Lawn & order
Now’s a great time to get that rampant lawn sorted, writes
SPRING IS when suddenly our lawn springs into life. After a couple of months when we have not had to do much lawn mowing, the grass abruptly takes off.
Sowing
Lawn grasses establish best in either spring, from September to November, or autumn, from March to the end of May. The soil is warming and spring rain is providing moisture so now is the time to get cracking if you want to redo your lawn this year.
A really good lawn can be obtained only by intensive soil preparation before sowing; once the lawn is established, it is difficult to level off an uneven surface or eradicate undesirable grass and weed species.
Initial preparation
First step is to remove all existing pasturetype growth. Most grasses and perennial weeds are effectively controlled with glyphosate-based sprays such as Grosafe Glyphosate, Yates Zero or Roundup.
If topsoil has been brought onto the site, it is advantageous not to sow immediately but to leave bare for around two to three weeks (or longer), allowing any weed seed present to germinate which can then be sprayed with an appropriate weedkiller depending on the weed type.
It is important at this stage to consider drainage. Most grasses prefer a welldrained loam or sandy loam soil rather than heavier, wetter soils. Good drainage means better penetration of water and air to the grassroots.
On some very heavy soils, it is wise to import some sandy loam soil, spreading it over the area 8-10cm deep and incorporating it into the topsoil. In extremely wet situations, permanent drainage may need to be installed. If soil is added, you may need to destroy any secondary emerging weed seedlings.
It is worth putting time into preparing the soil to the correct levels and contours. The soil should be worked up to a depth of about 8cm using a rotary hoe or garden fork until it is a fine tilth.
Grass health and fertiliser
Like all plants, regular feeding will keep grass in good health and the turf thick and more resistant to the invasion of weeds. Fertilising in spring and autumn will ensure grass remains strong and healthy.
In heavier soils, it is beneficial to also fertilise with Garden Lime once a year in August or September, two to three weeks prior to the application of lawn fertiliser.
When sowing a new lawn, use fertiliser Tui Lawn Force for New Lawns. This fertiliser has been formulated for application when sowing seed and for young grass.
Selecting and sowing seed
There is a wide range of seed blends
GARDENING
available to suit the particular requirements or the situation. A calm day is best when sowing grass seed, as the seed is small and light. To assist in achieving an even sowing it is recommended you divide the seed into halves and then spread the first half in one direction and the other half at right angles to it.
After sowing, the soil surface should be lightly raked. The soil surface should be kept moist with light watering until seedlings have germinated and are well established. Water the lawn less frequently as the seedlings grow stronger; this encourages the roots to grow deeper.
It is very important that young, germinated lawn seed is kept moist otherwise it will die. If watering may be a problem it would be wise to sow your lawn in small sections over a few weeks. This may seem more intensive but it is better than having patchy germination over the whole lawn because of inadequate watering.
Establishment care
Watering should be cut down to once a week and when grass is 3.5-4cm high it should be mown lightly and clippings removed. Ensure your mower blades are sharp for a clean cut. The first mow should not remove more than 10 per cent of the height of the grass. After the third or fourth mow, the cutting height can be gradually reduced. After the first or second mow, the lawn should be fertilised. Putting in the hard work now will have you relaxing and enjoying your lawn in the months to come.