 14 days after sowing. Literally in the third week the plant begins to bush. If you plant the crop in the fall, it will germinate by April. If the spring turns out to be cold, then the dates are pushed back to the beginning of May.
Red fescue is a type of lawn grass that is planted in the warm season. It is better to start sowing from May to September. In this case, seed germination is observed after 7–10 days. Often on sites you can find a lawn made of meadow bluegrass. Intensive growth begins only in the third year after planting. The first shoots appear no earlier than after 3 weeks.
Germination time depends on many factors, in particular the time of sowing. If the herbal mixture is planted in the summer, greenery will appear within 2 weeks. After planting in the spring, taking into account the risk of return of frost, a green carpet will form in 17–22 days. Autumn sowing ensures that seedlings appear a month later.
Germination times, depending on the type of lawn, are as follows:
- urban - 7–10 days;
- shadow - about 14 days;
- ground floor - 10–13 days;
- Moorish - 13–16 days;
- ordinary - about 20 days;
- wild - 22 days.
Drainage system.
The most popular, simple and at the same time the cheapest method of preventing excess moisture on the lawn is the so-called open drainage. To get it, you need to make small trenches along the edges of the site. In the future, excess moisture will be collected in these depressions, and from them will fall into the drainage basin. And yet, in addition to its obvious advantages, this principle of the drainage system also has its disadvantages. Such trenches take up quite a lot of space and significantly spoil the overall appearance of the lawn, and in addition, they require constant maintenance; they must be cleared from time to time and weeds must be removed from them.
“There is also closed drainage, which differs from open drainage in that sand and small crushed stone are poured into the trench.”
With such drainage, the thickness of the layers is usually from fifteen to thirty centimeters, regardless of the quality of the base.
The most modern and effective drainage method is the use of polymer pipes. Such a drainage system consists of special profiles of about one hundred millimeters in cross-section, which are buried to a depth determined by soil conditions.
Now our plot is ready, we have lawn grass in stock, which we managed to buy in advance, having carefully selected it. It's time to sow.
Summer lawn care
The main summer lawn care tasks are fertilizing, mowing and watering.
Lawn feeding
The purpose of summer feeding is to support the active growth of grass, give it a bright green color and help cope with adverse weather conditions. To do this, you need a special fertilizer designed specifically for lawns, such as the TerraSol lawn fertilizer (Spring-Summer), which contains minerals from natural lakes.
It contains many macro- and microelements: in addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, there is also magnesium, iron, manganese, boron, copper and zinc. The ideal ratio of nutrients in each granule helps to solve all the tasks at once:
- helps enhanced growth and tillering of lawn grasses;
- contributes to achieving a bright green color of the lawn over the entire area;
- gives strength to recover faster after exertion, such as mowing;
- increases the resistance of the grass cover to unfavorable external factors, such as drought.
Applying TerraSol lawn fertilizer is very simple: just sprinkle it evenly over the surface of the lawn and water the entire area generously. Application rate – 10-20 g of the drug per 1 sq.m. It is recommended to fertilize after every second mowing.
Lawn mowing
The main procedure in lawn care is mowing. How often should you mow your lawn? This depends on several factors.
So, each type of lawn has its own height. For example, an ideal parterre lawn should have a height of 1-2 cm, but a functional one, designed for children’s games, recreation, etc., should have a height of 4-7 cm. Therefore, a parterre lawn will have to be cut more often than a functional one.
In addition, the frequency of mowing depends on the time of year: in the spring, during the period of active growth, the lawn is mowed more often, in the summer - less often.
The frequency is also affected by the weather: in humid and warm periods the grass grows faster, and in drought it grows more slowly, which means it needs to be mowed less often.
Usually, to determine whether it is time to mow the lawn, they are guided by the following rule: if the grass reaches 10 cm in height, then it is time to use the lawn mower. With each mowing, no more than 1/3 of the height is cut off to make it easier for the grass to recover from this traumatic procedure.
