How to plant grass in the country. Planting lawn grass

The lawn becomes an important part landscape design on home plots, city squares, squares, parks and areas around hospitals, sanatoriums, offices and industrial buildings. Naturally, the main reason for planting a lawn is to provide a beautiful landscape. In addition, planting a lawn in a country house or in front of a building avoids the growth of weeds that cause allergy attacks in many people.

When is the best time to sow lawn grasses?

The main seasons for planting, in principle, are two: spring and autumn. is no exception, so the planting of lawn grass is also carried out at the beginning and end of holiday season. Each of the options has its own characteristics that must be taken into account in order for the event to be successful. True, there is an exception - which can be planted from early spring to late autumn,

Planting lawn grass in spring

The primary task of the owner, who decided to sow lawn grass in the spring, is to prepare a springboard for the future grass carpet. It is carried out in advance in the fall. A rectangular (in most cases) area is selected, which is located in the illuminated area. It is dug up several times, treated with herbicides and fertilized. Additionally, in the spring, it is recommended to manually remove the remaining weeds in order to sow the lawn into clean land.

When to sow the lawn in spring? Planting seeds takes place on April 10-20. At this time, it is already warm enough so that the seeds do not freeze at night, and not too humid, so it is recommended to moisten the ground additionally. in the spring it is loosened so that the seeds are not sandwiched between hard patches of soil. To avoid moisture weathering or erosion of seeds, the earth is rolled with a special roller. You can expect the appearance of the first shoots by the end of April, and in June the lawn grass should already be spreading over the area with a solid carpet.

How to sow a lawn in autumn?

Fall planting is a great alternative to spring planting. While sowing a lawn in the spring faces difficulties in the form of hot, dry air and insufficient humidity, this is not a hindrance to sowing in the autumn: in September-October it is still warm outside, but it rains quite often. At the same time, weeds no longer develop so quickly, so you can first plant a lawn, and after winter, start removing the remnants of weeds.

The main thing in autumn sowing- do not tighten. It is right to sow lawn grass in late August-early September, so that a powerful root system has time to form before frost. For people who do not know how to plant a lawn at all, this option is the best. They will have enough time to prepare the area throughout the summer, so the chances of success will be much higher. At the same time, the main key to success is the preparation stage, and it must be completed in compliance with all requirements.

How is the soil preparation for the lawn?

At this stage, people understand how to properly plant a lawn, and prepare a piece of land for this. Before the main stages of planting a lawn begin, the following types of work must be completed:

The first step is to remove debris from the site, which includes, among other things, stones, branches, wrappers and plastic bottles;

to ensure the most even plane, it is recommended to uproot the remains of shrubs and trees;

The site should rest, so it is left "under steam" for 1-2 months.

How to plant grass for a lawn?

When the preparatory work is completed, the period for the acquisition of grass mixture begins. It is impossible simply without studying in detail its composition. Individual varieties of grass are suitable for each site, so planting lawn grass with your own hands requires careful study of the composition of the grass mixture.

The ideal solution would be to use a combination lawn that includes seeds different varieties. At self-selection you need to understand that all of them must complement each other and correspond to the climate, purpose (or functional) and climate. It is best to determine which lawn to plant with a professional grower who clearly understands the purpose and characteristics of each variety. He can also tell you how to properly plant a lawn and how to grow lawn grass with ideal parameters.

When the mixture has been purchased, the place for planting has been prepared and the materials on how to plant a lawn in the country have been studied, the planting stage itself begins. To do this, mineral fertilizers are applied (which are needed directly for the development of lawn grass) and the soil is loosened for the last time with a rake. It is advisable to choose the weather when you can sow lawn grass: it is important that there is no wind so that the seeds do not scatter, and minimal humidity in order to give the plants the opportunity to develop calmly and not receive an excess of moisture.

Many experienced gardeners in stories about how and when to sow lawn grass, they say that time does not matter, the main thing is to mix the seeds with sand and be able to spread the mixture evenly over a given area. This really works, but beginners often miscalculate the volume of sand, and the earth turns out to be too loose. But in order not to think about when to plant a lawn, a seeder is designed: seeds are loaded into it and evenly distributed over the area, without scattering over the area from the wind.

So, it was decided how to sow lawn grass and the seeds were on. They are carefully pushed into the ground with a rake. If you are in doubt about how to sow lawn grass correctly and whether all requirements are clearly met, sprinkle the lawn with a layer of peat mixture about 1 cm. After that, a roller is driven over the lawn so that the seeds do not remain on the surface. It is better to water the crops from a sprinkler so as not to clog the ground. ideally through a system drip irrigation, but if the grass is lawn and its planting is a curiosity for you, then a sprinkler with a small pressure is also suitable.

Grass varieties for planting

Now that you know when and how to plant lawn grass, it's time to choose seeds to put that knowledge into practice. In our country, the climate is quite severe, so even experienced agronomists. Ideal for domestic realities 3 types of grass: red fescue and thin bent grass. All of them are not afraid of either heat or frost, and the root system of plants forms a very dense turf that leaves no chance for weeds. Grass consumption - about 30 thousand seeds per 1 square meter.

As mentioned above, each variety has its own characteristics. Red fescue germinates slowly and provides a beautiful lawn only in the second year. Meadow grass meadow poorly builds up the root system, so you should not plant it yourself. The bent grass is thin, as such, has no drawbacks: it tolerates winter well and is not too whimsical to care for. Often it is this plant that is the main component of the mixture.

Rolled lawn: what are its advantages?

Roots rolled lawn went from the USA. Legislation in some states simply prohibits having an untidy lawn. But it is simply impossible to plant a lawn during the laying of a house so that it grows simultaneously with the building (construction takes 1-2 months): construction waste, cars and building materials clearly do not contribute to the development of an ideal lawn. Therefore, large breeding companies are engaged in the creation: it is grown under special conditions from breeding bluegrass, planted on a prepared area and can be operated in a couple of weeks. This implies the main advantage of a rolled lawn - the possibility of very fast gardening of any area, even in a hot summer.

In addition, turf is a guarantee quality composition grass mixtures and excellent selection seeds, which is beyond the power of novice agronomists. The grass in the roll is grown evenly due to the special equipment used during sowing. The finished layer of turf protects the lawn from the growth of weeds from the first days, while ordinary seed grass needs to be weeded regularly.

Rolled lawn "Gorgazon": Western standards and affordable cost

"" has been manufacturing rolled lawn for more than a year. The finished slabs are of perfect quality both in terms of selection of seeds (only foreign selected bluegrass without any impurities), which ensures the longevity and chic of the lawn. appearance as well as lawn preparation. The seeds are planted evenly, the root system of the grass is very powerful and it is able to take root even in conditions of lack of moisture. At the same time, Gorgazon can offer its customers extremely profitable

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. Distinctive feature bluegrass meadow 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 waterlogging.
• 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 of 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. Has the ability to grow well and quickly on different types 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
• Most optimal indicator 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 the 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 provide good germination and the growth of lawn grass sown in the 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 more plant do not feed.

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 ensure good soil drainage. 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 these types 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. Through the use of such 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 properly planted and grown lawn will serve you for a long time. But, wanting to get lawn grass on their site, many, especially beginner summer residents, are faced with many questions, for example: “How to choose and calculate seeds?”, “When is it better to sow the lawn - in autumn or spring?”, “What should be the layout?”, “How to prepare the soil?”, “How to care for the lawn?”. We will try to answer these and some other questions in the article.

Did you know? The lawn is divided into decorative lawn and lawn with a special purpose. Of these, we can distinguish: sports, parterre, meadow, Mauritanian, forb.

How to choose the right lawn grass seeds

One of critical factors for creating right lawn do-it-yourself is the right choice seed. First of all, you should take into account the intended purpose of the lawn, because each type requires different grasses or grass mixtures. Although the main components of almost all such mixtures are unchanged (ryegrass, fescue, bluegrass and a few others), they differ in the combination and ratio of varieties.

The choice will also depend on when you can sow lawn grass, because different types they have different frost resistance and growth rates (bluegrass, for example, grows slowly in the early years), what will be the height of the planned lawn at your dacha (fescue tolerates a short haircut well), the quality of the turf (ryegrass differs in good turf), etc.

Different grass mixtures require different soils, may differ in seeding rate and other characteristics. All useful information you should look on the packaging and be sure to read it carefully before buying.

Ask the seller if this or that mixture is suitable for your climate, when it is preferable to plant lawn grass - in spring or autumn. When choosing, consider the characteristics of your site (what is the illumination, are there ground water and so on.).

Important! Pay attention to the presence of state or international certificates confirming the quality of the goods.

Lawn layout

You can plan and plant a lawn in almost any corner of your yard. Suitable and shade, and the sun, and a horizontal surface, and slopes, and sandy, and clay soils. Only the amount of material and physical effort required to plant and grow a truly beautiful and green lawn will differ in each case. It is better if it is a sunny place where melt and rainwater does not stagnate.

Before you start sowing, it is better to think over and even sketch a diagram of the future lawn. Decide if you will keep the trees, plant the flower beds, or grow individual flowers. It is necessary to pre-plan the places where the elements of landscape design will be placed, since then it may be difficult to mow the grown lawn.

If you will use a lawn mower, then for convenience, when you sow lawn grass, leave a distance of about 1 meter between it and curbs, walls or fences. Also, do not plant a lawn under a single tree or shrub. Better use for trunk circles decorative chips or decorate them with ground cover plants.

How to correctly calculate the number of seeds for planting

To calculate the seeding of the grass mixture for each individual type of grass included in its composition, the following formula is used, and the results are summarized. The seeding rate (kg/ha) is multiplied by the percentage of that species in the mixture and divided by the actual seed suitability. Practice shows: in order to properly sow lawn grass with your own hands, it is necessary to increase the consumption of seeds by two or even three times.

If you decide to sow only one type of grass, then simply follow the seeding rate of the selected crop. On average, it is necessary to take 30 -50 g of seed per 1 m².

Important! If you can't calculate correctly required amount seeds, you can try to find out the germination density of the variety at home. Choose ~100 seeds and plant them at home, and after a week (10 days) check the result.

When to Plant Lawn Grass – Fall or Spring

When answering the question "When to plant lawn grass - in spring or autumn?", It should be noted that there is no consensus on the most appropriate time. Sowing is possible at any time from spring to frost. Some gardeners claim that grass planted in May sprouts better, others that it will turn green faster in summer, and still others are sure that the most best time for sowing - this is autumn.

Just do not go to extremes, do not rush (sowing the lawn in the spring does not occur before the earth warms up) and do not expect snow. At autumn planting time must be correct. Two options are considered optimal.

Either sow the lawn at the very beginning of autumn (then the grass will have time to sprout before frost, and you can process it for wintering), or wait for the ground to freeze, but before snow (in winter, the seed will undergo stratification, become resistant to diseases and germinate together in the spring).

When people plant lawn grass in the spring, they must take into account the need for regular watering and weed removal, which is more difficult than planting in late summer. Many experienced specialists tend to consider this period to be optimal, since the soil is well warmed up and moistened, there are much fewer weeds than in spring, and the lawn will have time to germinate well before frosts begin.

As you can see, neither the season nor the air temperature at which you will sow grass is of particular importance, each option has its own disadvantages and advantages.

Did you know? The most famous and expensive lawn is the one located near the government building of Canberra (Australia). Hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent every year on its maintenance. Several dozen workers daily regulate its irrigation, taking into account the temperature, dryness of the air and other criteria.

How to prepare the soil for planting lawn grass

Regardless of the time of sowing lawn grass, it is imperative to prepare the soil for it. This is one of the most milestones lawn tabs. Remove all debris, stones, branches from the site, uproot stumps. Dig the soil to a depth of about 25 cm. Add sand to heavy soil, clay soil to sandy soil. With low fertility, it is worth taking compost. Also get rid of weeds.

A week before sowing, use a complex mineral fertilizer and distribute it evenly over the area with a rake. Level the area, break up large earthen clods. Use a shovel and a rake. Level the soil again with a large board. This will help cut off the bumps and fill the hollows.

Just before sowing, compact the soil with a hand roller or board (in this case, you need to shift it around the site and move from one end to the other).

Important! Whenever you decide to equip the lawn - in spring, summer or autumn - be sure to keep in mind that the site can only be compacted in dry weather, with dry soil. And only 2-3 days before sowing lawn grass, the selected place should be watered.

How to sow the lawn: the process of planting lawn grass

The weather for sowing should be dry, calm. To distribute the seeds evenly, you should divide the plot into square meters and sow as many seeds in each as recommended for the grass or grass mixture you have chosen.

Seeds are embedded in the soil to a depth of 1-1.5 cm, first they are scattered along, and then across. If possible, use manual seeder, it is more convenient, but you will be quite able to plant the lawn yourself manually. To prevent the seeds from being blown away by the wind, they can be sprinkled with a 1-centimeter layer of peat and rolled.

Lawn care in the country: how to grow a good and dense lawn

It is important to properly care for the lawn, because otherwise it will begin to overgrow and fade. Watering and shearing play a significant role in this process.

Features of watering a country lawn

Immediately after sowing, if the soil is dry, you should water the area, but carefully, with weak pressure not to wash the seeds. During germination and formation of sod, make sure that the lawn does not dry out. Further watering should be regular, but consider the weather conditions.

It is also necessary to water after shearing (to help him recover, give a neat look and color saturation) and feed (to translate useful material into a soluble form that is assimilated by the root system of plants). Experts advise watering the lawn in the evening.

For beginner gardeners, the lawn often sprouts unevenly or weeds break through its layer. This is due to unsuccessful sowing - an incorrectly chosen planting date, unprepared soil, an uneven layer. Artificial turf reduces natural biodiversity, which is a definite disadvantage. Knowing in advance about all the intricacies of sowing a lawn, you can avoid a large number mistakes in growing a green carpet in a summer cottage or house adjoining territory.

Lawn grass - a favorable sowing period, soil preparation

On the territory of Russia, lawn grass can be sown in early spring immediately after the snow melts, as well as throughout the summer season and until the end of September. It is not recommended to sow the lawn later due to the fact that the grass does not have time to get stronger before frost. Gardeners with experience in landscaping are advised to sow lawn grass in the fall, since at this time nature itself provides the soil, and with it the plants, with sufficient moisture. The heat during this period subsides, which also favorably affects young sprouts. Those who nevertheless decided to sow the area of ​​their suburban area or the local area in the summer, it is better to wait for stable cloudy weather.

Before you start sowing seeds, you need to properly create drainage system on the site and, if provided, the power supply system and the underground irrigation system. The entire surface of the territory defined for the lawn must be leveled - there should be no depressions or bumps. This is important because existing holes will accumulate excess water in the future, and as a result, sooner or later this will lead to rotting of the lawn. The tubercles, on the other hand, will significantly complicate the process of cutting grass with a lawn mower in the future.

The next stage of preparation is the destruction of weeds. This will facilitate the care of lawn grass in the future and ensure simultaneous shoots throughout the sown area. There are several ways to eliminate weeds before planting a lawn:

1. 1. Freezing - deep digging of the earth before winter, in order to freeze the roots of weeds;
2. 2. Suffocation - repeated cutting of weeds for a couple of years, leading to the depletion of their root system;
3. 3. Provocation - soil fertilization and its subsequent surface loosening, immediately after the appearance of the first shoots of weeds;
4. 4. Mulching with bark - limiting the access of light to weeds;
5. 5. Replacing the soil - the old soil is removed to a depth of 25-40 cm and a new one is laid out in its place;
6. 6. Use of herbicides - treatment of weeds during their active growth, after which they should die in about a month.

It is best to use the chemical method in the fall, and in this case plant the lawn next spring. After the area where the lawn is planned has been carefully prepared, you can proceed directly to sowing.

Methods for self-seeding a plot

In order to plant a lawn, it is important to determine the rate of seeds per square meter of the territory of the cottage or the land area near the house that needs to be sown. Depending on the type of grass, the amount of seeds varies from 30 to 45 grams per m2, more accurate numbers are indicated on the seed packaging.

The sowing rate should not be exceeded, as this will weaken the seedlings due to the limited supply of nutrients. It will be difficult for them to winter and wait out the hot, dry summer days.

After the seeds are purchased, it remains to sow them evenly on the required area. The easiest way to do this is with a seeder, which needs to go through the area twice. If there is no such tool, you can resort to creating a homemade seeder from a can. Its bottom is pierced with a nail heated over a fire, creating many holes. Seeds, when using this method, as a rule, are mixed with fine sand in a ratio of 1: 1, and the resulting mixture is first sown along the prepared area, and then across. If the sowing area is extensive, then the sowing rate is divided into several parts and the area is sown in several approaches to maintain uniformity.

When all the seeds are already in place, the soil is gently loosened with a fan rake, and then rolled with a roller. When sowing grass small area for tamping, you can use wide board: lay it on the ground and trample, then move it to the next site.

Seasonal lawn care

After planting and before the first shoots of lawn grass appear, it is necessary to provide the seeds with daily watering. The first mowing of the lawn is carried out when it reaches a height of 15 cm. Before that, it is highly undesirable to walk on the grass so as not to injure the young, fragile shoots. In the future, lawn care is carried out in accordance with the season.

The soil aeration procedure is very important for the development of lawn grass. With its help, oxygen is transported, providing access to moisture and fertilizers to the root system. The simplest aeration tool is sandals equipped with spikes that pierce the lawn. To do this, you just need to put them on your feet and walk across the lawn. Other convenient fixture- rakes-aerators. They are thin steel plates that cut through the soil without harming the lawn. Their less energy-intensive counterpart - a roller aerator, is represented by the same rake, but with a built-in studded roller.

Let's define what a "lawn" is? A lawn is understood as an area on which a dense cover grows herbaceous plants subjected to periodic mowing. More often used perennial cereal grasses: ryegrass, bluegrass, fescue.

There is a wide variety of types of lawns, but how to create a lawn with your own hands in a simple way and with a light further care? This is an ordinary garden lawn with a mowing height of 20-40 mm. Other types, such as parterre, Mauritanian, for golf fields, for football fields require large material and physical costs. For people who want to enjoy their lawn, it is best to stick to the principle of minimum maintenance.

We will not consider how to plant a lawn with our own hands, using ready-made rolls. Despite the speed of laying the finished turf, it has a number of significant drawbacks:

• high cost of turf rolls;
• high physical costs for soil preparation and laying;
• soil in rolls may not be suitable for this site;
• additional difficulties in daily work, as there is a polymer mesh in the rolls, which interferes with some important operations.

If you choose how to make a lawn, then better by sowing seeds. With the right actions, you can get a dense turf in two months, significantly saving and facilitating further operation.

What you need to know before making a lawn with your own hands?

In the first place, oddly enough, is watering. Why exactly him? Having guaranteed irrigation on the site, regardless of any other factors, you can get any kind of lawn. Water helps plants grow and get nutrients through the roots. A growing plant can be mowed, thereby always getting a living lawn of the desired height.

Many people think that they are ready to manually water their site daily with a hose, and it is this water regime that the lawn requires. But, sometimes, a situation arises when you need to go somewhere to relax, or there are simply very busy days when there is no time. A missed one or two waterings, especially during the hot summer months, can be so damaging to your lawn that it can take months to recover. Therefore, it is desirable to have automatic watering.

Fortunately, there are now enough opportunities to do it yourself. For a small plot up to two acres, you will need:

Such automatic system especially important when obtaining seedlings in the first 2 weeks after sowing. Watering is carried out during this period 3 times a day at a rate of 100 liters per one hundred square meters (100 sq. m.). Then, depending on the air temperature, it is watered 1 or 2 times a day, for example, in the morning and in the evening, at a rate of 50-100 liters per hundred square meters.

Seed selection. How to make a lawn with a uniform color? Lawn grass uniformity is possible only if only one type is used. cereal grass. When using a mixture, there is a possibility of getting spots of different colors and structures. Therefore, seeds containing 100% bluegrass are suitable for a landscape gardening lawn, it is possible to use a mixture different varieties bluegrass. For hot climates, it is better to use 100% cane fescue, although it has a tougher leaf, but its vitality is much higher than bluegrass. It is not recommended to use ryegrass as it has a wide leaf and does not withstand low cuts below 20mm. It is also undesirable to sow stolon-shaped bent grass. It has an aggressive growth and requires frequent combing operations, when in the mixture it crowds out other grasses, forming unsightly spots, it is difficult to mow, since the recommended height is 10 mm and below.

What you do not need to save on is the cost of seeds. Good seeds with high germination and the desired varietal characteristics have a decent price. The producer of lawn grass seeds is also of no small importance. Unfortunately, it is rather difficult to find seeds of domestic producers with good varietal characteristics, but not all imported ones may be suitable for the site. The Danish company DLF trifolium and the Dutch Barenbrug have proven themselves well.

They buy seeds with a 20% margin, in case of possible overseeding. Quite often sold seeds this season are not easy to find next.

Do-it-yourself lawn installation. Main stages

The optimal periods for creating a lawn are spring when the soil warms up above +10 degrees and autumn, when the daily air temperature is below +25 degrees. However, with guaranteed watering, shoots can be obtained even in the middle of summer.

Stage 1 Soil preparation

The site before the main work must be cleared of unnecessary shrubs and trees, old stumps, to select from the soil, if any, debris and stones with a diameter of more than 10 mm.

Apply starter fertilizers. It can be complex species, for example, Azofoska. The application rate is 30-40 g per square meter. The plot is loosened to a depth of 10-15 cm, preferably with a gasoline cultivator, which will make the soil homogeneous and loose. After that, the site is leveled with a rake and rolled with a roller.

The main question during this period: how to make a smooth lawn? Regardless of whether there was already compacted soil on the site or whether new ground, after loosening and rolling it must be watered abundantly until puddles form. This will allow the soil to settle and compact evenly. Then they wait for the soil to dry out until a crust forms. If cavities and irregularities have formed on the site, then they are smoothed out again with a rake, moving first in one, then in the transverse direction.

Stage 2 Sowing

Sowing seeds can be carried out both with a seeder and manually, in the latter case the result can be even better. The seeding rate for bluegrass or cane fescue is 20-25 g per square meter. Do-it-yourself lawn planting is carried out as evenly as possible, for this they move first in one, then transverse and even diagonal directions. After sowing, it is obligatory to plant seeds to a depth of about 1 cm. This is done carefully with a rake, without moving the soil much, otherwise bare areas without shoots may form. Even if a small part of the seeds remains on the surface, they are left and rolled with a roller in two or more directions.

Irrigation is then installed and adjusted to the periodic watering described earlier.

Stage 3 mowing

On the 7-10th day after sowing, thin hairy shoots appear. When 3-4 true leaves appear, watering is reduced, the soil is brought to a state of drying of the upper crust, with different temperature air, this can take several days, then it is watered again and the frequency is set 1-2 times a day until puddles form.

For mowing, it is best to use a mower on wheels with a rotary metal blade. On a plot of up to 2 acres, an electric mower with a working width of about 35 cm with a grass collection hopper is recommended.

First mowing - very important point to get a lawn with your own hands. After 3-4 weeks, when the seedlings reach a height of 40-50 mm, the first mowing is carried out only on dried soil. The first time the amount of grass harvested will be very small, but mowing is very important to encourage the grass to grow sideways.

The frequency of further mowing every three days. It is possible to mow painlessly for the grass no more than half of the constant height, i.e. if the usual height is 40 mm, then mowing is carried out at a height of 60 mm.

Stage 4 fertilizers

To ensure the specified frequency of mowing, it is necessary to regularly fertilize the lawn grass with nitrogen fertilizers. In the first two months, it is better to use ammonium nitrate at a dose of 10 g per square meter for top dressing; in the future, it is recommended to use urea at the same dose. The uniformity of fertilizer application must be ensured by a special disc spreader, it is not recommended to do this manually. If grass growth is very intense, more than 30 mm in 3 days, then the amount of fertilizer is reduced or completely eliminated.

Stage 5 weeds

In any area, you can find the rhizomes of perennial weeds, and weed seeds in the soil remain viable for up to 40 years. When lawn grass seedlings appear, weeds also appear.

If time permits, a month before sowing, treat the area with a continuous herbicide, such as Hurricane, on green mass to reduce the number of perennial weeds.

It is undesirable to pull up the ascended weeds manually, as shoots of a lawn grass are damaged. After the first mowing, continuous treatment with selective herbicides, for example, Lontrel, is carried out. This will not harm the lawn grass, and the weeds will die.

If all actions are done correctly, then after 5-6 mowings a smooth young lawn is obtained, which easily later turns into a beautiful, well-turfed carpet. We hope we have revealed the topic: how to make a lawn with your own hands.