Preparing for a new lawn

The key to successful lawn establishment is soil preparation. Ideally the area to be prepared should have been dug over and weathered for a couple of months so that it will knock down into a friable tilth.

An uneven lawn is difficult to manage properly, the lawnmower scalping high areas and leaving grass longer in low patches. So before turfing or sowing, tread and firm the whole area by shuffling across it systematically. A roller can cause compaction. A level lawn is not vital, there is no reason why it cannot have gentle slope, even in several directions. It is small indentations which create maintenance problems. Rake the soil out carefully producing an even crumbly tilth, but not a deep one. Scarifying the surface is not desirable. Finish off by gently bringing the back of the rake over the entire area to ensure evenness.

Seed or turf

If seed is to be sown choose a mixture to suit the purpose of the lawn. A mixture with fine grasses in it will not take a lot of wear, whereas one which includes a percentage of rye grass is perfect for ball games and general recreation.

Seed is sown evenly over the surface and raked in lightly. Follow the recommendations of the supplier for the sowing rate per square metre. If it is difficult to visualise the quantity of seed required to cover an area, measure out sufficient in a cup to distribute over a square metre. Judging the sowing rate will then be much easier.

Turf comes in various grades and is best purchased from a professional turf grower. It will then have a guaranteed mixture of grass species and varieties and have been grown specifically for sale as turf and regularly treated for weed and disease problems. Lay turf in a brick like arrangement so that the joints do not run against one another. Each turf should be laid in an alternate fashion and gently firmed down.

Aeration

Aeration consists of making numerous holes in the surface of the lawn to relieve compaction and permit the entry of air. With small areas a garden fork can be used, the turf being punctured at regular intervals. A wheeled lawn aerator is desirable for large expanses of grass. Once the grass has been aerated brush liberal quantities of sharp sand into the holes. This permits surface water to drain away quickly and allows the roots of the grass to breathe. Plants not only need moisture but air as well. Wet stagnant soil will cause most lawn grasses to die out.

Aeration also greatly reduces the presence of moss, algae and lichen. These primitive troublesome growths do not enjoy a free-draining soil and find it difficult to become established in the absence of stale, wet surface conditions.

Scarifying

Moss should be raked out of the turf, along with thatch. This is the dead grass remains from last season. Use a spring tine rake or one of the excellent electric scarifiers that are currently available. This permits the turf to breath a little and reduces the opportunities for fungal diseases to become established.

Where bare patches result, re-sow grass seed mixed with a handful of compost. It is more difficult for moss to recolonise a bald area which has been re-seeded than one which remains as earth and where there is the expectation that the grass will eventually close over.

Lawn repairs

Where the lawn edge has crumbled, it can be easily re-instated by taking out a section of turf which embraces the damage and reversing it. Thus the neatly cut edge of the turf becomes the edge of the lawn and the damaged area faces inwards. The damaged part is then topped up with compost and re-sown with grass seed which will quickly grow and knit the turf together.

Mowing

Once the grass begins to grow start mowing. Do not be guided by the calendar, but by the need to cut the grass. When the temperature rises above 5°C, most lawn grasses start to grow. The first cut should be rather high, just removing the top of the grass. Progressively lower the blades until after the third mowing, by which time the grass should have been taken down to the height that is required for the summer.

When the grass starts growing, so will the weeds. Treat broad leafed weeds with a selective lawn weedkiller or a weed and feed product. This latter will also provide essential spring nutrients to the turf as well.