When it comes to building or buying a home with a large outdoor space, it is important to consider the layout of the garden. Indeed, a garden is an ideal play space for children and a relaxation space for adults. Before even considering installing the garden table or hammock, you must first plant your lawn. Here are some practical tips for properly planting your lawn.
When should you plant your lawn?
The ideal seasons for sowing a lawn are generally fall or spring. Indeed, the cold of winter risks preventing the seeds from germinating. In addition, the scorching summer heat is likely to burn the first blades of grass. It is therefore preferable to plant the lawn when the temperatures are mild. However, there are exceptions, when the climate permits. This is often the case in certain regions of the world where winters and summers are mild.
If you have to choose between autumn and spring to plant your lawn, you should favor autumn, which offers more advantages:
- Since the weeds are no longer in their growth period, they will not pollute your lawn.
- The soil will be regularly moistened by the frequent rains in autumn. This will allow you to make significant savings when it comes to watering.
- Just after summer passes, the soil still retains heat, which is conducive to plant germination. On the other hand, in spring, the ground tends to be cold, which makes work more difficult.
- It is important to consider the time between planting the turf and when the lawn will be fully established. If the grass is planted in spring, it risks being quickly attacked by the heat of summer while it is still fragile.
The choice between planting in autumn and spring also depends on the mild climate. However, professionals generally prefer to plant the lawn during the fall.
How should you plant your lawn?
1- Organize your program
The project of planting your lawn must always be carried out with good preparation. It is essential to first take measurements of the garden, to determine the area to be covered. This step will also allow you to know how much seedlings to buy.
It is also worth thinking about the variety of grass you are looking for. If you plan to plant grass on a sports field, favor a “sport and relaxation” lawn. This is a perfectly robust turf. To obtain a magnificent lawn, even if it means making additional efforts regarding maintenance, you can opt for a “fine ornamental” lawn. If you have difficulty choosing between the two, why not opt for a “relaxation and pleasure” lawn, which combines some of the strong points from the two previous lawns.
Do not hesitate to put together a detailed schedule for your project. Preparing the land will take between 2 and 3 weeks. It will also take approximately 6 weeks, between the time of sowing and the day of the first mowing. It is therefore essential to allow two months of work and monitoring of soil moisture to obtain a magnificent lawn.
2- Treat the floor
Cleaning the land is essential when it comes to planting your lawn. Don’t hesitate to remove anything that could cover the floor. This includes furniture, branches, stones, toys and other unnecessary items that could disrupt operations.
The next step is to plow the land. This involves turning the earth, to a thickness of 20 cm, which will effectively destroy the weeds on the ground. If the land is full of weeds, do not hesitate to use the lawn mower. Turning over the soil will not only kill weeds, but it will also help you spot and remove stones easily.
The third step is to let the soil sit for several weeks. This will transform sun-dried plants into natural compost.
The next step is to add manure or compost to the soil. This will enrich the soil, incorporating nutrients. When it comes to planting your lawn, it is also advisable to improve the structure of the soil by adding sand or lime. This will change the heaviness and acidity of the soil.
The land should then be leveled using a roller and a rake. This will fill hollow spaces and eliminate clods of earth.
3- Seeding the lawn
When you are finally ready to plant your lawn, it is important to choose a dry, windless day. You should also wear comfortable clothing and wear shoes without crampons.
Remember to mix the seed properly before spreading. Grass is generally made up of various varieties of herbaceous plants, some seeds of which are lighter than others. So, so that a single variety of grass does not concentrate on a single area of the land, which would be noticed immediately, the sowing must be well mixed.
As for the actual seeding, you have the choice between two methods: doing it by hand, or planting your lawn with a spreader.
4- Monitor the terrain
When you have finished planting your lawn, it is important to regularly check the soil moisture. The first herbs should begin to emerge from the soil a week after sowing. After a month and a half, they should all be out. When the grass reaches a height of approximately 10 cm, you will need to mow the lawn for the first time. This will make it possible to standardize the height of the lawn across the entire field.
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