Lawn Care
A healthy lush lawn will not only make you the envy of your neighbours, it will also be able to withstand drought conditions better.
A lush lawn also helps stop weeds from germinating, and a healthy lawn can recover from insect injury easier and quicker. The key to a lush lawn is over seeding.
The first step is to buy the correct type of grass species for your conditions, and use it at the correct time of year. For sunny areas, use a blend of about 60 per cent Kentucky Blue, 20 per cent Perennial Rye and 20 per cent Red Fescue seed. For shady areas use a blend of 20 per cent Kentucky Blue, 20 per cent Perennial Rye and 60 per cent Fine Fescues.
The optimal time to do a big over seeding is September. There are fewer weed seeds that are germinating at this time, so less completion for the grass seed. The next best time is mid-April to early June. You can also continually overseed all season, whenever rain is in the forecast using a seed mixture with a high concentration of Perennial Ryegrass as it germinates quickly (three to five days), this will avoid having to use supplemental watering to get the grass seed to germinate.
Steps to a beautiful healthy lawn:
- Rake to expose as much of the soil as you can.
- Top dress with topsoil or compost, as good seed to soil contact is important.
- Top dress with a starter fertilizer containing phosphorus. This will help to promote healthy roots so that the grass will be able to withstand the heat and drought of the summer months.
- Sprinkle out grass seed lightly everyday for about a week; rake the seed lightly into the soil.
- If using a high amount of perennial ryegrass, over seed annually as ryegrass tends to clump.
- Water lightly and frequently (if there is no rainfall) for about a month (unless using perennial rye grass – which only needs supplemental watering for about a week), 1cm of water everyday will help ensure good germination rates.
http://guelph.ca/living/house-and-home/yard-and-garden/healthy-landscapes/
