Choosing grass

Cereal crops are considered the best option. Their advantages lie in the ability to withstand significant loads, rapid growth and vegetative propagation. They are pleasant and safe to walk on.

Primary requirements

Not every cereal is suitable for creating a lawn. To get into the finished grass mixture, lawn grass seeds must meet a number of requirements:

The first criterion is decorative, aesthetic grass. It should be soft, retain its natural color for a long time, without fading from the sun.

For operation in conditions of low temperature, varieties must be frost-resistant.

The ability to form a good root system is very important. A branched underground part is a necessary condition for the growth of plants in all types of soil.

Selected species should be easy to recover after cutting, mulching and other procedures.

In terms of care, it is better to use perennial grass seeds. They do not have to be sown annually, it is enough to overseeding in small areas.

The final choice is made based on the purpose of the coating, climatic conditions, illumination and soil type.

Be sure to pay attention to the expiration date of the seeds.

When and how to plant lawn grass

To get a juicy grass cover, you need to decide on the time of planting lawn seeds. There is no single opinion on this matter. The lawn can be created in spring, summer and autumn. The only limiting factor is the weather. The weather should be dry and calm.

In the spring months, the survival rate and germination of seed material is quite high. Experts believe that lawns planted in late April or early May develop better and adapt to the conditions of detention.

The earlier seeding is done, the more time the lawn owner will have to fertilize and repair the lawn. The lack of sowing in the spring — together with lawn seedlings, weeds actively grow.

Summer planting is popular in southern regions with long, warm autumns. In July and August the soil is well warmed up. This is an ideal environment for seed germination.

Plants have time to fully form, get stronger before the period of winter dormancy. By this time, weeds have already sprouted enough. They can be easily removed just before sowing lawn seeds.

Autumn work should be carried out before frost. You can plant the lawn in September. Morning dew will help maintain moisture in the soil, weed growth will stop. Sowing in frost-bitten soil is allowed at the end of November. You should not wait for seedlings, but the seeds will undergo natural stratification, which will improve their germination next spring.

How to plant lawn grass

Sowing is carried out on a prepared surface — leveled, weed-treated and fertilized soil.

Visually divide the entire area of ​​​​the future lawn into several squares. Divide all seed between them approximately equally. Up to 40 gr. is spent per 1 square meter of land. seeds.

You can plant with a seeder, or you can manually mix the seeds with sand in an amount of 1: 1. Placer is produced in 2 perpendicular directions. The planting density at the edges should be higher than in the center.

After sowing, backfilling, tamping and moderate soil moistening are carried out.

Types of grass for the lawn

Depending on the function of the lawn (decorative, sports or special), a certain type of grass is used. You can purchase both a monoculture and a grass mixture of several varieties.

One type of grass is used to create expensive professional turf in sports stadiums. The mixture is much cheaper, it is not too capricious to care for and is common for creating lawns with your own hands.

Herbs that fight weeds

The ideal grass, which itself will destroy unwanted vegetation, has not yet been bred. But many lawn crops form dense turf, through which it is difficult for foreign roots to break through.

The best lawn grasses that crowd out weeds

Polevitsa. An excellent choice for those who can not devote much time to the lawn. The plant does not grow as actively in height as it does in breadth. This reduces the frequency of shearing. Creeping shoots form a dense green array, which prevents the formation of weeds. The bent grass does not respond well to the direct rays of the sun; it is better to place it in partial shade.

Bluegrass meadow. As a monoculture, they are practically not used, grass mixtures with bluegrass have become widespread. This cereal representative is one of the earliest.

Advantages — softness, unpretentiousness to temperature extremes and soil composition, resistance to trampling. Its ability to suppress weeds is rated slightly worse than that of the bent grass. A dense green carpet, which makes it difficult for weeds to germinate, forms a few years after sowing.

Ryegrass. A feature of this herb is aesthetics, medium-width leaves organically fit into any composition. The culture does not tolerate negative temperatures, so landing in the southern regions is preferable.

Microclover. Another natural weed fighter. Unlike bent grass, it tolerates drought well. But on closer examination, it does not look as decorative as other herbal «brothers». The plant dominates the lawn and suppresses not only weeds, but also cultivated grasses.

Fescue. Unpretentious inhabitant of many lawns. It is used both as a mono-type and as part of lawn mixtures. The plant is suitable for planting on depleted soils, is not afraid of frost and heat.

A photo selection of grass varieties for the lawn is presented below. By combining these crops, the best weed control effect can be achieved.

artificial grass

What to do if there is little light on the site and poor conditions for the growth of natural lawn? The solution will be the arrangement of artificial turf. Modern technologies make the visual difference between them almost indistinguishable. It is appropriate to lay such a lawn near the pool, on playgrounds for children.

The product is sold in rolls, which greatly facilitates the installation process. The basis is an elastic substrate with a latex layer. A pile 6-10 cm high is attached to it, its density is determined by the purpose of the lawn. Depending on the backfill, there are 3 types of artificial material:

Nezasypny (analogue of a carpet). It is characterized by a small (4-10 mm) fiber height. It is used for landscape design of places where no traffic is carried out (cafe areas, private courtyards).

Semi-filled. It consists of polyethylene threads woven into a rubber base. When laying the lawn, the lawn is covered with quartz sand. This is the best solution for tennis courts, sports complexes. The coating softens the fall, contributes to a clear rebound of the ball.

Zasypnoy. This is a specific grass used on professional football fields. Backfill is a combination of crumb rubber and sand. The coating is well springy, reliably protects against injuries.

The advantages of artificial lawns are year-round use, wear resistance, hygroscopicity, lack of watering and fertilizing. Drainage holes are provided in the substrate to remove moisture.

Natural grass in rolls

Rolled lawn grass is grown in nurseries. The average time from planting seeds (most often, bluegrass and fescue) to the sale of coverage is 3 years. By this time, the lawn has time to get stronger, to build up an extensive root system. The finished canvas is cut into strips of 40×200 cm and twisted into a bay so that the roots do not dry out. The weight of one roll reaches 25 kg.

It is desirable to lay such a lawn on the day of purchase. So there is more chance that he will take root. Sequence of work:

• Installation starts from the corner of the site. The bay is rolled out straight, it is not allowed to bend, tuck the canvas. If there is an obstacle on the way (the edge of the curb, the corner of the flower bed), then an appropriate cut is made in the lawn.
• All rows are laid tightly end-to-end (without gaps and overlap) in a checkerboard pattern. The drawing of the layout resembles brickwork.
• Use solid stripes for the edges. Place the roll cuts in the center.
• After laying the first row, install the flooring from the boards on it. The next rolls are lined while standing on it. This eliminates the pushing of the new coating with your feet.
• Water the lawn. Try not to let the soil dry out.

The rolled lawn allows to make gardening quickly and qualitatively. After 7-14 days, you can actively move along it.

Photo grass for the lawn