A beautiful, well-groomed lawn near the house - this picture pleases not only the eye. Emerald grass emphasizes architectural designs, highlights flower beds, ridges, and alpine slides. It doesn’t take much time to make a lawn with your own hands, but it is necessary to know how to do it correctly.
The basis of almost all lawns is grass. There are different types, with different characteristics, different colors. In the climate of central Russia, not all of them feel good. Therefore, if you are going to buy a ready-made mixture, pay attention to zoning: in the first winter you risk losing your entire lawn.
You can make a green lawn with your own hands in five to seven weeks.
You need to be especially careful with ryegrass. It grows quickly, creates a thick, beautiful carpet, but does not tolerate frost well and freezes in our climate. When buying a ready-made grass mixture, look at its composition: there should be a little ryegrass. Even if it freezes, it won't do much harm.
When to sow grass
You can sow grass from May 1 to August 15. When sowing in spring, increase the seed consumption per square area slightly (by 10-15%). This way you will get a beautiful lawn faster and the lawn will leave stronger in winter. Due to the high density, plants will begin to compete with each other and the weak ones will be crowded out. Only the strong will survive until autumn.
When sowing in summer, adhere to the application rate. Due to lack of time, weak plants will not have time to force out, but all will be weakened by this struggle. Therefore, good care is important for summer lawns.
What is the best lawn grass?
The most beautiful color and dense grass are found in fescue and bluegrass. Their greenery is tender and emerald. When creating a parthenium lawn, they are used. But they cannot be used for other types of lawns that will be walked on: they will quickly be trampled. On such lawns, bentgrass of different varieties is often sown. Not so tender, it tolerates some degree of stress well.
The choice of lawn grass is wide, but five main ones are most often used:
Fescue is also more suitable for shady lawns. But even this will not grow in deep and constant shade. Salt light is the basis of photosynthesis. And at least for some time the lawn should be illuminated.
About types of lawns
In the absence of a ready-made lawn, when planning, first of all it is worth deciding on its function: whether the lawn will serve only as a decorative element, or be a field for different types of activities. There are several types: ground floor, Moorish, natural, landscape gardening, sports and special.
Parterre lawn
This type, also called an English lawn, has a purely decorative function. Its height in summer is 3 - 3.5 cm, it consists of expensive and tender grasses that need sunlight, are afraid of shady places, moving along it, having picnics and any other physical activity.
A ground lawn can be installed only if you know for sure that there will be no load on it Source zen.yandex.ru
The soil must be well prepared, free from weeds, professional and timely care.
Such a lawn requires serious care Source yandex.ru
Despite all the costs, this particular lawn is the most beautiful and rich, emphasizing the high economic and cultural status of its owner.
But all efforts will be rewarded with a beautiful emerald carpet Source majesticapartments.info
It can be combined with any other plants and flowers Source for-builders.ru
Moorish lawn
Mainly, this lawn on the site also performs a decorative function; the herbs used reach a height of more than 10 cm and are flowering (meadow chamomile, field cornflower, poppy, large-flowered flax). Afraid of kneading, a certain frequency of haircuts is necessary.
This type of lawn is also not suitable for playing football - it differs from others in the presence of different wildflowers Source dreempics.com
Flower lawns are installed in places where no other work is expected Source pinterest.com
A well-chosen bouquet of flowers in a herbal mixture will give the owner a wonderful palette of colors, but it is worth keeping in mind that the larger the lawn, the less exclusive and premium it will look.
Natural lawn
Having rid the planned area filled with grasses of weeds and tall plants, any area densely occupied by grasses can be covered with a natural lawn. Such a lawn does not require special soil or grass mixtures.
Natural “lawns” do not require special care, and there are no problems with them when planting Source gazeta-butyrsky.ru
There are special meadow mixtures on sale that allow you to give any lawn a certain look. Maintenance of such a lawn is minimal, as are the economic costs, but in appearance, this type is inferior to all others.
Gardening
Due to its greatest prevalence, it is often called a regular lawn. The garden lawn consists of hard, rough grasses, 5-6 cm high. Such a lawn can grow on poor soils, it is slightly susceptible to changes in shady areas and excess sunlight.
Park lawn is suitable for shaded areas Source greennirvana.ru
This type of lawn is unpretentious either in creation or maintenance Source premierlawns.co.uk
It is a compromise of aesthetics and functionality; you can safely arrange picnics and recreation areas on it, place inflatable pools, and temporary paraphernalia.
Sports
This lawn is used when there is intense exposure to the soil, near playgrounds, sports grounds, and walking areas. Growing cereals have good resistance to trampling and abrasion.
A lawn for a family with children and animals - it is difficult to “scare” it with intense load Source taxpolice.spb.ru
When creating a sports ground, you need to take care of a durable substrate Source en.ppt-online.org
As a rule, mixtures for sports turf are more expensive and their creation requires additional costs.
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in landscape design of sites.
Special
This type can be purchased ready-made in the form of rolls. Rolls are sold already with turf and are easily adapted to the supplied soil.
Rolled lawn is ready to delight its owners in just 2 weeks Source seattlehelpers.org
Grasses are tough and do not have any special aesthetic qualities, but in terms of their resistance to any influences they are no worse than gardening grasses.
More often, load-resistant grasses are used for rolled lawns Source landgrass.ru
Lawn in the courtyard of a private house and its advantages
As mentioned earlier, this direction in landscape design has a decorative function and allows you to decorate the site, making it more interesting and attractive. At the same time, the lawn hides a lot of other advantages, because it allows you to create a recreation area for adults or equip a children's playground. In addition, grass cover helps regulate the microclimate, reducing the temperature difference between the ground surface and the air.
The grass also has filtration and phytoncidal properties that help cleanse the air of dust, heavy metals and gas impurities. Simply put, the lawn absorbs street dust and car exhaust from the nearby road, making the air cleaner. Grass cover improves the structure and condition of the soil, retains moisture in the soil and reduces the level of surface vibration. Also, the lawn muffles noise and produces oxygen with negative ions, which have a positive effect on the nervous system and the well-being of household members.
About the herbs used
Cereal mixtures for a parterre lawn for a summer residence contain the seeds of meadow grass, red fescue and fine bentgrass. Moorish mixtures contain flax seeds, cornflowers, marigolds, chamomile, nemesia, bluegrass and fescue. Mixtures for arranging a lawn contain seeds of ryegrass, sheep fescue and bluegrass.
Grasses for each type of lawn are selected individually Source seattlehelpers.org
The sports turf consists of perennial ryegrass, red fescue and bentgrass.
Each individual species is differently resistant to weathering. Mixtures with 3 or more species make it possible to hide the weakest qualities of cereal crops, thanks to which the lawn can be evenly contrasting, whether in the sun or in the shade.
Expert advice
Before you set up a lawn, you should understand what is closer to you - an artificial or natural option. It is also important to decide on the purpose - sporty or decorative. The artificial version will not cause difficulties; creating a natural design will have to work hard.
Before planting plants on top, make sure the base is well prepared. It is important that there is no stagnation of water in the soil. It is also worth weeding the weeds thoroughly. You should sow according to the instructions for each plant. It is important to follow the regime of fertilizing and watering.
It doesn’t matter whether you choose a butterfly or lizard design, you should follow the advice of experts:
- Watch the lighting - shade-loving grass mixtures are planted in the shade, light-loving ones - in the sun.
- If your area is intended for play, choose artificial grass.
- The soil for the Moorish lawn should be selected as carefully as possible.
- At the dacha, soil preparation should be carried out using the method of reclamation and mechanized means. Reclamation can be carried out using organic fertilizers and peat, by mixing soil and black soil.
These tips will help you keep your lawn tidy. By following them, you will certainly achieve good results.
About soil preparation and features of choosing a location
Work related to preparing the soil and sowing seeds can be divided into several stages.
A high-quality lawn requires careful soil preparation Source sovet-sadovody.ru
At the first stage, the soil type is determined. To do this, it is enough to dig on a clear day, take a handful of soil in the palm of your hand, examine the color, crush it, and use the following factors to determine the type of soil:
- Sandy soil is characterized by a large amount of sand, it is rough and granular, water is quickly carried away from the surface of the sand, removing useful substances. Such soil must be regularly fed and watered.
- Clay soil holds too much water and is fertile, but may have drainage problems. The clay is sticky, gray in color, and forms a lump when compressed.
- Peat soil is dark, loose and soft. It is poor in nutrients, it is very wet, as it is found in swampy places. It is worth providing an additional layer to drain excess water
- Calcareous soil does not form a compact; it feels crumbly and granular to the touch. This type is fertile and drains water well.
- Loam is a mixture of sand and clay, this soil is soft to the touch, the color varies from gray to brownish brown. Average in fertility, water flows moderately.
Regardless of soil type, it is important to maintain the correct soil acidity. The most favorable acidity for most types of cereals is 6.0 – 7.0 pH units. To determine acidity, you can use litmus paper and use a scale to determine the acidity.
To determine the acidity of the soil, a paper litmus strip is used Source shopsad.ru
If the soil has an acidity of less than 6, you can sprinkle the soil with lime and chalk. If the soil has a slightly alkaline environment, you can use special solutions or crushed peat.
Special
This type of lawn can be purchased ready-made in the form of rolls, already with turf. They have high adaptation to any soil.
Herbs have no special aesthetic qualities. But they resist negative mechanical influences in almost the same way as gardening ones.
Soil preparation
So that nothing prevents the grass from growing and it is uniform, the ground should be cleared of weeds, stones, sticks and possible debris. Places that have uneven areas should be leveled using a rake; pronounced hills will have to be demolished with a shovel. To thoroughly remove weeds, you can use herbicides. If the treated area has a large number of bushes, small trees, weeds and is also not level, it would be best to simply dig up this area completely, and then start sorting out the roots of unnecessary plants.
Preparation for sowing a lawn begins with completely clearing the area of weeds Source hozsektor.ru
Soils with poor drainage (clayey, peat) need to create a layer through which water can easily drain. To do this, you need to remove 20-25 cm from the soil and put a drainage layer in the form of geotextiles, broken bricks or gravel.
Schematically, the area with drainage looks like this Source warecoz.saporehus.ru.net
It would not be a bad idea to use additional fertile soil and place it in an even layer 5-10 cm thick on the territory.
Sometimes a small layer of fertile soil is placed on the drainage Source besplatka.ua
Regardless of the fertility of your soil, an additional layer will not have a negative impact on your green lawn, but will only improve its quality.
Choosing the optimal season for sowing
The ideal time to plant lawn grass is from early spring to late autumn. Each period of the year except winter has advantages and disadvantages:
- In the spring, under conditions of warm soil, moderate air humidity, and loyal sun exposure, cereal seeds actively germinate. Together with them, weeds sprout, slowing down development and displacing herbaceous plants.
- At the beginning of summer, there is absolutely no chance of frosts that have a detrimental effect on young, immature lawn grass. Heat has a negative effect on sprouts. Direct rays of the sun provoke lethargy and drying of seedlings. The ideal time for planting is the heavy rainy season with an average daily temperature of 20-25 °C.
- In autumn, it is recommended to carry out sowing work at the beginning of September or before the arrival of winter. If the lawn base is planted immediately after the end of the summer heat, it will germinate well before frost with abundant artificial and natural watering. If the seeds are sown in slightly frozen soil before snow falls, they will sprout only in early spring. Over the winter they will take root and begin to withstand the effects of frost and wind. With the arrival of warm weather, the soil will warm up, provoking abundant growth of cereal grasses.
It is recommended to sow from early spring to late autumn
About sowing and growing
Before sowing, the soil should be loosened with a rake with small teeth to make it easier for the seeds to enter the ground.
After the rake, small grooves are formed, into which the seeds fall Source zagorodnaya-zhizn.moscow
Knowing the size of the planned lawn, the number of seeds for sowing can be calculated according to the proportion, where at least 50 grams are required per 1 m2. seeds, or per 1 hundred square meters at least 5 kg. Spending more than 7 kg per 1 hectare of land is not rational for any soil fertility and type of grass. The sowing depth should not reach more than 1 cm.
Each meter of plot requires a certain number of seeds - there is no point in sowing more Source thestar.com
For sowing, you can use a regular 2 liter plastic bottle, making holes in it for the seeds.
For a larger area, you can use a special device where the amount of seeds will be dosed.
A special manual harvester will help you cope with a large area Source preschooloptions.org
Seeding devices can be different Source greenland.ee
The edges of the lawn are sown first and most intensively, then along the entire territory. The seeds can be mixed with dry fertilizer, which can speed up their germination.
A similar device is used in small areas Source seattlehelpers.org
After sowing, the soil must be compacted for additional compaction, to get rid of uneven surfaces and to protect it from birds.
After sowing, the ground is leveled and compacted Source dacha.help
A manual roller is used for compaction Source parnik-teplitsa.ru
Natural
Before laying a natural lawn, the area must be cleared of weeds and tall plants. It is important that it does not require special soil or herbaceous mixtures.
Various meadow mixtures are offered for sale that can give the site the desired appearance. Maintenance, as well as pricing policy, are minimal. However, externally this design is inferior to all others.
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About care
Lawn care and design consists of moisture control, periodic mowing and weed removal.
Naturally, when setting the goal of creating a natural lawn with a predominance of low-growing species on moist soil, all care can be reduced only to mowing. However, in this case, there is a high probability of obtaining an uneven lawn pattern. Somewhere the grass will be greener, somewhere, on the contrary, it will be withered and sparse. Depending on the type of lawn, the cutting height varies, but it is not recommended to cut any lawn shorter than 3 cm.
| Lawn type | Cut to, see: | |
| In summer | Autumn-spring | |
| Parterre | 3 | 4 |
| Sports | 3 | 4 |
| Gardening | 5 | 6 |
As a rule, no more than 1/3 of the height is cut when the grass growth is 1.5 - 2 cm more than normal. Overgrown grass is mowed in 2-3 stages. In summer the frequency is 10-15 days, in autumn and spring 7-10 days. Grass clippings should not be left on the lawn.
To maintain a “marketable” appearance, the grown grass is mowed Source mir-ogorod.ru
Mauritanian
Most often, this design also refers to the decorative option. Flowering grass is used here, which can reach 10 cm in height.
Meadow chamomile, field cornflower, poppy, and flax with large flowers are excellent. You need to cut your hair at certain intervals. Afraid of shifting.
A competent selection of color palette can create a magical lawn. However, it is worth remembering that this beauty will reveal itself only in small areas, therefore, the larger the area, the less the effect.
Photo gallery of examples of lawn design
Decorative lawn combined with flower beds Source safechaos.net
Small lawn near a small house Source yandex.ru
For the garden, it is better to choose grass that is accustomed to shade Source ikeablog.zapto.org
The large meadow is suitable for walking and admiring the beauty of nature Source voipjardines.es
When you just want a lot of greenery Source nationalgolf.lt
While having a picnic in nature, you can stroll through fresh greenery Source curtislandscaping.wordpress.com
Sports
This type of coating is ideal in areas where there is intense impact on the soil, sports fields.
The greenery growing here is highly resistant to trampling and abrasion. Such mixtures are quite expensive.
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Defining the goal
Before you install and remodel your lawn, you must understand why you need it.
pxhere.com Alexei 1606530 / Personal archive
- If children and animals will constantly play on the lawn, sow appropriate hardy grasses .
- If you admire the lawn from the outside and can provide it with regular and careful care, you can pamper yourself with a parterre lawn with rare meadow grasses.
Jeremy Page/Flickr.com
Content
- Easier to fix than to replace
- Lawn of ground cover plants
- Defining the goal
- Choosing a form
- How to visually smooth straight lines
- Non-standard forms
- Round lawn
- Lawn Borders
The lawn most often occupies the main, central part of the site and must strictly correspond to the general appearance of the garden and the lifestyle of its owner. After all, it is the lawn that plays the role of the main background on which all other elements of the garden are placed.
pixnio.com / Personal archive
Non-standard forms
- Smooth, winding lines will also look beautiful Such lawns are ideally combined with ribbon flower beds, island flower beds and landscape plantings.
Gray Rocker / Flickr.com
- An interesting and non-standard solution would be to change the level of the lawn in certain areas. This will look especially impressive The difference in height level can be 15-25 cm.
DrNickStafford / Personal archive
- The lawn can be raised or, conversely, “ submerged .” Such a lawn will require mandatory border design and a thoughtful approach to the lawn mower. Stone or brickwork will look beautiful and stylish in this role . Such an element of garden decoration will definitely not go unnoticed.
Hand-held agricultural implements
Working with a scythe will require work skills, otherwise it will turn out uneven and ugly.
Thus, creating a flat surface using a scythe will be problematic. It is most often used on uneven, steep slopes.
Choosing a form
Remember that the presence of a lawn will no longer surprise anyone, but its interesting shape and beautifully designed edges are more important for perception.
- very boring and dull , repeating the lines of the fence of the site and not adding any variety. But it is precisely when creating such an element of landscape design as a lawn that you can give free rein to your imagination .
If you are still a fan of straight lines and like the rectangular shape, then you can add originality . An L-shaped line surrounding a patio or a bright, contrasting flower bed will easily cope with this task.
PhotoMIX-Company / Personal archive
Easier to fix than to replace
- If you are planning to change an existing lawn design or create a new one, try to keep what you have or simply modify it.
- Expanding, reducing or changing your lawn is much easier than creating it from scratch.
- The most labor-intensive part when changing the design of a lawn is digging and reseeding , which, by the way, can also be avoided if the lawn is not completely bad and repairs can give good results.
- If there is a need to change the shape of the lawn, then you can simply get by by cutting out the turf from unnecessary areas and moving them to the right places.
Yoshihide Nomura / Flickr.com
hippopx / Personal archive
Lawnmower
This tool can be mechanical, electric, battery, or gasoline.
The first one is silent and affordable. The second has the disadvantage that it runs on electricity. The third is a subtype of the second, inconvenient to use, and uneconomical.
The latter type does not depend on the power source and is convenient for large areas. But the disadvantages include high price, noise, and heavy weight.
