Making a Lawn

From Turf

Turf is pre-grown grass, which is cut from the ground ready for you use as an instant lawn. Cultivated turf gives a good quality lawn, meadow turf is cheaper but it may have weeds or bare patches. Lay turf as soon as possible after it arrives and within a month or two you'll have a well established lawn. You can lay turf from early autumn to late spring, as long as the ground not too dry, frozen solid, or boggy. Laying turf is fast but it is at least 10 times more expensive than grass seed.

Before you start you need the following: sharp spade, garden fork, garden rake, special lawn fertiliser, the turf, a wooden plank and a sharp kitchen knife.

Dig or fork the ground over then rake it until level. Remove stones and roots as you go. Sprinkle on fertilizer at the recommended rate and rake it in. Tread the whole area over, sinking your weight well down into your heels to consolidate the soft patches. Rake again to cover the footprints.

Without walking on the prepared ground, lay a line of turves in a straight row along one end of the area, butting their short sides up together. Pat down with the rake head, so that each turf makes contact with the soil beneath. Place your plank on the turf row you've just laid and walk along it as you lay the next row, staggering the joints between the turves like joints in brickwork. Repeat, patting each new row down with the rake. When you've covered the whole area, trim the outer edge of the turfed area with a sharp kitchen knife, so the lawn edge follows the shape of your beds.

Keep the area well watered for several days until the turf has knitted together. To test, try to peel back the corner of a few random turves - if you can't lift them, then the grass has rooted down.

From Seed

Growing grass from seed costs a lot less than using turf but you can only really sow a lawn during April-May or September-early October. It takes 4-6 months before you have a usable lawn so it is usually best to sow during the Autumn. Although you have to wait longer for a lawn from seed, it's a lot less work than laying turf.

Before you start you need the following: digging spade, garden fork, garden rake, special pre-seeding lawn fertilizer, grass seed (25050g per square metre).

Prepare the ground in the same way as if you were laying turf. Divide the total amount of grass seed in half. Sprinkle one lot in one direction, then repeat, spreading in the opposite direction. The aim is to make sure the seed is spread very thinly and evenly all over, with no bare patches. Rake over the area again very lightly expect to see about half of it still showing when you've finished. Most grass seed is treated with bird repellent but if you have a problem with birds, lay twiggy pea-sticks over the ground.

After a couple of weeks you should start to see a green stubble appear. Stay off the lawn while it's establishing and keep well watered. As the lawn starts to thicken up cut the grass very gently with a mower set high enough to take only the tips off the grass blades which helps it to root in more Give your lawn it's first proper cut on a dry day; adjust the mower so that the blades are at their highest setting, and leave the grass box on to catch the clippings.

Keep off the grass until it has been cut several times and starts to look like a proper lawn. Keep the blades set high for the first few cuts, then lower them gradually, but don't cut any shorter than 3cm to start with.

Lawn Care

Rough grass can be left to look after itself for much of the time, but a proper lawn needs a little regular attention if you want to keep it looking its best.

Mowing

A lawn really needs to be cut every time it grows about 1cm longer than you want it. If you leave a lawn to grow long and then cut it short, it will look unhappy for a while, because you will have cut into the thick, brown or yellow stems at the base of the plants, instead of through lush green leaf blades. Regular mowing produces a greener, denser, harder-wearing lawn.

Start mowing in spring, as soon as the grass is dry enough, with the blades set high just to slice the top off. Lower the blades as the lawn gets used to being cut but if the weather turns dry in summer, raise the blades again to reduce stress to the grass. As the weather turns colder in autumn, raise the blades back up to their spring level, but don't give up cutting the grass for the winter as it will keep growing unless it's really cold.

It's up to you whether you prefer to use a grass-box or not but lawns tend to look better if you do.

Edging

After cutting the grass, trim around the edges with edging shears. However, before you can use edging shears, you need a lawn edge - a shallow, neat-edged gully all around your beds and borders with a vertical drop. Hold the blade of the shears against this flat surface as you cut.

Feeding

All lawns need feeding if they are to look good. The most important time to feed is in late spring, as that's the start of the growing season, but you can keep feeding every six weeks until autumn to keep grass looking lush. Spring and summer grass feeds are high in nitrogen and so produce a rich green lawn but during autumn use a formula that is low in nitrogen but high in phosphate and potash to toughen up the roots ready for winter. Alternatively use an organic lawn fertilizer once a month which releases nutrients over a longer period of time than other lawn foods. If you want to improve your lawn without making it grow any faster (so it doesn't need so much mowing), use an autumn lawn feed during summer instead.

The Lawn Care Calendar

January

• Remove fallen leaves
• Don't walk on frozen turf
• Have the mower overญhauled and to make sure that the other lawn tools are ready for use in the spring
• Laying turf is possible during fine spells

February

• In mild districts worm casts may appear, brush them away when dry
• Do not be tempted to mow your lawn before March
• Finish turfing this month
• Begin soil preparation at the end of the month if you plan to sow seed

March

• As soon as the grass starts to grow and the weather is fine, rake the lawn to remove leaves and surface rubbish. Do not rake too vigorously at this stage or you will damage the grass.
• If there have been heavy frosts during the winter, settle the turf by light rolling
• Choose a dry day for the first cut and merely remove the top of the grass
• Two cuts are sufficient this month
• Apply a moss killer if necessary
• Neaten lawn edges with a half-moon edging iron
• Repair broken edges

April

• Feeding and weeding can begin towards the end of the month, provided that the grass and weeds are actively growing
• Mow often enough to stop the grass growing away, but do not cut too low
• Dig out patches of coarse grass - fill the holes with sifted soil and then re-seed or re-turf

May

• Continue mowing, increase the frequency as necessary and lower the height of cut
• You should be mowing once a week
• This is the best month for weed killing
• Water if the month is particularly dry and before obvious signs of distress

June

• Mow twice a week when the soil is moist. If there is a long dry spell, raise the height of the cut and do not use the grass box.
• This is the time for summer feeding and weeding
• Trim the edges regularly
• Be prepared to water if there is a dry spell

July

• Mow regularly at the summer height
• Water if dry weather is prolonged
• Rake occasionally

August

• The same general treatment as for July
• August is the last month of the year for weed killing and for feeding with a nitrogen-rich fertiญlizer
• Seed sowing can begin in late August

September

• Increasing the interval between mowings and the raise the height of cut
• Worms may become active at this time of year
• Scarify, then spike any compacted areas and finally top dress
• Treat diseased patches
• Tackle moles this month
• Sowing seed

October

• Carry out the last cut or two, raising the cutter height.
• Trim lawn edges
• Apply Autumn Feed
• Carry out lawn repairs
• Complete the scarify-spike-top dress routine
• Brush up fallen leaves
• Dig out tufts of coarse grass, then re-turf or re-seed the bare patches
• Lay turf

November

• Carry out final cut if the weather isn't frosty or wet
• All equipment should now be cleaned and oiled for winter storage
• Keep the lawn clear of fallen leaves and other debris

December

• Brush away leaves
• Keep off the lawn when it is wet or frozen
• Turfing is possible during fine spells

Lawn Problems

Thatch

Thatch is a build-up of dead bits of grass on the surface of the soil beneath the lawn and is quite natural in lawns that are getting old. The thatch prevents rain from soaking down to the grass roots and keeps moisture at the soil surface, encouraging moss. The thatch will build up faster if you don't use a grass box on your mower. Rake it out regularly during Autumn as part of a regular lawn-care programme.

Compaction

Compaction also occurs on older lawns and us caused by standing garden furniture on it, or running heavy barrows over it or even just standing on it during wet weather. All this activity squashes the lawn down and plant roots find it harder to push through the hard ground. Spiking the soil with a fork alleviates compaction and, by making some airways, helps the grass grow. Again it's a job that's best done in autumn. On clay soil follow the spiking by brushing gritty sand into the vertical drainage channels (about a bucketful per square metre), this makes it firmer to walk on, yet better drained in wet conditions.

Weeds

The rosette-forming, or broad-leaved, weeds, such as daisies, plantains and dandelions are easy to eradicate with selective lawn weed killers. You can either spot-treat individual weeds with a ready-to-use products or you can sprinkle a combined weed-and-feed treatment over the whole lawn. For small-leaved weeds you'll need a liquid weed killer that is specially designed for this type of weed. Dilute it and water it on with a can. Dead weeds leave bald patches in the lawn that are quickly colonized by weed seeds and moss, so it is a good idea to feed at the same time as weeding; if the grass is growing well, there will be no room for weeds.

Use lawn weed killers in late spring when weeds are growing fast, but before they start flowering; by the time they flower, weeds will have become too tough to respond well to treatment. Apply liquid lawn weed killer on a dry day, so that it has at least 12 to 24 hours to be taken in through the leaves. If it's washed away too soon, it won't have a chance to work. If you use a granular weed-and-feed treatment turn on the sprinkler, if it hasn't rained after 48 hours, to make sure that the treatment is effective.

Moss

Moss will continue to come back if your lawn is in a damp, shady place. Try to let in more light and improve the drainage. The cheapest, simplest method of controlling moss is to rake it out, it is hard work so you may want to invest in a lowered lawnraker. An easier solution is to buy liquid lawn moss killer, or products that combine moss killer with lawn feed. You need to feed the lawn, so that it thickens up and fills gaps where moss has been, to stop weeds coming in. Apply in spring.

Lawn sand is an effective preparation that acts as a fertilizer, weed killer and moss killer, but it can scorch the lawn if applied too heavily. Buy it ready-made or make it up yourself from 4 parts (by weight) sulphate of ammonia: 1 part sulphate of iron: and 20 parts fine silver sand. Apply, at the rate of 115g per 1sq.m (4oz per sq.yd), when dry during spring and early summer, but make sure the soil is moist.

Once the moss turns black it is dead and can be raked out.

Lawn Pests

Earthworms

Worms are actually beneficial in the garden - they make hundreds of tiny drainage channels in the soil. They also drag organic matter, such as dead leaves, into the ground, helping with soil enrichment. However, some species of worm leave worm casts on the lawn's surface (mainly in spring and autumn). When the weather is dry sweep the worm casts off the lawn with a stiff broom.

Ants

Ants like nesting in dry soil in lawns in summer and they will defend their nests, often giving you nasty nips. Ants usually target lawns which are thin and have lots of bare soil, so keeping a good lawn will deter them. Soak new nesting sites thoroughly with water to drive ants away, if this doesn't work don't worry; the whole colony will fly away in late Summer.

Moles

Moles burrow beneath lawns in search of earthworms. There are lots of ways you can try to get rid of moles but none of them are 100% successful and even if you do get rid of one it is highly likely that another will move into it's place soon afterwards. As a final resort you can call in a mole catcher. If you accept the moles just remember to brush the molehill back into the hole to avoid bare batches and a sunken lawn.

Leatherjackets

Leatherjackets are the larvae of the crane fly (daddy-long-legs) and they eat grass roots. The first thing you know about it is lots of little yellow patches, or flocks of starlings probing for grubs and there isn't an awful lot you can do about it except repair the pecked-up surface after the birds have finished.

Repairing Lawns

Begin by giving the lawn the annual autumn lawn treatment. This can be done in spring or autumn but if your lawn is really bad there is no reason why you shouldn't renovate it in summer, as long as the weather is cool and the soil is moist. Mow the lawn and mow it again at right angles to the first cut, rake and spike, then use autumn lawn fertilizer - even if it's spring or summer (this is best for thickening up the grass and stimulating the roots).

Bald Patches

Some bald patches on the lawn are due to constant use by regular heavy foot traffic, of this is the case you would be better off putting in a proper path. Some patches may be because the grass isn't growing very well, and spiking and feeding may be all it needs. Other patches may simply be `scalped' bumps; that happen when the mower `grounds'. Levelling the lawn will correct this. If there are bald patches where large rosette weeds have been removed, or because the lawn in poor condition, the quickest way to deal with them is to reseed or returf.

Broken Edges

Broken lawn edges look untidy, make mowing difficult and edging almost impossible. Take a sharp spade and cut out a square of turf that has the broken edge along one side. Turn it around and fit it back into the gap, so that the straight edge is around the outside of the lawn and the broken piece is on the inside. This leaves a hole in the lawn. Fill the hole with topsoil and firm it down then re-seed it as if it were a bald patch.

Peaks and Hollows

To flatten peaks strip the turf off the peak, remove some of the soil beneath and level the spot before putting the turf back. Hollows are treated in the same way, but in reverse. Remove the turf, add topsoil until the hollow is level and put the grass back.

Alternative Lawns

Wildflower Lawn

A wildflower lawn is just a patch of grass that isn't cut as short as usual where you encourage low-growing wild flowers, such as primroses, violets and cowslips. Some people also like to encourage some lawn weeds. A wildflower meadow is wonderful in summer and attracts butterflies and bees. You can either let the wild flowers come up naturally, and weed out the ones you don't want, or you can plant the wild flowers of your choice into the turf in spring, they will self-seed once they are established. A wildflower lawn doesn't need feeding and remember to cut it a couple of times a year in early spring and autumn.

Clover Lawn

White clover (Trifoliurn repens) makes a very good `lawn'. Sow it in the same way as a normal grass lawn, using clover seeds that you can buy from specialist seed firms. Clover stays green in dry weather and it grows to only about 5-8cm (2-3in), so it doesn't need regular mowing. Clover is a mass of flower in summer and very attractive to bees.

Flower Lawn

The classic flower lawn is chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile 'Treneague'). You can also grow a lawn of creeping thymes; a mixture of mattญforming alpines; or one of the flowering chamomiles, such Chamaemelum nobile `Flore Pleno'. Flowering lawns don't need mowing; just a clip over after flowering, but they have to be weeded by hand so you may not want a large area. The types of plants used in flowering lawns need a sunny spot with excellent drainage so dig plenty of grit or gravel into the area before planting.