An attractive lawn, more than any other single feature, expresses the qualities that change a real estate transaction into a home. Such a lawn, however, does not just happen, but is created at the cost of time and labor. When a lawn looks neglected, it is normally not because the owner does not want a beautiful lawn, but because effort has been wasted. The principal causes of failure in lawn making are:
- Inadequate or improper soil preparation
- Over liming or under fertilization or both
- Improper seed mixture
- Mismanagement after planting
The soil and “trash” left around many new houses bear little resemblance to topsoil. An ideal soil for a lawn should have good surface and subsoil drainage, mellowness to the depth of eight inches, ample organic matter, high fertility and slight acidity. Seldom are all of these qualities found in one soil, so it is necessary to amend or change some of them.
Subsoil compaction to the imperiousness of concrete by the large, heavy machines used to grade the lawn area is frequently a serious problem. In those parts of the country where heavy clays underlie the topsoil, machine compaction can only be corrected by the use of a subsoiler – machine which breaks up the subsoil to the depth of 15 to 20 inches – or by laying drainage pipes under the topsoil.
Ideally, the topsoil should be at least eight inches deep. The belief that grass roots do not penetrate more than three or four inches is based on observations made where the imperiousness of the subsoil prevented further penetration. Grass roots, if given a 10 inch friable topsoil through which to move, will penetrate the full 10 inches. Grass supported by such deep roots can survive heat and protracted drought that would kill grass with only three inches of root depth.
A lawn made on a thin topsoil will always be a problem, no matter how expensive the seed used or how diligently water is applied during dry periods. Only in the prairie country and along stream beds can eight inches of good topsoil be found. In the area where forests originally grew (which means most of the country) the topsoil was always thin and low in several plant food elements necessary for lush greensward.
The contractor cannot always be blamed for spreading a pittance of topsoil. Quite possibly that is all he could scrape off the rolling hills before construction began. Though it is not always apparent, such a problem exists wherever houses are built. It can be solved in several ways. If you are willing to produce your own topsoil, the green manure crop plan will provide a seed bed that grasses will enjoy growing in. While it takes time it is far cheaper than buying topsoil.
Green Manure Plan
The green manure plan proposes that the lawn area first be sown in the spring to redtop or preferably Korean lespedeza. This should be cut wherever it reaches three inches in height. Cutting should continue until mid-August when the lespedeza should be rototilled under.
After raking to grade, annual rye-grass should be sown. This will develop a lush stand quickly. Mow it as often as it reaches three inches and allow the clippings to remain. Early the following spring, this is rototilled in at least five inches deep and Korean lespedeza is again sown. Never sow ryegrass in the spring.
Use Sedge Peat
After mowing regularly until mid-August, rototill it in as deep as possible and apply one inch of native peat (a sedge peat not a sphagnum peat). Incorporate this in the top inch of soil by raking. Next apply 25 pounds of a 5-10-5 fertilizer to 1000 square feet of area and rake it in lightly. Sow the grass seed for the permanent lawn by September 1st, roll lightly and water thoroughly. Do not attempt to sow permanent lawn grasses in the spring.
Now you may expect a lawn because you have incorporated three green manure crops into the soil, topped by an inch of 90% organic matter and fertilizer. If you can afford two inches of peat, so much the better. Such soil preparation is not cheap, but maintenance will be so much less that in five years it will more than pay for itself.
Experience has demonstrated that individual grasses, or at most simple mixtures are more satisfactory for lawn making. The grass to use is determined by the physical and chemical make up of the soil, as well as the location of the property. The practice of trying to compensate for a poor seedbed by using grass mixtures of greater tolerance to low fertility, poor drainage or other adverse factors, only intensifies maintenance problems and increases costs.
Careful consideration should be given the sunlight requirements and shade tolerance of the grasses chosen. Of course, conditions will change as trees grow and shade increases. This can largely be disregarded unless the grasses chosen will tolerate no shade or unless the trees are the grass killing kind, such as Norway maple or beech.
63825
