Renovating Old Lawns Have a Good Lawn
A good lawn is a basic requirement for attractive and enjoyable grounds. When you plant a tree you do so realizing that you are planting for years to come, even for generations. Few realize, however, that lawns must be planted in the same spirit. The lawns of many famous estates were planted over a hundred years ago, and this type of turf, luxuriously verdant, is always an inspiration. Today's lawn builder is fortunate. The battle against weeds and poor soils can be won, thanks to the introduction of new chemicals. And modern spreaders, mowers and other tools can help you develop a parklike lawn.
But obtaining a fine lawn is sometimes a much more complicated matter than scattering seed or plucking weeds. You will want to have your soil analyzed, and then, perhaps, change its make-up. Perhaps you will need to drain or grade. Before you select your seed formula, take into account the use to which your lawn will be put. Will it be a general-purpose area or will it be a showplace in your garden where you will strive for a putting-green lawn? Except for problem lots in suburban areas, where the living space outside is small and may have to be paved, the lawn will be the broad canvas on which you paint your picture with flowers, shrubs, trees and walks. Keep it larger than any other area, certainly two or three times the width of your borders and beds
A good lawn is a basic requirement for attractive and enjoyable grounds. When you plant a tree you do so realizing that you are planting for years to come, even for generations. Few realize, however, that lawns must be planted in the same spirit. The lawns of many famous estates were planted over a hundred years ago, and this type of turf, luxuriously verdant, is always an inspiration. Today's lawn builder is fortunate. The battle against weeds and poor soils can be won, thanks to the introduction of new chemicals. And modern spreaders, mowers and other tools can help you develop a parklike lawn.
But obtaining a fine lawn is sometimes a much more complicated matter than scattering seed or plucking weeds. You will want to have your soil analyzed, and then, perhaps, change its make-up. Perhaps you will need to drain or grade. Before you select your seed formula, take into account the use to which your lawn will be put. Will it be a general-purpose area or will it be a showplace in your garden where you will strive for a putting-green lawn? Except for problem lots in suburban areas, where the living space outside is small and may have to be paved, the lawn will be the broad canvas on which you paint your picture with flowers, shrubs, trees and walks. Keep it larger than any other area, certainly two or three times the width of your borders and beds
If you have been struggling in vain with a poor lawn, you might just as well do something drastic with it, such as spade it up and rebuild it. If you do, however, be careful not to build in the same mistakes again. If there are puddles or pools on your lawn for a long time after rain, you may need to lay drain tile or get a good layer of gravel under the topsoil.
If your problem is due to a hard-baked soil and the grass is thin and anemic, spading up or plowing followed by soil preparation and re-seeding, is probably the best procedure. If limited areas (such as paths or low spots or areas under trees) get too packed, they can be loosened and cultivated, or opened up by aerating to a depth of 6 or 8 inches. You can do this with an ordinary spading fork, driven deep and worked back and forth to driven deep and worked back and forth to enlarge the openings. Brush sharp sand or compost into the holes to attain better movement of air and moisture through the soil.
Many poor lawns are due to poor soil conditions and can be improved by a better feeding program. Use 4 pounds of plant food for each 100 square feet of lawn. If the grass is too thin, try plant food along with new seed. If your old lawn is bumpy, level it down, raking top-dressing into the hollows, or peel back the sod, filling in the hollow with good soil and replacing the sod.
A mossy lawn is usually due to poor drainage, not to acidity in the soil, as is widely believed. A mossy lawn may need a change in grading for improved drainage, or raking and liberal fertilization.
Next Landscaping Article
FOR the most attractive and beneficial use of your grounds, you will want to include in your plans most of the features outlined in this chapter. Such essentials as a good lawn, thriving shade trees and paths and walks are usually taken for granted, yet often they are the most difficult to acquir. . .
Site Directory Index
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z| Retaining Walls |
| Trees |
| Seed Selection For Your Lawn |
| Fences |
| Trees in the Home Landscape |
| Selecting the Right Tree |
| Driveways, Paths and Walks |
| Tips On Tree Care |
| Garden Tools Needed |
| Sowing Grass Seed |