Lawn. How to maintain and keep it looking good.

Good morning. It is Monday. My favorite day.

I see so many questions around this topic.

Let me share my experience and knowledge with you.

The first thing you need to do, is have the right lawn. Kikuyu, if you have sun and LM if you have shade. You can opt for All Seasons and try plugs and seeds but that requires more dedication. LM and Kikuyu are sold in squares and priced per square meter. Kikuyu and LM have a similar growth pattern. All Seasons and other types don't "knit" together, and this is why it doesn't recover well after it has been damaged. It needs to be replaced. You can only consider seed if you don't have any dogs. Kikuyu and LM are much more forgiving.

The next step, and most important step in all landscaping, is preparation. Leveling. Removing stones.

Now you pack your squares. It looks a little like a patchwork carpet at first. The grass blades face different direction. When the area is covered, you need to roll it. This helps leveling the squares.

Then you add some lawn dressing over the lawn and water.

After 2 weeks you cut the lawn for the first time.

To maintain lawn you need:

Water

Fertilizer

Aerate

Not cut too short.

Water: How much to water is always dependent on your situation. In summer we water late afternoon. In winter we water early morning. A little bit of water every day does very little as it doesn't reach the roots. When you water it is better to saturate the soil and then you can leave it for 2 weeks.

Fertizer: Organic is best. 12:1:5. The first number helps with leaves. The second gives fruits and the last number helps the roots. It is like vitamins for humans. You need to apply it regularly. 4 times a year. I have seen how organic fertilizer makes weeds go away. No digging or poison.

Aerate: Compaction is the biggest enemy of lawns. Water and nutrients don't get to the roots. The best way to aerate is with a garden fork and manually. Push the fork into the ground as deep as the fork fingers. Lift the soil at a 45-degree angle. You can buy or rent a machine to poke holes in the grass also. I recommend the manual method.

Cutting too short.: Cut lawn on the highest setting of the lawn mover. When you cut too short, the roots are exposed, and the sun burns and kills the grass.

What to do with weeds?

Try to avoid poisons. Fertilize with organic fertilizer and you should have few weeds. Pul them out by hand. Make sure you get the roots and don't wait to till the weeds flower and seed. If you mow the lawn over weeds, you are spreading the seeds and multiplying your problem.

When do I use top soil?

Never. Lawn dressing is used to level out lawns. If you are applying anything other than organic fertilizer and lawn dressing on your soil -I do not endorse it. But if you must use any type of sand or soil or compost or any other plant material, use it in a thin layer. The grass must breathe.

Happy gardening.

www.ineeden.co.za

P. S. The picture is of my garden at my studio.