To get a beautiful lawn it is not necessary to use a lot of chemicals. Careful irrigation, mowing and fertilization allow you to grow a lawn that is resilient enough to deal with disease, weeds and drought on its own. If you still have problems despite all this, you can restore your lawn to perfect health by changing the composition of the soil or the techniques with which you take care of the garden.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Taking Care of a New Lawn
Step 1. Prepare the growing area
If you haven't laid your lawn yet, read this step-by-step guide or follow the basic instructions below to get started:
- Remove old grass and weeds using a hoe or sod cutter. Do not apply herbicides.
- Creates a slope of about 1-2% away from the buildings.
- Improve the soil if necessary and gently spread out some starter fertilizer with a rake.
- Water the soil and wait a week for it to stabilize.
- Fill a garden roller one third of its capacity with water and slowly walk all over the ground.
Step 2. Choose the type of grass
Take your time to find the right type of weed. It will be easier to take care of your lawn if you find the right one for the climate you live in, the type of soil and the use you want to make of it. Research different species, don't limit yourself to grass for "cold climates" and grass for "warm climates".
- You also need to decide whether you prefer to grow your lawn from seeds or turf. It is easier and cheaper to start from seeds, but you have to wait several months before you can use the lawn. If you want to get the lawn as soon as possible, you will have to invest time and effort.
- The sod should be moist with no dry or cracked areas.
Step 3. Lay the new lawn
Divide the surface into sections to make your job easier. Follow these instructions:
- To plant the seeds: use a seeder and distribute half of the seeds you have available in parallel rows; spread the other half in rows perpendicular to the first ones. Use the rake to loosen 3mm of soil over the seeds slightly.
- To lay the clods: arrange them from one end to the other in a staggered manner, as if you were laying bricks. Trim the edges to fit the sod to fit the space available using a utility knife.
Step 4. Water the new lawn
Follow the directions outlined here to keep it healthy:
- Seeds: wet them immediately after burying them, but very gently, to avoid washing them off. Repeat this operation every other day until you see the first blades of grass appear; it will take about 10-14 days from sowing.
- Clods: water them abundantly early in the morning for 10 days, until the soil underneath is well impregnated.
Step 5. Don't step on the new lawn
Avoid walking on new clods during the first week and be gentle throughout the first month. The clods take a long time to stabilize. Stay away until you see the first herb appear; afterward, try to use the lawn as gently as possible for about six months.
- Once the grass has grown about 5 to 8 cm, go around the lawn with a garden roller.
- Do not cut it until it has reached 7.5-10 cm; at that point, mow it no more than 1.3 cm every few days until the lawn looks healthy and well-stabilized.
Part 2 of 3: Taking Care of a Preserved Lawn
Step 1. Wet it infrequently but with plenty of water
The deep roots keep the lawn healthy and lush. You need to encourage root growth by watering a lot, so wait for the first layer of soil (about 5cm deep) to dry again before watering again. The exact weekly water dosage depends on the climatic conditions and the variety of grass. A good general rule of thumb is to provide 2.5-3cm of water per week, during the growing season, and increase to 5cm when the weather is dry and hot.
- Water during the late afternoon or early morning to reduce water evaporation.
- To figure out how many inches of water the sprinklers release, have open containers around the garden. Run the irrigation system for 20 minutes and measure the depth of the water collected in the various vessels. Multiply the average depth by three and you will get inches of water per hour.
Step 2. Leave the lawn in a dormant state (optional)
Many varieties of grass survive the hot, dry summer climate by entering a dormant state. The blades of grass turn brown, but the underground part lives on for months. If the lawn wilts and turns brown, even if you water it often, it is best to leave it in this state, instead of trying all possible remedies.
Most dormant lawns don't need water. If the soil is extremely dry or the variety of grass you have chosen does not thrive in hot climates, wet the lawn with 6-12mm of water every 2-4 weeks
Step 3. Set the mower at the highest possible height
This typically means cutting the grass 9-10cm high. In this way, the blades of grass shade the ground, stopping weeds from growing and promoting beneficial microbes. By keeping the grass taller, the roots also have a chance to grow better, thus making the lawn more resistant to disease. When finished, leave the cut grass on the lawn so that it returns all the nutrients to the soil.
- Never cut the grass when it is wet. If it is slippery it could cause accidents, in addition to the fact that the mower does not always work properly in these conditions.
- Sharpen the mower blade after about 10 hours of mowing or if freshly cut grass appears frayed with brown tips.
- If you don't like the look of the grass cut like this, reduce the height to 5 cm. Some varieties are better suited to this cut than others, but all are generally healthier at a height of around 7.5cm or more.
- Never cut grass more than a third of its height at a time. In the spring, you will probably have to mow it every two or three days to keep it the correct size.
Step 4. Choose the fertilizer
The three numbers you see on the product packaging indicate the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium present, in that order. Nitrogen is the most important element for the lawn and should be present in greater quantities than the other two (the ideal is a 3: 1: 2 ratio). Avoid fertilizers with values greater than 10, as they can easily burn grass.
- Ideally, you should choose a blend consisting of 30-50% slow release fertilizer and the remaining 70-50% fast release product. This way, the soil gets an immediate boost, but at the same time additional nutrients are added over the next few weeks.
- Organic fertilizer is better than synthetic fertilizer as it keeps the soil in healthier conditions.
Step 5. Fertilize the lawn
If you don't have a fertilizer spreader, you can rent one from a company that rents agricultural equipment. A teardrop diffuser is more effective for a small lawn. The rotary fertilizer saves you time if you have to use it for a large lawn, but it must be kept away from lawn edges, water sources and vegetable gardens or flower gardens to avoid polluting. Follow the instructions regarding the use of the machinery and those reported on the fertilizer package, applying 0, 5 kg of nitrogen every 100 m2. Repeat the treatment once a year, preferably in late autumn, when the colder weather favors the growth of roots rather than that of blades of grass.
- To avoid uneven fertilizer distribution, set the diffuser to half the recommended power and walk the lawn twice, in directions perpendicular to each other.
- If you want a perfect lawn, you need to fertilize two or three times during the growing season. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to burn the soil or cause it to develop too quickly by making the wrong fertilization strategy. For best results, contact your local agriculture department for advice.
Step 6. Ventilate your garden in the spring or fall
Remove chunks of soil once a year using an aerator with 13mm diameter tips. Remove pieces of soil to a depth of 7-8 cm by moving the tool all over the lawn until you have moved 88 clods per square meter. This operation prevents the soil from compacting, prevents diseases and the accumulation of the felt.
Air the soil when it is fairly dry, but not too dry to prevent the tips of the tool from penetrating
Part 3 of 3: Troubleshoot a Sick Lawn
Step 1. Manage the water drainage
If water accumulates in one spot in the garden, the soil may be clayey or the slope may be excessive. Water the lawn with the usual amount of water, but dividing it into two sessions. Wet the soil with half of the water, wait an hour to allow for drainage, and then sprinkle the second half. Stick to this technique for all areas where buildup is a problem.
- Clayey and heavy soils need even more abundant but less frequent irrigation than normal lawns.
- Air your lawn to reduce this if you feel the ground is firm and dense.
Step 2. Manage the drought
If the grass withers, turns gray, purple, blue, or does not return to its normal position after being walked on, it means it is suffering from water shortages. Increase watering with each session.
Lawns can also become dry due to sandy soil draining water too quickly before the grass roots can absorb it. Water the sandy areas more frequently, but decreasing the amount of water for each irrigation
Step 3. Fight off weeds
Whenever possible, get rid of weeds without using chemicals to avoid pollution or damage to surrounding plants. Tear them off by hand whenever you see them. If you have a severe infestation, try to identify the unwanted species of grass and seek advice from local gardeners or your municipality's agriculture department. Most weeds can be eliminated by changing the way you care for your lawn, such as cutting the grass to a greater height or changing the watering schedule.
- If you decide to use a herbicide, always follow the instructions on the package to the letter. Follow specific recommendations based on the type of weed present for best results. When choosing a herbicide to treat a present infestation, take a post-emergence one. Selective products kill only a certain type of weeds, while non-specific products also attack the grass on your lawn; for this reason, they must be applied with precision.
- If you use a spreader or other similar tool to spread the herbicide, remember that residues will remain inside the tool and that the product could reach areas that are not part of the lawn.
Step 4. Fight off insects and parasites
If Phyllophaga larvae, beetles, or other pests are decimating your lawn, the best thing to do is change the way you care for your grass. An experienced gardener or ASL's agriculture department can give you great tips for fighting local pests and provide you with more information on the ones that are ruining your garden. Pesticides and insecticides should be your last resort, as they also kill beneficial microbes and earthworms. If you have decided to use them anyway, strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Pesticides can also be toxic to the person who sprinkles them. Wear protective gear as indicated on the package. After applying the product, wash your skin and clothes thoroughly before eating, drinking or smoking
Step 5. Prevent the accumulation of the felt
It is a spongy layer of brown organic material that settles on the lawn; it becomes a problem when its thickness exceeds 12-13 mm. Hire a scarifier to break up the felt and then let it decompose on the ground. Once it has decomposed, spread a thin layer of soil on the lawn, but make sure you use the same type of soil you planted the grass in.
- Remove the felt only in early autumn or in the very first days of spring. Do not remove it if it does not exceed the thickness of 12-13 mm.
- Accumulation of this substance can cause poor soil drainage. If you aerate the soil as described in the previous section, you can solve the problem.
- Contrary to popular belief, cut grass does not contribute to the formation of the felt.
Step 6. Adjust the pH and nutrients of the soil
In many areas, the soil is too acidic and must be sprinkled annually with calcium carbonate pellets. If you want to be more precise, do a soil pH test and apply the correct product to bring it between 6.0 and 7.0. The test kit may also be able to detect any nutrient deficiencies, such as a low concentration of phosphorus or iron, which can be reversed using suitable fertilizers or additives.
- You can use calcium carbonate at any time of the year.
- If the soil is too alkaline, lower the pH with sulfur-based garden products.
Step 7. Treat lawn diseases
The instructions described so far allow you to have a healthy and disease resistant herb. However, if you notice that your lawn is staining or showing other signs, you need to be able to identify the specific disease and ask expert gardeners for advice on the most common ones in your area. Here are a couple of tactics to get rid of the most common problems:
- Avoid overwatering the grass. The lawn should never be impregnated with swampy areas.
- Eliminate dew drops with a quick spray of water or by moving the garden hose on the grass. In some cases, it could be a sugary liquid secreted by plants which, however, can favor bacterial proliferation.
Step 8. Do not step on the grass during the winter or when the lawn is ailing
Whenever the garden appears damaged, try to reduce the passage on it (both people and machinery) until it is back in optimal condition. The same is true during winter frosts which make the grass particularly vulnerable.
Advice
- Instead of picking up fallen leaves in the fall with a rake, go over them with your lawnmower. Just like grass clippings, shredded leaves will also compact on the ground and become compost.
- Mulching mowers are the best. In fact, they do not push the cut grass to the sides, but keep it under the machine table; in this way, the blades of grass are finely chopped until the blades can no longer catch them and remain on the ground as mulch or compost.
- Calcium carbonate in pellets costs more, but is much easier to apply.
- Sprinkle some herbicide in the spring to prevent thin dogwood from growing without using fertilizer.
- Rake the lawn to collect dead grass. Do not use a shovel and do not lower the mower blades, otherwise you will tear the live roots.
