In autumn, sowing is still more preferable. Why? There are several reasons:
- sufficiently high humidity of air and soil,
- the air is still warm for seeds to germinate,
- and the weeds are no longer growing.
The most favorable conditions for shoot formation and formation of the root system of the sown grass. If you carry out work on sowing seeds in the last days of August or the first days of September, then by the first frost the lawn will grow up to 10 cm in height.
In addition, you need to prepare a site for sowing a lawn: remove debris, level, tamp, and even give the earth a rest for at least a month. So it turns out that sowing begins closer to summer, and in this case, it is certainly better to transfer it to a more favorable autumn period for sowing.
How to plant a lawn in autumn
In grass mixtures for the lawn are collected different types herbs, but they general requirement to climatic parameters, air temperature and humidity.
It is advisable to sow at a time when the temperature does not fall below zero - there should be a margin of about 40 days before the onset of frost. During this time, the root system of the grass will get stronger, and the plants themselves will grow to the desired height.
The seeds sown in this way will sprout only in the spring, but the autumn sowing lawn will turn out to be thick and strong. Freezing the seeds only adds strength to them, and there is quite a lot of moisture left after the snow melts. In addition, there is no need to wait until the earth warms up, and the grown grass will receive additional “immunity” to frost, drought, and even pests with diseases.
We fix mistakes and use modern technologies
With winter sowing, it is also important to guess with time. If the seeds have time to hatch before the onset of stable frosts, they will die immediately with a significant drop in temperature. In order to increase the chances of successful and timely germination, the seed rate is increased and oversown in the spring.
Sowing the lawn. In areas where the seeds planted since autumn have not sprouted, the soil is prepared again, fertilizers are applied, seeds are sown, rolled and watered with a stop at already sprouted plants. If you need to sow grass where the grass is already growing, but somewhat loose,
For overseeding use the same grass mixture, as before, or use a special repair grass mixture.
Hydroseeding. Do-it-yourself autumn sowing of a lawn often becomes impossible in areas with a large slope, where meltwater simply blows away all the seeds. For such places perfect solution- hydroseeding. It is also used when you need to sow a fairly large area. At the same time, the seeds are included in a special mixture, in which there are special technological additives (adhesives), fertilizers and water. All this is “driven” into the ground under a pressure of 6 atmospheres. Seeds are firmly held on the steepest slopes thanks to gluing substances. Lawn hydroseeding is often used where no other method works.
Hello! Is there such a herb for country lawn, which can be planted not at the beginning of autumn, but at any time, for example now, in August?
The beginning of August is not the best good time to create a country lawn, but this does not mean that it is impossible to sow grass. It is possible, only hassle, in terms of watering it will take more. In summer sowing, compared with autumn, there is even an advantage. Before frost, young grass will have time to grow to a height of 10-12 cm and get stronger enough to survive the difficult Russian winter.
In principle, in August you can sow any grasses or mixtures of grasses for lawns. It is important to choose the right seeds, taking into account the climate, the illumination of the site and soil conditions. We have already written about what grasses are suitable for a certain type of lawn, depending on its purpose.
To create a garden or ordinary lawn, spread between trees, shrubs or buildings, you need to choose herbs or mixtures that are not afraid of weather disasters and drought, resistant to trampling. It is not advisable to create a lawn from one type of grass, because. under adverse conditions, some types of herbs may not take root. The following are some of the hardiest types of lawn grasses.
Red fescue (lat. Festuca rubra) is a rhizomatous loose shrub perennial. The leaves are narrow, rich green. Shoots appear approximately 7 days after sowing, begin to bush in 18-20 days. The advantages include the preservation of a bright color even in drought, the ability to grow in the shade and displace weeds.
red fescue
Bluegrass meadow (lat. Poa pratensis) is a rhizomatous loose-bush perennial. The leaves are bright green. Seedlings will have to wait about 15 days, they will begin to bush after a month. Requires regular watering. With a lack of moisture, part of the shoots may turn yellow. Grows well in acidic and saline soils.
Bluegrass meadow
Creeping clover (lat. Trifolium repens) is a densely bushy perennial with relatively long (up to 0.5 m) stems and numerous leaves. Long-lived, drought-resistant, can grow on any soil.
creeping clover
Shooting bent grass (lat. Agrostis stolonifera) is a short-rhizome perennial with long shoots developing above the ground and light green leaves. Shoots appear approximately on the 5th day, grows rapidly. Sensitive to lack of moisture. Can grow in shade. Not suitable for heavy soils.
bent grass
Perennial ryegrass (lat. Loliun perenne) is a loose shrub perennial with dark green leaves. Shoots appear on the 4-5th day, intensively grows. Can crowd out weeds. Requires frequent mowing. Short-lived.
perennial ryegrass
Subtleties of sowing lawn grasses
We have already written about how to prepare the soil for the lawn and wait for it to settle. Sowing is carried out in dry weather in the absence of wind, because. seeds must be evenly distributed on the surface of the soil. Prepared seeds are divided into 2 equal parts and sown in 2 doses. The first part is sown, passing in one direction, the second - in a perpendicular direction.
Sowing seeds of lawn grasses
After sowing, the seeds are raked into the soil (preferably to a depth of 1.5 cm), and then lightly tamped upper layer soil. Watering is carried out in the evening, by sprinkling, so as not to wash the seeds. Puddles and prolonged stagnation of water should not be allowed. Until mass shoots appear, the future lawn is watered regularly, without letting the soil dry out.
Well maintained lawn. We want you to have one too
The choice of lawn grass seeds is huge, when buying them, be sure to pay attention to the composition and expiration date, carefully read the recommendations indicated on the package. We hope that you will be able to create an emerald rug that will please the eye this fall, and next spring, and for many years to come.
Landscape professionals are well aware of lawn grass sowing time. However, not everyone and not always adhere to optimal timing sowing. But in vain, because success in this matter depends on two main factors: moisture and heat.
We we sow the lawn when the snow has melted, the soil does not stick to the feet, from spring until October 15. The results are different, as are the sowing dates. The best period is spring - April. Many people believe auspicious time until May 15th. To form a high-quality herbage, the lawn can be sown, mowed several times, apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, apply a herbicide, and even repair molehills. So, you can sow from April.
best summer month for lawn sowing I count June, as for young plants add up optimal conditions temperature and humidity. But the July sowing is risky. If there is no watering on the site, I try not to sow lawn grasses this month. Such a sowing will definitely not be successful. At this time, the yard is hot, it rarely rains. The lawn, if it grows, will be of poor quality. It is important to remember that watering in the summer is necessary immediately after sowing the seeds. To do this, they spend 6-10 l / m2 per day, and you need to water it until friendly shoots appear.
Should I sow the lawn in August? Except at the end of the month. But it is better to wait until September. In September you can "shine". If you are lucky with the weather, the grass will grow quickly, and you will have time to mow it one more time. Of course, immediately the lawn will look like a “C grade plus”. But next year you will have a wonderful green carpet!
There is nothing to wait for in October, you need to sow quickly, before the 15th. The grass has time to sprout, but shoots are usually very rare. If the positive temperature lasts until November, the lawn will turn out good, but also only for the next year.
What then? Later sowing is not allowed until December.. It sounds unusual, but to accurately determine the timing of sowing in last years impossible, because warm days sometimes last almost until the New Year. It only takes a few sunny days for the grass to begin to sprout. And then the frost will destroy the seedlings. But you can take a risk.
Here are the main conditions: - carry out sowing at the onset of cold weather (below 3 ° C); - the earth must be loose; - increase the seed application rate by 1.5 times (1.2-1.5 kg per 30 m2); - seeds (at least 90%) must be embedded in the soil; - the soil after sowing the seeds must be tamped, because in the spring, due to moisture, this will not be possible.
Plus winter sowing- the emergence of grass seedlings already in April, when it is still impossible to sow - the soil is too wet. It turns out that we are ahead of time by at least a month and a half.
Be prepared for the fact that such a lawn in spring and summer will take you a lot of time: additional application of fertilizers, growth regulators, removal of overgrowing weeds by hand weeding will be required (I consider the application of herbicides to be unsafe while the lawn is so “young”). Only by the fall of next year will you receive a high-quality herbage. And yet, if the means and time allow you to take a risk, then why not?
Once I had a pretty heavy winter lawn sowing experience. It would seem that I got burned and I will not do such experiments anymore. But if they ask me if I would sow the lawn again in December, I will answer in the affirmative. I would try to eliminate the mistakes that I made before, I would start work with soil analysis, increase the seeding rate, and then I would definitely carry out spring top dressing nitrogen fertilizers. The chance of having a quality lawn during winter sowing is still great.
So high-quality herbage can be created anywhere and in any conditions! The prerequisites for this are knowledge and practice.
Alexander Varenitsa, landscape designer
We are accustomed to the fact that most crops need to be sown in the spring. Around everything blooms and smells, nature comes to life, which means it's time to start field work. But it was not there! It turns out that planting grass at the end of October is no less, and in some cases more profitable than spring sowing. Why is this happening and when to sow lawn grass before winter, you will find out in an article specially prepared for readers of the site.
Why winter lawn sowing is preferable?
Agronomists and experts in the field Agriculture agreed that planting lawn grass before winter is much more preferable. As evidence, they cite the following "iron" arguments:
- Air and soil have a fairly high humidity.
- It has not yet had time to get colder, so the temperature for seed germination remains optimal.
- Weeds at this time almost do not grow.
As you can see, the conditions for a good formation of shoots and the formation of strong roots are more than favorable. For example, if the lawn is sown in the winter in September, it will have time to grow up to 8-10 centimeters by the first frost.
The sown lawn in September will have time to take root and germinate well before winter Preparing the lawn for sowing: where to start?
The most unfortunate time for planting grass is the summer months.
At this time, the seeds have a very low germination rate. If you plan to sow lawn grass before winter, be sure to work the soil well before sowing. A lot depends on the size and location of the site. If you plan to plant a lawn before winter on the lowlands, the earth will accumulate water much more strongly. This will not affect the quality of the grass in the best way.
In order to avoid poor growth, we advise you to immediately lay a good, high-quality drainage. Use gravel or sand as the base material. After that, you can proceed to laying the soil. This option especially preferred if a sports-type lawn is planned. The territory is cleared for crops, garbage is removed, and the soil is leveled. As for the land, it must be cleared of all, even the smallest weeds, roots, and some other plants.
The problem of sites with a decent slope is solved by hydroseeding. Melt water will not be able to harm the seeds if the planting was carried out in a "cunning" way. It even has an official name - hydroseeding. By the way, it is also effective for sowing large areas. A special mixture is prepared from seeds, technological additives with gluing functions, fertilizers and water. This entire set is driven into the ground under a fairly powerful pressure of 6 atmospheres. Thanks to this, as well as sticking substances, the seeds hold perfectly even on steep slopes.
When the soil is dug up, give it time to settle and recover properly. Approximate time is 2 weeks. After 14 days, the site is covered with vegetable soil. Its main function is to nourish the grass. We also highly recommend checking the pH. The normal value is 5.5. If it suddenly turns out that the performance of your soil is much lower, treat it with special lime and water it thoroughly.
Also don't forget to fertilize. They will accelerate the growth of the root system, make it stronger and more resilient.
Sowing the lawn in winter: let's get started!
The expression “into winter” does not mean at all that you are stubbornly waiting for the first snow and only after that you start planting seeds. It is better to carry out this procedure in early autumn, when the ground is no longer dry, but the risk of freezing seeds is minimal. If seeding is done later, your lawn will not have time to mature and may not survive the coming winter.
Winter sowing of the lawn is always done on a quiet and calm day. This is a necessary measure so that the lawn is uniform and the seeds do not scatter. After that, they are sprinkled with peat by about 8-10 centimeters, the site is leveled with a lawn roller. Everything is done as quickly and efficiently as possible. The quality of your lawn in the future will depend on this.
Leveling the soil with a lawn roller The temperature must not be below zero. It is highly desirable that no more than 40 days pass from the moment of sowing to the onset of the first frost. The root system will have time to get stronger, the grass will be able to grow to the desired height.
However, sowing a lawn before winter on frozen ground also has its fans. They have their own arguments. They say that in autumn the weather is too unpredictable, frosts can hit in September-October. It is better to do this in slightly frozen ground until a sufficiently dense cover of snow appears.
With the correct timing, this method of sowing also has the right to exist. Grass begins to grow literally before our eyes, light permafrost only hardens the seeds, gives them additional strength. Already in early spring, you can expect the appearance of magnificent shoots. The melted snow immediately saturates the soil with the necessary moisture that nourishes the grass. Plants acquire good frost and moisture resistance. They are much less susceptible to diseases, pests and weeds.
Lawn seeds can also be sown in slightly frozen ground. On the other hand, sowing a lawn before winter is unlikely to suit people whose plots are at a slight slope. In early spring the snow begins to melt and simply washes the soil along with the seeds in it. However, such crops are risky for another reason. In autumn, the air temperature is really changeable. After frosts in September, a sharp warming can come in October. The temperature immediately rises, the seeds grow, and with subsequent frosts, alas, they freeze and die. Sowing lawn grass in autumn into winter is not effective, and in the spring it has to be redone. When choosing seeds, buy those that have increased frost resistance. This significantly reduces the possible risks.
How to take care of the autumn lawn?
So, you already know when to plant lawn grass, and perhaps even managed to sow. In that case, try. Subsequently, the grass will begin to grow, weeds will also make themselves felt. This also applies to other pests. That is why it is so important to follow all the rules for caring for the site:
- Regular watering. Can seeds planted in autumn be watered? Not only possible, but necessary! The strength and beauty of your lawn will depend on regular watering. But you shouldn't overdo it either. The advantages and features of autumn are such that this season rainy weather always prevails. Therefore, you are unlikely to need to water the soil too often.
The strength and beauty of your lawn will depend on regular watering. - Quality fertilizers. Surely, you would like the sprouted grass to have a beautiful green color. There is nothing complicated! Timely apply fertilizers and minerals, make the necessary top dressing. Humus is best suited for these purposes. It is not recommended to take too fresh. The best option- humus at the age of 1-2 years. In a week you will see the result of the work done.
- Pruning. Even in autumn, a month before snow falls, we must not forget about appearance lawn. Grass grows by leaps and bounds. Soon its height reaches unprecedented proportions. If you plan to grow a real mini-forest in front of the house, you can leave it unattended. As practice shows, only a few do this, and most other farmers still monitor the size of green spaces and take action in time. By the way, you do not have to mow it at all. You can always do original way and cut out some intricate drawings or shapes. Today, this trend is very common.
Grass grows by leaps and bounds if you mow it regularly - Remember to take care of the health of your lawn. First of all, care is shown in the fight against weeds and various pests. The issue of weeds is easily solved. You can remove them manually or add special substances to the ground in advance to prevent their growth. Slugs and shrews are much more difficult to eradicate, although there are many poisons to eliminate them.
As for the choice of grass mixture, 5-7 different herbs in the composition will be the best option.
Optimally, choose several types of grass Of course, this is not the whole list of activities aimed at caring for the autumn-winter lawn. It can be concluded that sowing a lawn for the winter itself is not a difficult task. In addition, if you approach the solution of this issue with all responsibility and seriousness, there will definitely not be any problems. But do not forget that the final result always depends on the highest quality implementation of each stage.
