Sowing seeds |
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A lawn is not composed of just one type of grass: a mixture of
grasses with different growth characteristics make a lawn adaptable
to various conditions. Pre-packaged seed mixes can be purchased at
garden centres. There are seeds for open, sunny spots, shady places
and areas that need to withstand a lot of traffic. Be sure to buy
good quality seeds. Cheaper mixes, old seeds and seeds with a high
weed content ultimately cost you a lot more.
Preparing the soil properly before seeding reduces the risk of
disease and prevents the drainage and fertilization problems that
can occur after the grass has become established. Remove large
stones and wood debris. Decaying wood can promote fungus diseases.
A layer of 2 to 7 cm of good, even soil is sufficient for seeding.
To find out more about the condition of your soil, you should check
for weeds and have a soil test done at a garden centre. Then, you
can improve the soil by adding organic matter and black earth if
the soil is sandy, or organic matter and sand if the soil is
compacted. Add some lime if needed, and a phosphate-rich fertilizer
such as bone meal. Work this material into the soil to a depth of
10 to 15 cm using a rototiller. Install drainage materials if
necessary, and grade the soil so that the lawn will be easier to
mow. You are now ready to seed the lawn.
If you are seeding by hand, scatter half the seeds while walking
in one direction, and half at right angles to the first direction,
to make sure that you cover the whole area. Do not use old seed
that may not germinate. Spread the seeds uniformly at a rate of 1
to 2.5 kg per 1 00 m2 and bury the seeds no deeper than
1 cm. If you do not have a roller, walking on the seeded areas
should be sufficient. A light mulch of peat moss or straw will
conserve moisture and prevent the seeds from becoming scattered.
Keep the soil moist by watering lightly once a day, sometimes twice
daily, for three to five weeks, until the grass is well
established. Avoid walking on your newly seeded lawn and do not mow
the grass until it is 7 cm long. Weeds will disappear with
successive mowings, and a little hand weeding will speed up the
process. You can reseed in the spring or fall if the grass does not
come up well. Hanging some aluminum plates up on a string is a good
way to scare birds away.
| Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
You can seed in the spring but it
is best to seed in the fall.
Reseed areas where the grass is not well established. |
Not recommended. Too hot and dry,
leaf blades have little resistance. |
Recommended mid-August and mid-September
because the warm soil speeds germination. |
| Sod can be laid any time. It is best to roll the
sod to press the roots into contact with the soil. Water the
sod deeply and do not walk on it while it is wet. |
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Laying Sod
Sodding is a much more expensive method of starting a lawn, but
it gives you a lawn in two to three weeks. Sod can be laid any
time; it smothers weeds and can be laid on sloped areas without any
danger of erosion. You must prepare the soil the same way as for
seeding. A fertilized, moist soil bed accelerates deep rooting. It
is best to roll the sod in order to press the roots into contact
with the soil. Water the sod thoroughly once it is laid and do not
walk on it while it is wet. Do not cut the grass until it is 7 to
10 cm high.
| Principles
of lawn maintenance |
Mowing
The best mowing height is 6 to 7.5 cm. You can determine the
height of the blades of your mower by placing it on the sidewalk
and measuring the distance between the blades and the ground.
Cuffing the grass too short (3.5 cm) makes it susceptible to
disease, insects and drought, so it needs more upkeep. If the grass
is very long, cut it in two stages, no more than 2.5 cm the first
time, then wait a few days before mowing again in order to avoid
weakening the grass. It is best to mow when the lawn is dry, in the
evening or on a cloudy day. In shady areas, the grass should be
left longer (7.5 to 8.5 cm) to make up for the lack of
sunlight.
Each time you mow, alternate the direction in which you cut so
as to reduce the build-up of grass clippings on the lawn. On
slopes, it is preferable to mow crosswise. Fill in any small
depressions in the lawn with a little soil, then rake until level
and reseed. This reduces the risk of scalping on higher spots in
the lawn.
| Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
The first cut must be short: 3.5
cm.
Gradually increase the cutting height to 7.5 cm.
If the grass is weak, keep it longer: 7 to 10 cm. |
Mow to a height of 7.5 cm all summer.
Cut the grass less often during hot weather.
During hot spells, do not cut the grass any shorter than 7.5
cm. |
Deep mowing the grass until the weather
turns cooler and growth slows down.
Then, reduce the cutting height gradually to 3.5 cm (from 7.4 cm)
until the grass stops growing.
Grass grows more quickly and may be mowed more frequently. |
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Rotary mower |
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Mowers
There are two types of mowers: reel and rotary. A reel mower
gives a neater cut tary mower, but a rotary
mower is better for tall or uneven grass. Reel mowers
are generally used for small lawns with fine grass. Always keep
your mower’s blades sharp to avoid ripping the grass instead
of cutting it. Keep the underside of the mower clean. To avoid
injuring the grass, do not add gas or oil with the mower on the
lawn.
There is no magic formula for watering, since wind, heat,
evaporation, shade, the length of the grass and the type of soil
are all factors that affect your lawn's needs.
If you keep your grass cut to a length of 7 cm, it will not need
to be watered until the end of June. However, a lawn that is cut
too short must be watered more often to compensate for the loss of
leaf surface, and the extra moisture may encourage weeds such as
crabgrass, and fungus disease. If your lawn is short, water it in
the morning and let it dry out during the day. Long, deep-rooted
grass can be watered in the evening because it needs water only
occasionally.
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Check your sprinkler's spray pattern 
See how deep water has penetrated
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A fine spray is better
than a heavy spray that will run over the surface before soaking
into the soil. The best way to test the spray pattern of your
sprinkler is to place some empty cans at
various spots around the lawn and check how much water they
receive. Then, you can adjust the spray pattern as needed. To check
whether the water is running off, push a spade into the lawn and
see how deep the water penetrates. The ideal depth
is 10 to 15 cm. If the water runs off too quickly, spray the area
lightly with soapy water before watering. This increases the
water's ability to soak into the soil and keeps insects away. Avoid
walking on the lawn while it is wet. Shady areas need less water,
but areas right near trees need to be watered twice as much.
Watering in the fall is not recommended. In the absence of rain,
however, you should water because the lawn must be healthy and
green in order to survive the winter.
| Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
Not necessary. A lawn kept 7 cm long
does not need to be watered until late June.
If it does nor rain for 7 to 10 days, water thoroughly. |
When the grass has a blueish tinge and shows footprints
after you have walked on it, it is beginning to wilt. The grass
is approaching dormancy. Do not water it, it will turn green
again in the fall.
If you want to keep the grass green, water for 2 to 4 hours to
provide 2.5 to 5 cm of water. In the event of drought, water
if possible, but do not water in the afternoon or
when it is windy, because too much water will be lost through
evaporation.
Light watering, e.g., for only 15 minutes, should be avoided
because it promotes shallow roots that cannot reach the water
table.
Sandy soil: water twice a week. |
Do not water, exept if there is little
rain. |
|
In fall, you can have a complete soil test done at a garden
centre or a lab to check the quality of your soil. Synthetic
fertilizers are identified by three numbers (e.g., 34-0-0), which
represent the three major plant nutrients: nitrogen (N),
phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). Nitrogen promotes leaf formation
and keeps the lawn green. Phosphorous stimulates root growth, and
potassium helps the grass withstand the cold of winter and insect
attacks. Organic fertilizers contain the same nutrients as the
synthetic types and are just as effective.
|
Matted plant material that prevents you from touching the
soil |
|
As a rule, a well-tended
lawn with good soil needs 1 to 2 kg of nitrogen per 100
m2 every year. Grass clippings left on the lawn return
about 1 kg of nitrogen per 100 m2. If you mow and water
your lawn properly, and add a little lime as needed, you may not
need to use fertilizer. However, soil that is low in nitrogen needs
fertilizer to compensate for losses caused by mowing. You can use
organic fertilizers to correct nitrogen deficiencies: fertilizers
containing dehydrated manure, fish emulsion, seaweed or blood or
bone meal are readily available. You should feed your lawn at least
twice a year, using no more than 0.5 to 0.75 kg of nitrogen per 100
m2 each time. It is important not to exceed the
application rate indicated on the product.
| Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
| A little notrogen (fish meal) fertilizer
(0.5 kg/100 m2) helps the grass revive. |
Do not fertilize because fertilizer
may burn the grass and encourage weeds. |
Have a soil test done at a garden centre; aerate
the soil before fertilizing and then water.
Apply a little nitrogen fertilizer in mid-August or early
September.
It is best to lime in fall but never lime a newly seeded lawn.
Apply a fertilizer that is rich in potassium and phosphorous but
low in nitrogen to help the grass withstand the cold.
Aerate the soil with an aerator. |
| Lawns need to be fed twice a year with 0.5 to 0.75 kg of nitrogen
per 100 m2 each time. You may use a fertilizer containing dried
blood, bone meal, dehydrated manure, fish emulsion or seaweed. |
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Aerate your lawn
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Thatch is not necessarily caused by grass clippings left on the
lawn. It is a layer of partially decomposed roots, stems, leaves
and other organic matter. If you find that a 1 to 2 cm thick mat of
plant debris prevents you from touching the soil, your lawn has
thatch. To remedy thatch problems, follow
the maintenance procedures outlined above and keep the soil pH
balanced because excess acidity slows the rate of decomposition of
thatch. It is also important to aerate
the soil and to dethatch in the fall. You can rent a
thatch-removing machine from a garden centre.
| Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
| Dethatch with a thatch-removing machine. |
|
If a 1 to 2 cm thick layer of plant debris prevents
you from touching the soil, your lawn has thatch.
Correct the pH: excess acidity slows the decomposition of
thatch.
Remove thatch if necessary
Aerate, dethatch, remove leaves and seed.
Grass clippings should be removed when you use a fertilizer or
some other treatment, the grass is wet or there is too much
thatch. |
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| The benefits
of a healthy lawn |
A healthy green lawn enhances the appearance of your house, as
do flowers, trees and shrubs. Furthermore, grass is an integral
part of the natural environment. Green solutions offer all-round
benefits since they keep your lawn healthy while also protecting
the environment.
Franklin, Stuart. 1988. Building a healthy lawn. A sage and
natural approach. A garden way publishing book. Vermont, U.S.A. 168
p.
Schultz, Warren. 1989. The Chemical-Free Lawn: The Newest
Varieties and Techniques to Grow Lush, Hardy Grass. Emmaus, PA:
Rodale Press. 194 p.
Collaborators : Sylvie Deslauriers, agronomist.
Département de santé communautaire de
Lanaudière
Fore more informations contact :
Environment Canada
Inquiry Centre
105 McGill Street, 2nd Floor
Montréal QC
H2Y 2E7
(514) 496-6851
1-800-463-4311
Published by Authority of the Minister of the Environment
© Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1991
Cat. No. EN 40-206/8-1991E
ISBN 0-662-18784-9
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