Lush lawns ideal for summer days

A good lawn can be a challenge but the right grass will help. Photo / Geoff Dale

One of the nice things about summer is sitting on a lush green lawn under the shade of a tree. Lawns are for picnics and play, for cricket and croquet.

This is just a dream for those who struggle with broadleaf weeds, prickly onehunga weed, moss, paspalum, worm castings, diseases and insect pests. A good lawn can be a challenge, but careful planning and the right choice of grass will help.

No matter how fantastic your garden is, your lawn shape will be what catches the eye. Keep the edges of the lawn long and simple with straight lines or gentle curves. The shape of the lawn will affect how you feel in that space.

One of the most common questions is "What can I use as a lawn edge?"

The choice will depend on your budget and your style of architecture.

A dominant lawn edge will be the focus of your backyard, so keep it subtle and in proportion to the size of the lawn. Macrocarpa sleepers are good for a rustic look, old solid bricks are good for curves, flexible steel is strong and visually low-impact, recycled plastic edging is good for smaller jobs and snap-it preformed boxing looks like an easy DIY concrete edging.

Concrete edging can look very smart providing it is neutral or matches the existing paving and driveway. Using a visually strong edging material will accentuate the lines of the lawn. Keep cut edges tidy with regular clipping or spraying. Angle the edge towards the lawn so there is less chance of it breaking away on impact. If in any doubt about what to do for garden edging, this is the best option, especially if you are marketing your property, as not all prospective buyers will
appreciate your creative ideas.

The factors that will determine your choice of grass seed are climate, sun, shade, use or abuse, drainage, soil compaction and soil type.

Most prepared lawn mixes have rye and tall or fine fescue combinations for different conditions.

Couch grass is becoming popular because of its ability to withstand drought. It will go grey or even a bit yellow in winter, preferring dry, warm climates with plenty of sun.

Tall fescue is a very hard-wearing grass with a coarse texture. It is drought-tolerant and will grow on many different soils. Rye is a long-time favourite because it establishes easily and tolerates high-wear areas. It does need fertile soil so if you have difficulty establishing a rye-mix lawn, the soil most likely needs fertilising.

Browntop is more tolerant of shady areas but can increase thatching problems.

Thatching occurs when you get a build-up of dead organic matter. This can increase insect pests and diseases in the lawn.

Mowing the grass at the correct height will help and don't be too generous with fertiliser and water.

Mowing heights vary with different grasses, but 25mm to 35mm is right for most grasses. Scalping your lawn will encourage weed growth as grass becomes stressed when too short, especially in summer.

Good preparation of a new lawn is important. Autumn is the preferred time to lay a lawn but it is achievable in spring, providing you water at least twice a day in warm weather.

The soil should have a neutral pH of 6.2 to 6.5. It needs to be well drained with a suitable soil mix. Rotary-hoe the area and leave for two weeks. Let weeds come through then spray them.

Lay your seed north-south and east-west to cover well. Keep off it and water frequently until well established. Cut when about 30mm high.

If you resort to spraying your lawn for disease, insects or weeds, be aware that your kids and animals may be affected when using the lawn. Also, don't put sprayed lawn clippings in the compost or on the garden.

If you are marketing your property over summer keep your lawns mowed weekly and gardens looking good with a thick layer of mulch. This will reduce weeds and keep the plant root systems moist and cool.

- gail@nouveauterra.co.nz