Sowing lawn grass in the spring with your own hands. When to Plant Lawn Grass and How to Get the Best Germination

The lawn is one of the most important parts of any green space, because in its absence, decorating the site with ornamental plants can be quite problematic.

In addition, lawn grass makes general form landscape more aesthetic.

The role of lawns in the country

Before you start decorating a site with a lawn, you need to clearly define what functions it will perform. For example, the lawn is often used not only for decorative purposes, but also for a kind of recreation area.

The lawn is divided into several various kinds, each of which has its own special characteristics, which must be taken into account when making your decision.

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Main types

Lawn types:

Parterre. Thanks to its soft green saturated shade ideal for site decoration. It requires careful maintenance, which can take a lot of time.
Sports. Great for decorating places where people often go (for example, a recreation area). The grasses that make up such a lawn are characterized by resistance to trampling and the ability to quickly recover from damage. They have a fairly high cost.
The most common types include garden a lawn characterized by a dense grass cover that is resistant to damage. These types of lawns are used, in most cases, for large areas where picnics or walks are arranged.
Universal the lawn can be applied at the decision practically of any problems. It is easily repaired, does not require special care, has good durability. A shady lawn deserves special attention, the grasses of which can grow in the shade of trees and shrubs.

What is lawn grass

It is an artificially created grass cover, which was grown using specially selected herbs.

It is an excellent backdrop for park structures and plantings, looks great as a separate element of landscape design.

When planting a lawn, it is worth remembering that it can evaporate moisture quite strongly, which will significantly affect the increase in air humidity in general.

Just for this reason, the air temperature in the area with the lawn can be much lower than in other parts of the garden.

In addition, it is worth recalling that a layer of good dense grass is excellent. According to scientists, the lawn is able to relieve stress and soothe.

Stage one - planning

Before boarding lawn grass it is important to properly plan the placement of the future lawn.

illumination

The lawn can be located almost anywhere: in a brightly lit place or in the shade, on horizontal surface and on slopes (retaining walls will be required), on clay or sandy soils.

Ideally, the lawn is recommended to be placed in partial shade or in the sun, since grasses are unlikely to take root in a too dark place. Unless if you purchase special shade-loving ground cover varieties that require little or no special care.

It is important to choose the right place for the lawn

terrain

Naturally, in this case, more effort and time will have to be spent on arranging the place, because along the entire slope or slope it will be necessary to lay a sufficiently large layer of fertile soil that will not collapse or crawl.

For these purposes, special strong meshes can be used. They are carefully fixed on the slopes, so that they can support the ground.

If the height of the soil is 25-30 centimeters, then the grid is recommended to be laid at least twice. Also, when buying, you should purchase special types herbs that can be planted on large slopes.

Site selection and preparation

A place for planting a lawn should be chosen in advance, taking into account the herbs that make up its composition. It is undesirable to choose areas that are too shady, unless we are talking about a special, shady lawn.

A beautiful flower that will decorate any summer cottage, reproduction and other useful information found in our article.

Modern summer residents choose meadow bluegrass for the lawn - selection features quality seeds herbs and bluegrass in the ground.

Weed control

To begin with, you should carefully clean the selected area from debris, weeds, stumps and snags. Manually completely getting rid of all weeds is quite difficult, so many gardeners use herbicides (chemicals).

Digging and leveling the surface

The next step in creating a lawn involves digging the earth to a depth of about 20 centimeters. In the process of digging from the ground, be sure to remove all debris.

At the end, they try to level the surface, otherwise lawn care will be very problematic.

soil fertilization

After the soil is thoroughly dug up, it must be fertilized. To do this, you can use any universal fertilizer. If the soil is clayey or sandy, peat and black soil are perfect for enriching its composition.

If the surface layer is not compacted, then cavities and tubercles may form on it in the future, which will interfere with walking.

Sowing time

The lawn can be sown at almost any time of the year, with the exception of winter, planting lawn grass in spring and autumn is most preferable.

You can sow on the May holidays, you can in the summer, and you can also in autumn months, which will allow you to get a dense green cover by the next season.

Separately, it is worth talking about the autumn sowing. It is recommended to sow grass mixture either in early September, or plant grass in frozen ground before the appearance of snow cover.

In the first case, the plants will have time to sprout before frost, which will allow them to be processed in time before wintering. In the second case, the seeds will have time to acquire resistance to diseases during the winter.

In addition, in favor autumn sowing there are several more reasons. The earth at this moment is well moistened and warmed up, and there are much fewer weeds than in spring. Thanks to this, the lawn has time to germinate and acquire a strong root system even before the onset of frost.

Lawn grass sowing technology

Grass seeds

According to many experienced gardeners The best way to sow lawn grass is to mix the seeds with sand. Also, for uniform sowing, you can use a special seeder.

If there is no seeder, then the seeds can be sown by hand, first along the plot, then across. For one square meter the area will need about 30-40 grams of seeds.

Then the seeds should be slightly buried in the ground with a rake, after which they can be sprinkled with a layer of peat mixture 1.5 centimeters high.

Next, you need to walk along the lawn with a roller to gently press the seeds into the ground. Crops are carefully watered daily for a week with small-drop irrigation. Due to this, the sprouts will receive the necessary moisture, and the water will not erode the ground.

Lawn sowing machine

Video clip about lawns - when to plant lawn grass in the country and how to do it right with your own hands:

grass care

Lawn care includes the following:

. Due to the timely haircut, an attractive appearance of the lawn is maintained.
. It is obligatory during the period of the most intensive grass growth, after weeding and mowing.
weeding. No matter how carefully the soil is prepared for planting lawn grass, weeds will germinate sooner or later. Hand weeding is the most difficult but most reliable method of weed control.
. In order for lawn grasses to grow and develop normally, they need regular fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.
Cleaning. This event includes the cleaning of dry grass and foliage in the autumn season. In the spring, cleaning is combined with combing the turf.

Shearing is an important factor for a beautiful, even field.

Lawn fertilization

Watering - at least once a week

Things to remember

In the first year, there is no need to apply too large doses of fertilizer. Young plants will be enough for those nutrients that are already in the soil.

The sown seeds must be watered very carefully, making sure that the soil is moistened, but at the same time the soil does not erode and the seeds do not float. Sowing lawn grass is best done at a time when the ground is still quite wet.

Lawn care and the choice of its location depends on the variety of selected grasses. It is best to sow in the autumn, which will allow you to get stronger plants without an abundance of weeds.

Nowadays, the lawn has become popular not only in city parks and squares. More and more summer residents give preference to him, taking away a place from traditional beds and bringing to life comfort zones recreation. The lawn is an integral element of landscape design, linking together flower beds, compositions from bushes and krupnomerov. Due to the property of lawn grasses to evaporate a large amount of moisture, even on hot days, a comfortable microclimate is maintained on the green lawn. In the article, we will consider not only how to plant a lawn with our own hands in the country, but also how to properly care for it throughout the year.

The choice of grass for the lawn

There is a wide variety of lawn grasses, each designed for specific operating conditions. To achieve the desired result, it is not enough just to read the name of the herbal mixture on the package, you must carefully study its composition, having a clear idea of the properties of each herb in its composition.

According to functionality, it is customary to divide lawns into three types:

decorative;
sports;
specialized.

Grass for sports turf

As the name implies, such lawns are planted on sports and playgrounds.

They differ:

resistance to mechanical damage;
resistance to trampling;
fast recovery.

It is for this reason that most summer residents choose these grass mixtures for their plots. But it should be borne in mind that ryegrass is always present in their composition, which dies during cold winters. Therefore, in northern regions it is advisable to abandon it or be ready to re-sow every spring.

As a rule, the following set is present in a sports grass mixture:

perennial ryegrass. It germinates most quickly, has a bright green color that persists throughout the season;
meadow bluegrass. It withstands both heat and cold very well. Forms a dense cover that perfectly resists trampling;
red fescue. This is the least demanding cereal with good frost resistance;
meadow fescue. In most cases, it is the least in the composition of the mixture, since it does not resist trampling well, but at the same time it responds well to mowing.

The sports turf should be planted as thickly as possible, at least 50 grams per 1 m2 is recommended. In areas with increased load, this rate doubles and is already at least 100 grams per m2.

The best time to plant it is early autumn.

Grass for a specialized lawn

These grass mixtures are used for landscaping roadsides, industrial facilities, etc. Their direct purpose is to absorb dust and purify the air. Therefore, you should choose the least demanding herbs that are able to filter polluted air and be resistant to burning.

They include:

awnless rump. This is an undemanding cereal that easily tolerates drought and frost;
shoot-forming bent grass. It is optimal for those areas that cannot be mowed often, as it slowly recovers after mowing. It does not tolerate drought, but is extremely hardy.

Grass for decorative lawn

Decorative lawn, in turn, is divided into three types:

meadow. As the name suggests, it mimics a natural grassland landscape with a large combination of herbs, wildflowers and some weeds;
ordinary. Consists of several herbal mixtures. In the softness of the turf, it is inferior to the parterre lawn, but surpasses the sports one. A lawn from an ordinary grass mixture is able to withstand light loads, but will require regular self-care;

parterre. These are elite lawns that are extremely demanding for care. They are meant only to be admired. Parterre lawns are unstable even to minimal loads, as they consist of one type of grass, which has exclusively decorative functions. Therefore, it is often placed in front of the main facade of the house as a rich green background for flower, tree or shrub arrangements.

separate from all moorish lawn . It is characterized by the widest composition of herbs: clover, cereals, wild flowers and many other herbs. It is sown only once in the middle of spring (depending on the weather conditions of the region), and then it propagates independently - by self-sowing. Such a do-it-yourself lawn does not require regular mowing.

In addition to the classic mixtures of cereal grasses, there are lawns of chamomile, clover, thyme or yarrow.

Recommended composition of grass for certain areas:

for a shaded area, the composition of herbs is suitable: meadow fescue 60%, white bent grass 20%, meadow bluegrass 20%. Or red fescue 50%, perennial ryegrass 25%, bluegrass meadow 25%;
for a plot in the open sun, you should choose a herbal mixture of bentgrass shoots 60% and comb 30%;
for full shade, shoot-forming bent grass is intended;
a mixture of: meadow bluegrass 60% and red fescue 40% is planted along the fence.

It is also worth mentioning the rolled lawns. There is a misconception that this is an option for the lazy. In fact, it requires exactly the same serious soil preparation as a regular seed lawn. The only difference is that with the help of a rolled lawn, a ready-made thick turf is immediately obtained.

When buying domestic grass mixtures, one must be prepared for the fact that fodder cereals will certainly be added to their composition. Also, the presence of a certain amount of weeds is not ruled out.

Lawn location plan on the site and soil preparation for it

Before you plant a lawn, you need to carry out a number of preparatory work.

First of all, even before preparing the land, a plan is drawn for the location of the lawn on the site. It is important to take into account the location of flower beds, trees, small architectural forms etc. This is necessary so that in the future there are no problems with mowing the lawn.

Stages of soil preparation for the lawn:

cleaning the area under the lawn from debris, which includes branches, stones and various household waste. This must be done with high quality, without dropping anything into the ground;
remove all unnecessary trees and shrubs;
clear of weeds. There are several ways to do this:

the first is regular weeding by hand. To do this, in the spring, the earth is watered abundantly in order to accelerate the growth of the weed, after which they are weeded and the earth is carefully shed again. This will need to be done several times;
in the second case, any aggressive green manure, for example, rye, is planted in the fall. In the spring, she will come out first, and will “strangle” most of the weeds. It must be dug up at the stage of young shoots and embedded in the ground. It will not only help to cope with most of the weeds, but also additionally loosen and enrich the land;
the third way is to remove weeds with herbicides. The most popular of these is roundup. But it negatively affects any vegetation, so today chemicals have appeared that only remove weeds without harming lawn grass;

prepared land is dug up. If necessary, bring a new one fertile soil, for the development of a good turf, its layer of 10 cm thick is enough. At the same stage, mineral complex fertilizers are introduced;

Now it's time for alignment. With the help of a rake, all lumps and cavities are broken and leveled;
the ground leveled under the lawn is tightly compacted with a roller. If cultivated big square, then it is most rational to rent a special ice rink from any landscape gardening company. When arranging small area, you can do it on your own, for example, using a barrel of water or making a skating rink out of a log;

before sowing seeds, the surface of the earth must again be slightly loosened with a rake and covered with a film for a couple of months. Due to this, some of the remaining weeds will pereperet and die.

How to sow a lawn with your own hands

It is best to sow grass mixtures at the end of spring in calm and dry weather, which will ensure uniform distribution seeds on the soil surface.

Today, for uniform sowing of lawn grasses, special devices- seeders.

Their absence does not matter, all the work can be done manually.

Stages of work:

for the convenience of work, the lawn is visually divided into longitudinal strips. At first, the grasses are sown moving along them, without missing even a small area. And then they go across. In this way, a uniform and dense distribution of seeds is obtained;

now the seeds must be protected from birds and possible erosion by rain. To do this, they are slightly buried with a rake into the ground. Here it is very important to do all the work carefully so as not to disturb the sowing density;

to speed up the germination of the lawn, it is not enough, just to rely on weather conditions. Be sure to water it immediately. First, it must be shed at least 5 cm, but at the same time make sure that puddles do not form. In the future, it will also be necessary to ensure regular watering, the frequency of which depends on the season.

Mistakes when creating a lawn and caring for it

Wrong choice of grass mixture

Before buying, you need to have a clear idea of the conditions in which the lawn will be used. As well as the features of the herbs in its composition.
You should not choose a lawn intended for open sun and plant it in the shade.
Not all grasses that go in ready-made lawns can winter even in middle lane Russia. It is important to consider that in the spring they will no longer ascend.

Wrong timing for sowing

Sowing in autumn before winter is possible only in the southern regions of Russia. Otherwise, the lawn seeds will freeze out, not having time to gain strength before winter. Or the early spring frosts kill young shoots.
Spring is also not the best time. Since along with a young lawn, weeds will begin to sprout in large numbers.

Tip: The best time to sow lawn grass seeds is late summer.

Mistakes in care that lead to the formation of moss

Due to the fact that it disrupts air circulation, the lawn begins to turn yellow and die in this place.

Reasons for the appearance of moss:

very short regular lawn mowing;
swampiness of the site;
acidic soil;
high soil density;
round-the-clock shading;
insufficient amount of nutrients.

But all these troubles can be corrected by determining by the type of moss what the lawn lacks:

undersized or creeping moss - lack of sunlight and high soil moisture;
tall moss indicates too acidic soil;
dense, small size and low islands of moss - a sign of too short a haircut.

To prevent this, the lawn needs constant maintenance, consisting of combing, fertilizing and piercing to improve aeration.

Untimely application of nitrogen fertilizers

Nitrogen helps to stimulate the growth of the above-ground, green part of the lawn, it is useful as a spring top dressing. But it will be a mistake to apply it in the fall, thereby reducing the winter hardiness of the turf.

Tip: at the end of autumn, it is necessary to apply a complex of fertilizers from phosphorus and potassium, which help strengthen the roots.

Improper lawn mowing

Too short - will weaken the lawn, making it more vulnerable to diseases and weeds;
it is not recommended to cut more than one third of the plant height for simultaneous mowing. In a severely neglected case, the haircut is performed in several stages at intervals of a couple of days. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the lawn to recover;
do not mow the lawn after rain, as it is more susceptible to damage when it is wet.

Wrong actions when preparing the lawn for winter

There is an opinion that the cut grass and foliage left on the lawn for the winter will protect its roots from frost. But it will hurt him more than help. Dense turf does not need this kind of protection, but fungi can develop on the left greenery, which will cause plant diseases. In addition, such a covering layer prevents the penetration of air into the soil.

Tip: before winter, the lawn should not only be fertilized, but also trimmed and combed out.

Lawn care in winter

Until enough snow falls (and this is at least 15 cm), you can’t walk on the lawn.
When an infusion or ice forms, they need to be loosened, as they block the access of air.
You can not equip the ice rink on the lawn, because in the spring, due to the slower melting of ice, it will lead to a number of problems.

Creating a real lawn with your own hands is a painstaking and labor-intensive business. It will require constant attention to itself, especially on difficult soils. Of course, you can make the task a little easier by buying special equipment for caring for it and installing a watering system, but all this will require serious financial investments. Therefore, summer residents often confine themselves to regular mowing of the lawn consisting of their weeds.

Each of us is pleased not only to look, but also to sit on a soft green lawn. Yes, and children love to run around on soft green.

But often a situation arises when lawn care is correct, and you sow grass, following all the rules and instructions, but you cannot achieve the desired beauty and attractiveness of the lawn.

How to plant lawn grass video - that's what can help you.

If you want to have a beautiful one, you can not do without the use of lawn grass.

In addition to what the lawn gives adjoining territory or a plot of attractive appearance, it is an excellent barrier to the spread of weeds, and also protects the soil from excessive drying out.

In order for the process of growing a lawn to give positive results, it is necessary to take full responsibility not only to yourself, but also to the choice of a certain type of grass.

All types of grasses for lawns belong to the type of cereals and are divided into perennials, annuals and transitional subspecies. Experts recommend carrying out a grass change of all existing subspecies.

For beautiful lawns, several types of grasses are used:

Bluegrass meadow. The height of this perennial grass reaches 20 - 80 cm. It gives good seedlings on soils rich in humus and minerals. A distinctive feature of meadow bluegrass is that it has a highly developed root system. Active growth of seedlings begins in early spring. The grass has a high resistance to trampling and drying out of the soil, low temperatures and rehydration.
Common bluegrass. This type of lawn grass grows well in dark places and waterlogged soils. Quite often, this type of grass is used for sowing on golf courses.
Ryegrass ordinary. Able to form a thick layer of grass. It responds well to watering, but does not tolerate wet soil. Heavy soils stop active grass growth. This type of grass reaches a height of 16 - 60 cm. Ryegrass tolerates low (up to 20 degrees) temperatures well. Mowed pagons of grass have a unique ability to grow back quickly. Responds well to the application of mineral fertilizers and top dressing. Thanks to this, the grass is actively used at fields for playing football or golf.
Fescue. The height of this perennial lawn grass does not exceed 50 cm. A distinctive feature of the grass is its rather slow growth, but it tolerates crushing well. It spreads both by rhizomes and seeds.
Polevitsa. Forms a dense and dense grass cover. It grows back quickly after mowing or trampling. It is resistant to low (up to 15 degrees) temperatures, drying out of the soil and heavy soils.
Creeping clover. It is a perennial lawn grass that does not tolerate shady areas well. It is resistant to desiccation and soils poor in mineral substances.
Festulolium. This type grass is a hybrid of ryegrass and fescue. The grass bush has well-branched shoots and a developed root system. After mowing, it grows back quickly. It has the ability to grow well and quickly on different types of soils with different indicators of moisture, acidity and density.
Hedgehog. Grows well in dry soils. It has the ability to grow quickly on fertilized, clay or loamy soils. Does not tolerate swampy or highly moist soils. The height of the bush reaches 20 - 80 cm. In one place, the Hedgehog grows for 5 - 9 years. Often used as a weathering barrier in the steppe or forest-steppe.

In addition to choosing the right type of lawn grass, it is necessary to take into account the time of sowing. There is no strictly limited scope of sowing. The choice of any specific time for sowing is directly dependent on the climatic conditions of its growth.

The most optimal time for sowing is the period at the end of summer. This is due to such factors:

warm soil
The most optimal indicator of soil moisture
Weed activity reaches a minimum
The sown seeds have time not only to germinate, but also to strengthen well
These plants winter well.

If you choose the beginning of autumn for sowing, the plants have enough time to germinate and strengthen, which contributes to their excellent wintering. This herb has the ability to carry disease.

If the first frost period is selected for sowing, the seeds are stratified (dormant period). Thanks to this, young shoots actively begin to grow with the onset of early spring. They are strong, strong and active.

The choice of the period when it is better to sow lawn grass depends not only on climatic conditions, but also on the type of plant, the purpose of the future lawn, and the possibility of watering.

Spring sowing grass

If the grass is sown in early spring (late April - early May). Lawn grass, which is sown in the spring, has excellent germination rates and active growth. There are certain features of sowing grass in the spring:

seeding rate. This is one of important points. Experts recommend using 50 - 60 grams of seeds per 1 m2 of soil. To ensure the uniformity of sowing, it is necessary to mix the seeds with sand (in equal quantities).

Seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 2 cm. In order to prevent the seeds from weathering from the soil surface, experts recommend sprinkling the crops with a layer of peat (1 cm), which is best rolled a little.

Watering. In order for the seeds to sprout well and amicably, the soil must be well moistened. It is better to do this by drip method or sprinkling method. This requires caution (the jet should not be strong in order to prevent the seeds from being washed out of the ground). During the period when the first shoots appear, the crops should not be allowed to dry out. Otherwise, the grass cover will not be thick enough.

We must also not forget that when young seedlings of lawn grass sown in spring germinate, weeds (quinoa, shepherd's purse, etc.) will grow along with them. But this in no way affects the growth activity of lawn grass.

This is due to the fact that weeds are predominantly annual plants that do not tolerate periodic mowing. This is one of the reasons that lawn grass must be mowed from time to time.

In addition to preventing weeds from growing, mowing can give your lawn an attractive appearance.

When mowing grass, make sure that the blades of the lawn mower blades are sharp. If the grass is cut with blunt knives, the top of the grass will have a disassembled surface, which will significantly prevent their active growth in the future. In addition, it is not recommended to mow the grass immediately after rain or dew.

Of no small importance is also the fact of the height at which lawn grass seedlings are mowing. The first shoots are mowed to a height of at least 6 - 7 cm. The second and third are performed to a height of 3 and 5 cm, respectively.

If you reduce the cutting height, this can damage the root system of plants and therefore slow down their growth. In addition, as a result of low-cut grass, a rather small area of \u200b\u200bthe leaf blade will remain, which will not contribute to the photosynthesis process. And this will negatively affect the growth of plants.

As for the frequency of mowing, it is best to do it once every 7 days.

If the grass is sown in the spring, it is better to collect the cut grass. This requires the use of special models of lawn mowers, the designs of which are equipped with a grass collector.

Care. To ensure good germination and growth of lawn grass sown in spring, it must be fed with special mixtures of fertilizers (for example, Kemir) and mulched. In addition, the spraying process gives good positive results.

To do this, you can use WMD or Gumat. Starting from mid-August, experts recommend not feeding the plants anymore.

How to plant lawn grass in spring - the video will help you familiarize yourself with the process in detail:

Features of sowing lawn grass in the spring with your own hands

If you have made a decision to plant a lawn, how to plant lawn grass with your own hands, the video will tell you in detail about it. In words, I would like to draw attention to some important aspects.

First of all, take the time to preliminary training soil for the future lawn. Care must be taken to ensure that there are no large blocks of earth on the site. Then you can proceed to the direct preparation of the soil.

If the soil is too heavy, it should be diluted with a little sand. This will provide good drainage soil. If the soil is sandy, peat can be added to it. Thanks to this, it will be possible to significantly improve the structure of the soil.

After that, it is necessary to level the surface of the site well. You can use a garden rake for this. This will prevent the removal of a large excessive amount of the top layer from the soil surface, which has the highest positive properties.

After carrying out these types of preparatory work, you need to leave the site alone and let it rest for about 5 to 7 days.

In order to get good even shoots, the soil should be well fertilized. At the same time, experts advise using mineral fertilizers or special mixtures of fertilizers intended directly for growing lawn grasses. The process of applying fertilizer to ensure good nourishment of young grass seedlings.

Before sowing seeds, the soil must be well moistened. This is best done by sprinkling or mulching. Water should moisten the soil well and soak into it.

Now you can start sowing seeds. Several seeding technologies can be used. IN ideal special seeders are used. This ensures uniform sowing of seeds per unit area of soil.

If you do not have such special equipment, you can make a specific seeder with your own hands.

For this, an ordinary tin or plastic container (jar) is used, with a volume of not more than 1 - 2 ml.

Holes are made in the bottom of the container, with a diameter of approximately 2 - 3 mm.

The distance between the holes does not exceed 0.5 - 1 cm.

The container is filled with seeds of one of the types of lawn grass and sown, by light hand movements. Pre-mixed with dry sand, in uniform quantities. Thanks to the use of such a homemade seeder, you will be able to distribute the seeds as evenly as possible on the surface of the soil.

To achieve such a result without the use of such a device is almost impossible. The uniformity of seedlings and, as a result, the attractiveness of the lawn, directly depend on how evenly the seeds are distributed.

Some gardeners use the technique of dividing the entire plot into small squares when sowing. Each of these squares is sown separately using an equal number of seeds.

Seeds on the surface of the soil can be sprinkled with a uniform layer of peat, no more than 2 - 3 mm thick. In addition, you can carefully seal the seeds reverse side ordinary garden rake.

Now it remains to wait for the first shoots. If during this period there is dry sunny weather, experts advise artificially moistening the soil surface. To do this, use the method of mulching or sprinkling. Through the use of one of these methods of moistening the soil, it will be possible to prevent washing out of the seeds.

Young shoots will appear in about 6-8 days. It is during this period that the uniformity of sowing lawn grass will appear. If young shoots appeared unevenly, it is necessary to sow the seeds.

To do this, when buying seeds, it is better to do it with a margin. If you do not overseeding, the lawn will turn out to be uneven with bald patches of empty soil.

In the process of seedling growth, they are also periodically fed. But at the same time, remember, if the air temperature is 30 degrees or more, it is better not to fertilize the process. This can lead to the fact that the roots of the grass will burn and all your efforts will be lost without a trace.

The lawn requires a particularly reverent attitude towards itself in the first year.

During this period of time, it is better to try to walk on it as rarely and accurately as possible.

This is necessary so that the roots of the grass are well entrenched in the ground.

In addition to the fact that a young lawn needs periodic maintenance, it is necessary to carefully monitor its mowing.

With a properly organized mowing process, this process will contribute to more active grass growth.

There are several difficulties that anyone who decides to grow a lawn on their own faces. Among the most frequently encountered are the following:

Earthworms. As a result of their vital activity, they throw small piles of soil onto the surface of the soil. This soil not only spoils the attractiveness of the lawn, but also interferes with the mowing process. In order to prevent the occurrence of unpleasant situations, before using the lawn mower, it is better to spend a little time and remove soil heaps from the lawn.
Moles can bring a lot of trouble. Breaking through channels underground, it can lead to a violation of the integrity of the grass root system. In order to avoid such situations, moles must be fought. In addition to the fact that chemical and mechanical methods of dealing with them are used, they often also resort to their natural destruction. This can be achieved as a result of the fact that the number of earthworms, which act as the main type of food for moles, will be reduced.
In addition, lawn pests are also a variety of insects, their larvae, weeds, weeds, birds, etc.

Using the above experienced specialists, you can grow a beautiful and well-groomed lawn with your own hands. Your hard work and dedication will surely be rewarded soon.

A well-groomed green lawn around the house can significantly improve landscape design. In addition, it emphasizes the exterior of the building, helps to create a special aesthetic appeal of the site. But for sowing any lawn grass, careful preparation of the site is necessary. Subsequent care of the cover will also require a lot of time and effort from the owners. You can learn more about how to plant a lawn with your own hands and which herbs are better to choose in our detailed article. We also told everything about the rules for preparing the site for sowing lawn grass, the requirements for subsequent watering, cleaning and fertilizing the land. By following simple recommendations, you can grow a beautiful and healthy lawn on your backyard land. Don't forget about useful tips to care for it in different seasons and you will be able to achieve the perfect look of your garden and yard.

Lawn advantages and disadvantages

A beautiful lawn near the house will not only help improve the landscape, but will also be really useful. The presence of a lawn will prevent soil erosion (both wind and water). Therefore, the planted area will retain its shape throughout the entire period of growing lawn grass. Green spaces will also help to purify the air. It is important that constant mowing prevents the appearance of flowers on the lawn and, accordingly, eliminates the formation of pollen. Therefore, rest on the lawn will be completely safe for allergy sufferers. As for the disadvantages of the lawn, they include the need for frequent cutting and watering. Lack of timely watering will lead to the drying of the cover and the need to replace it. Therefore, before planting a lawn, it is worth evaluating your ability to care for the grown cover.

Lawn types

When choosing the right type of lawn, you need to take into account many factors: whether people will walk on it, whether it will be located in the shade or in the sun. There are the following types of lawns:

landscape gardening (standard, ordinary): it has good resistance to trampling, shade tolerance and frost resistance; true, in spring time will require the most frequent haircuts; forms a dense dark green cover;
parquet: it costs more than usual and does not tolerate trampling; slowly germinates, but after completion of growth forms a dense low bright green cover;
meadow: includes both grasses and low-growing plants (for example, clover); suitable for landing on a sunny site, tolerates infrequent trampling well;
Moorish: is a cover of a variety of low-growing flowers and herbs, creates a beautiful colorful cover, but needs frequent watering and does not tolerate shade, unsuitable for trampling;
sports: forms a low dense cover that is resistant to trampling; needs regular (usually weekly) clipping to maintain its characteristics.

TO separate species can be attributed to the rolled lawn. It can include a variety of herbs (not undersized flowers!). Distinguished by ease of installation.

The composition of the lawn mixture

The resistance to trampling and the possibility of growing cover in the shade or in the sun directly depend on the characteristics of the plants included in the lawn mixture. When choosing the right composition of the mixture, we recommend using the following hint:

For landing on sports grounds or as paths: meadow bluegrass, red fescue, perennial ryegrass.
For playgrounds and play areas: perennial ryegrass, bluegrass meadow, red fescue and thin bentgrass.
For a shaded area: perennial ryegrass, bluegrass forest.
For a site with infrequent watering: sheep fescue and red fescue, meadow bluegrass.
For areas with high humidity soils: giant bent grass, sandy wheatgrass.

It is also worth considering the simplified classification of mixtures. Road (aerodrome) includes plants with a powerful root system that are well resistant to trampling. The universal mixture is suitable for sowing in open areas where people will not walk. The Mauritanian mix additionally includes forbs, allowing you to get a variegated cover of grass and flowers.

Selection and calculation of seeds

After studying information about different grass mixtures and types of lawn, you can start buying seeds. Define right amount grass mixtures can be according to the following scheme:

Measure the area to be sown.
Calculate its area.
For light soil (with a high percentage of sand), about 30-40 g of seeds per square meter will be required. For heavy soil (predominantly clay), 40-50 g of seeds per square meter will be required. meter. Accordingly, 3-4 or 4-5 kg of grass mixture may be required for each hundred square meters.

Additionally, it should be borne in mind that the Mauritanian mixture also includes small (respectively light) seeds of undersized flowers. Therefore, for such a lawn, it is recommended to take the mixture at a critically low level (for light soil - 30 g per sq. M, for heavy soil - 40 g). For universal and road mixtures, you can take seeds at the top mark (40 or 50 g per 1 sq. M).

Increasing the number of seeds will not allow you to get a more beautiful or dense cover. On the contrary, such an approach will lead to uneven plant growth and germination problems.

Lawn planting methods

There are several ways to plant lawn grass, allowing you to choose the best sowing option for your site. You can work using the following technologies:

With a seeder.

To begin with, you will need to pour the right amount of grass mixture into the seeder itself and walk with it through the prepared area. Keep in mind that for simplicity and uniformity of sowing, it is necessary to divide the planted area into separate squares and sow on them using the previously determined grass mixture rate.

Manually.

Does not guarantee seeding uniformity, but is the easiest option. Before work, the site is divided into squares, the rate of grass mixture is mixed with sand 1 to 1 (for 40 g of seeds - 40 g of sand). Sowing is carried out along the selected area, then across. Therefore, it will be rational to immediately divide the prepared combination of sand and grass mixture into 2 parts.

Using a tin can.

Outperforms hand seeding. To work, you will need to make small holes in a tin can (slightly larger than the size of the seeds used). The work is carried out similarly to manual sowing (including the addition of sand and the passage along the site along and across).

Features of seasonal planting

When sowing, it is also important to take into account the season when the seeds are planted. Depending on weather conditions, sowing requirements can vary significantly. So, if the work is done:

spring;

Sowing the lawn should be carried out after normalization of temperature and the absence of frost. The gentle spring sun will ensure good germination and eliminate the death of plants due to heat. But you need to be very careful: it is mandatory to clean the site from emerging weeds, which also germinate well in the spring.

in summer;

Summer planting is attractive for the possibility of preliminary complete cleaning of the soil from weeds. True, landing should be carried out in well-watered land even after 6-7 pm (when the sun does not burn the seedlings).

autumn.

Autumn planting is carried out 1.5-2 months before frost, when the temperature is still quite high. Before planting the lawn, the area is cleared of old grass, weeds, a mandatory requirement is the application of fertilizers that will help strengthen the seedlings. The advantage of autumn lawn planting is the possibility of grass rooting in winter and the maximum increase in germination.

Preparing the site and soil for planting

Growing a lawn is not easy, but with strict adherence to the recommendations of experts, it is quite possible to achieve good seed germination and create a beautiful cover. First of all, you need to carry out a complete cleaning of the site from any stones, obstacles, draw up a lawn planting plan. For example, if lawn grass will frame a flower bed or trees in the garden, then you should put pegs that mark the edge of the cover. You also need to consider whether the lawn will closely adjoin the paths and curbs, or whether flowers and shrubs will be located between it and the fences. Additionally, to prepare the site, you will need to purchase all necessary materials: cover cloth or pipes for drainage, pitchfork, rake, hand roller and seeder. Such preparation will help to immediately resolve all issues and not be distracted from the process of planting a lawn cover.

Soil tillage: chopping and weeding

In order for the sown lawn grass to sprout well and at the same time grow quickly, it is necessary to create for it optimal conditions and achieve correct composition soil. So, the first step in preparing the site for planting with a lawn is the removal of weeds. They need to be uprooted, excluding the subsequent possibility of growth. Special attention at this stage, weeds with a large root system or spreading shoots over the surface of the earth should be given: they all need to be removed. Next, the site is excavated. It is recommended to dig the soil to a depth of no more than 25 cm. In the process of digging, it is also important to remove previously hidden pieces of rhizomes, both from cultivated plants as well as weeds. In the process of digging, it is important to loosen the ground well to create proper air access to the top layer.

Availability drainage system under the lawn is a guarantee of rapid removal of melt and rain water. There are several ways to organize the proper removal of moisture:

Multi-layered soil (natural drainage).

The top layer of soil (about 20 cm) is removed, a layer of gravel and a layer of sand (5 cm each) are laid. From above, the soil is again filled up. Such an arrangement of the site will ensure the timely removal of water.

Laying drainage pipes (the best option for wetlands).

around the perimeter suburban area where the lawn will grow, and also inside this perimeter, at a distance of 40-60 cm from each other, asbestos drains are dug in. Under them, a pillow should be made of sand and crushed stone with a thickness of about 30 cm. Another 10 cm of crushed stone is poured over the drains. Next, a layer of sand of 10 cm is filled up, and geotextiles are laid. Next, the soil itself is poured (thickness is about 20-25 cm).

When laying drains, it is necessary to take into account the slope of the site and equip the correct water drainage.

After completion of the preparatory work, it is necessary to start leveling the soil where the lawn will be planted. The work can be done by hand, but land owners must follow our step-by-step instructions:

Carry out a breakdown of the site into separate sites: this will ensure that it is easy to achieve evenness of the entire soil without sharp drops.
Large clods of earth (which could have formed after the installation of drainage or in the process of digging) must be broken with a shovel.
Between the selected parts of the site, you need to install pegs and pull the rope, which will serve as a guide for the evenness of the land cover.
With the help of a rake, carry out the initial leveling of the earth. For large areas it is recommended to use manual cultivator. A very popular way of "smoothing" the surface with a board. In this case, a rope is tied to the board and the board itself is pulled along the surface, thereby allowing you to quickly and easily align upper layer earth.

Fertilizer and rammer

Proper “feeding” of plants will help ensure good lawn growth near a summer house or residential building. To do this, compost or manure can be added to the top layer of soil. They will enrich the soil and allow lawn grass to grow quickly. For clay (heavy) soils good decision will be the introduction of a small amount of sand. But in sandy (light) soil, on the contrary, you should add a little clay or black soil. After saturation of the soil, the earth is compacted under the lawn. You can work in the following ways:

Manual roller (its weight should not exceed 150 kg).

Rolling should be carried out without effort: the soil will settle a little under the weight of the rink itself.

board.

The board is placed on the edge of the area to be planted, and the owner walks along this board. Then he puts another board in front of him and steps on it. The work is repeated until all the soil is compacted. The main thing is not to leave the board on the ground in order to avoid the appearance of depressions and the creation of drops in the lawn itself.

Plot steaming - what is it and how to do it

To completely get rid of weeds and normalize the soil, fallowing is carried out. In agricultural technology, steam is an unsown field that is “gaining strength”. That is, it is plowed and left unsown. For lawns, the fallowing procedure will not take a whole season, but only 1-2 months. Therefore it will right decision to start work already at the end of March in order to be able to sow the seeds by May. During the fallow period, emerging weeds must be constantly removed. Periodic combing of the soil with a fan rake will help awaken sleeping seeds. They will help to saturate the top layer of soil with air and thereby speed up the process of weed germination. Then it remains only to manually remove harmful plants. Sowing green manure can be considered an alternative to fallowing. For example, 1.5 months before sowing the lawn, sweet clover and lupine are planted. After this period, plowing of the site is carried out. Thus, the grown shoots will be "dug" into the soil. They will help enrich the land and create favorable conditions for the growth of lawn grass.

Sowing and its features

Having completed everything preparatory work By choosing a suitable grass mixture and calculating the best way to distribute it on the site, you can sow the lawn. It is not difficult to carry out such a procedure on your own. The following step-by-step instruction will help with this:

Divide the entire area into separate squares and prepare the right amount of grass mixture for each square.
Sow the lawn along and across each square, being careful not to leave empty areas and at the same time not to "overpopulate" individual parts of the soil.
Carefully walk the rake over the sown areas: this will help to slightly deepen the seeds into the ground. It is advisable not only to comb the soil with a rake, but also lightly pierce the ground with them.
Walk with a roller to tamp the seeds and level the top layer.
Water the area with a small amount of water, using a special nozzle for the watering hose with the “fog” mode.

Benefits of laying turf

Unlike a regular lawn, rolled lawn does not require sowing. It is usually sold in small rolls measuring 0.8-1 m by 2 m. But even under such a lawn, the soil must be specially prepared. In general, organizational procedures for all types of lawn cover are the same and include: cleaning the site, removing weeds and leveling the soil, arranging drainage, fertilizing, tamping. Further, the rolled lawn is only unrolled and laid on the prepared ground. This technology saves a lot of time. In addition, immediately after laying the lawn, you can enjoy a luxurious landscape design. Due to the fact that it is not necessary to plant a rolled lawn, it is possible to update the look of a garden or backyard in just a couple of days. Another plus is the uniformity of the cover and the absence of "bald spots" on it as a result of poor seed germination. True, after receiving the rolls, you should immediately proceed to their installation and primary watering. Otherwise, the grass will begin to dry and may partially disappear.

How to properly care

It is necessary not only to sow, but also to take care of the lawn correctly and, most importantly, on time. Of particular importance is its protection, fertilizer and other care at different times of the year. By following simple recommendations and performing each of them step by step, you can avoid problems with the disappearance of the lawn or its partial withering, freezing.

Summer and autumn.

After the grass has grown, it is imperative to organize proper watering. Also throughout summer term fertilizer may be required. In the autumn, watering should be reduced (especially in an area with frequent rains). Timely removal of emerging weeds will also become mandatory. In November, you should carry out the last haircut and remove fallen leaves from the lawn.

In winter.

So that in winter the lawn does not disappear and can grow again in the spring, you need to stop watering. Loads are also not recommended (for a sports type) - it is better to exclude walking on plants. If snow is rare in your area, covering plants with agrofibre will help protect plants from frost.

Spring.

Preparing your lawn for the new season starts with removing the old grass. But work should be carried out only on dry grass and in dry weather. Germinating old weeds must be removed. Next, aeration of the soil is carried out (for example, by piercing the soil with a pitchfork). It is necessary to exclude the accumulation of melt water, but after the formation of dry and warm weather, nitrogen fertilizers can be applied.

Watering

In the process of germination of the lawn, you should take care of its moderate and careful watering. That is why the supply of water from the hose to young shoots should be excluded. It is necessary to use a special nozzle with the "fog" mode, which will help to carefully spray the grass. Watering the lawn in spring and summer should be done early in the morning or late in the evening. Young plants are recommended to be watered little by little, but often. But rooted herbs can be watered abundantly 1 time in 2-4 days (depending on the prevailing weather and air temperature). In the autumn, watering should be reduced: choose the frequency of watering individually. The main task is the complete absorption of moisture and good drying of plants. As for automatic watering (for example, when using an automatic sprinkler), the water from it should be supplied in small portions, excluding the formation of puddles on the lawn.

fertilizers

Lawn fertilization should be carried out at different times of the year. At the same time, the composition of substances will change depending on the season. Choosing the right fertilizer for good growth lawn will help you with the following hint:

Spring.

Immediately after the snow melts, you need to apply liquid fertilizers, which include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This combination will ensure a strong root system, healthy turf growth and disease resistance.

In summer.

Constant exposure high temperatures, bright sunlight can deplete the lawn. The introduction of nitroammophoska will help maintain its healthy appearance and condition. It is recommended to use it in late June or early July. In mid-July and early to mid-August, potash salt should be added. But at the end of August, the introduction of potassium-phosphate mixtures is recommended. Such saturation of the soil will ensure dense and dense growth of the cover, its resistance to diseases and negative influences.

Properly cutting a garden lawn is quite simple using modern trimmers and lawn mowers. The first haircut is carried out when the lawn grass has grown by 7-8 cm. The second haircut is carried out once a week. When performing this work, it is recommended to follow some simple requirements:

It is necessary to carry out a haircut no earlier than on the second day after watering in the evening. The lawnmower will not move well on wet ground, and both the lawnmower and trimmer will mow wet shoots unevenly. Grass cut at lunchtime may begin to “burn” and turn yellow.
Each new haircut should be perpendicular to the previous one. This rule will allow you to make neat cuts, get an even and thick cover.
After mowing, it is recommended to lightly spray the lawn with water to maintain the strength of the sprouts. Fertilization of plants is also allowed (unless, of course, it has not been carried out in the last 1-2 weeks and would be appropriate).

Combing and aeration

Combing the lawn consists in removing old plants and weeds, opening air access to the root system of grasses. Combing is usually done in the fall after the last lawn mowing. But it is also recommended to repeat this procedure in the spring before the start of the new season. Combing will help "revive" the plants and provide them with excellent conditions for growth. In summer, combing cannot be carried out, otherwise the whole cover will be broken. As for aeration, such a procedure is aimed at breaking up the soil crust, which is formed in the process of watering and drying the earth. Aeration is performed once a season - in the fall after combing. But it can also be carried out in other periods, if the lawn grass began to hurt, puddles remain in some areas and the water does not pass. For aeration, you can use a pitchfork or special tool- aerator. The depth of the holes created in the ground should be from 7 to 15 cm.

Weeding and weed control

In the first year after planting the lawn, you do not need to pull out weeds. Timely mowing will help protect your lawn from weeds. They will prevent the growth of weeds (as well as the emergence of new units due to seeds and shoots), help the lawn grass to strengthen and “drive out” such neighbors. In the second year and after, you need to carry out manual removal of weeds - weeding or pulling them out by the roots. In the resulting hole after pulling out, you need to sow a new lawn. For lawns that have been growing for more than 3-4 years, the use of pesticides is allowed. But they must be used very carefully: dial the right amount of pesticide into the spitz and inject it into the weed stalk. When moss appears on the site, unscheduled aeration is allowed. If the moss has grown on the lawn under the trees, then it is recommended to trim the branches and allow sunlight to access the moss.

Conclusion

Do-it-yourself plant a beautiful home or country lawn not easy. But if you follow the detailed tips of experts and take care of the lawn grass in time, then achieving the perfect green lawn around the house will not be difficult. If desired, you can plant both a regular green lawn that complements flower beds, and create a dense cover where you can walk. Such a lawn will not only decorate the site, but will also allow you to create original play areas for children and recreation areas for adults. Among the variety of grass mixtures, one can also find original covers with different meadow flowers. Such an ensemble will unusually decorate a personal plot and help to highlight artificial reservoirs or small garden forms in a non-standard way. The main thing is not to forget to remove weeds in time, apply fertilizers and, of course, water the lawn on time. Then it not only forms a thick cover, but will be able to become even brighter and denser in subsequent years.

It would seem, what could be easier than growing grass? Meanwhile, in order to get a well-groomed green lawn, it is necessary not only to properly plant the lawn grass, but also to prepare the soil for planting, and subsequently properly care for the young lawn.

Lawn types

A lawn is not necessarily a short-cut classical style green grass. It can be flowering - Moorish or meadow, sports - resistant to abrasion, or garden. The choice of seeds for sowing and subsequent care, for example, the frequency of cutting and top dressing, watering and aeration, depends on the type of lawn. Soil preparation for different types lawns are produced using a single technology.

When is the best time to sow the lawn?

Does not exist strict rules lawn seeding. It is necessary to take into account the time for preparing the site, soil, for the germination of grass. That's why best time to start work on the design of the lawn, the period from mid-May to early September is considered. On average, seeding and germinating a lawn takes 4 to 6 weeks and is best completed before snow and frost.

Site preparation

First and most milestone, on which the future lawn is marked, it is cleaned of weeds and leveled. Careful preparation will save you from weeding and make it easier to mow an already grown lawn. The time required to prepare the site is from 1 to 4 weeks.

Fertilization and soil preparation

The second stage, at which favorable conditions are laid for the rapid and friendly emergence of seedlings of lawn grass and its subsequent growth. The need for fertilizer depends on the type of soil. It should be fertile, loose, pass and retain moisture well and contain a sufficient amount of elements to ensure rapid growth. Lead time - from 3 to 7 days.

Seeding rates are usually indicated on the seed packaging, for different types of lawns they may vary. Do not save on quantity - the "bald spots" on your lawn will not remain bare for long, very soon they will be occupied by weeds, and you will have to repeat everything again. The time required to sow the grass is short - if the lawn is small, you can do it in a day.

Lawn care

During the period of germination and rapid growth of grass, regular maintenance is necessary for the lawn. It consists in regular watering, removing the remaining weeds, as well as cutting young grass. Before the first haircut, walking on the lawn is not recommended.

A two to three year old lawn with evenly growing grass is considered mature. Such a lawn needs not only watering and mowing, but also aeration, as well as additional fertilization. However, strong and healthy root system will not allow weeds to sprout and germinate seeds that accidentally fell, and your lawn will delight you for a long time juicy green grass.