Instructions for laying and sowing a lawn

Remove large and medium-sized stones, branches, bricks, etc. from the site. Cut down bushes, remove tree and shrub stumps with roots. If there are small pits and furrows, fill them with soil, level out small mounds and molehills. Cut off any stumps.

If it is necessary to lay the lawn on an overly moist site, then install soil drainage.

The most effective method of weed control is to use systemic herbicides.

Pay attention to the instructions on the package to determine when it will be safe to sow the lawn after applying the herbicide.

If there are only a few perennial weeds on the site, it may be possible to do without herbicides.

If there are already perennial grasses on the site, we need to consider whether we are satisfied with their composition. If not, we also use herbicides.

Some soils require improvement in structure and composition, therefore, if possible:

- On light sandy soils, clay is added to improve the structure.

- On heavy clay soils, sand is added to improve the structure and air regime of the soil.

To improve the structure and increase the organic matter content in the soil, peat is added after it has been neutralized. On clay soils, it will improve the structure and make them lighter, while on sandy soils, it will increase the organic matter content, water-holding capacity, and make them more fertile and suitable for lawn breaking.

Acidic soils need to be neutralized by adding lime or dolomite flour. It is best to apply lime in the winter.

Usually, this step is carried out after digging the soil. However, since the main fertilizers should be applied before digging the soil for lawn laying, fertilization is first applied, and then the soil is cultivated.

As it is well-known, fertilizers can be organic or mineral, and it is optimal to use them in a complex. On poor soils, organic fertilizers are desirable, especially on sandy soils. On heavy clay soils, organic matter improves the structure. In other cases, mineral fertilizers are sufficient.

It should be kept in mind that a lawn is created for at least several years, and the introduction of such nutrients as potassium and phosphorus with top-dressing is ineffective (they move poorly in the soil). Therefore, they should be applied during the lawn laying and provide a reserve of nutrients for several years.

For phosphorus fertilizers, it is permissible to apply a triple rate or even more, and for potassium fertilizers, up to 2-3 rates.

One should be cautious with nitrogen fertilizers - if digging is done in the fall, it is not desirable to apply nitrogen, and when digging in the spring, the recommended amount indicated on the package should be applied. Later, nitrogen is applied in the form of top-dressing in the spring, which is practically the only nutrient element that moves well in the soil.

After applying fertilizers and carrying out soil improvement operations (liming, etc.), we carry out manual or motorized soil digging, or plowing on larger plots. Then we level the soil - the flatter the plot, the better. Then we loosen and roll the soil. Now we can start planting.

Planting grass seeds can be done from early spring to late fall, but the optimal time is in the spring and late summer/early fall when the soil is most moist.

It is worth mentioning separately about fall planting. If the beginning of fall is the optimal time for planting, then it is better not to plant in the middle of fall (for the Central Federal District of Russia), as young plants may not have time to strengthen and may not survive the winter well. Therefore, it is rational to postpone planting until spring or sow seeds in the winter - in November, before the start of frost. In this case, the seeds will sprout in the spring and the sprouts will not suffer.

In summer, planting can be done if irrigation is available.

The recommended seeding rate for creating a lawn is 40-50 g per square meter.

For more accurate planting and compliance with the seeding rate, the area is divided into small squares - 1 sq. m for small areas and larger squares for larger areas.

Seeds are sown in two directions - first along the plot, then across (each marked square), or first sowing is carried out when moving to the right, and then the opposite - from right to left.

After planting, the seeds should be covered with a rake. If there are many grain-eating birds such as pigeons in the area, it is advisable to cover the area with a thin non-woven material until the seeds sprout.

The main operation in caring for the lawn is regular mowing.

Mowing helps improve the lawn's decorative appearance and prevents many weeds from developing by weakening them through repeated cutting.

The first mowing should be done when the height of the grass reaches about 8 cm, and subsequent mowings should be at 4-6 cm. The frequency of mowing depends on the grass's growth rate and should be done 1-2 times a month. It is best to use wheel mowers for mowing, and a manual trimmer is not the best option.

Without adequate moisture, the lawn will not develop properly, so it is necessary to provide watering in some way on hot summer days - using sprinklers, drip irrigation, or simply watering with a hose.

Nitrogen fertilizers are applied as fertilizers in the spring, but this can also be done in small doses during the summer.

If there is a need to fertilize the grass with other nutrients (due to prolonged use of the lawn or insufficient fertilization during lawn establishment), fully water-soluble forms of fertilizers should be used, and fertilizers should be applied with water during watering.

There are other types of lawn care operations. For example, the lawn can be "combed" with rakes after winter to remove dead grass leaves and improve aeration, and heavy soils can be aerated by puncturing the soil with a special spiked roller.