5/6. Lawns

Question 1

Key uses for Grass lawns

Answer 1

• Cheap way to cover a large area
• Can help ‘set off’ surrounding plants
• Effective at linking garden areas
• Hardwearing and attractive all year
• Green is calming
• Green works well with most soft landscaping
• Can be low maintenance - left ‘rough’ with wildflowers
• Variable heights, create patterns
• Must have good drainage

Question 2

Types of Utility grass

Answer 2

• Heavy wear
• Low maintenance
• Sown at a rate of 20-25g per m2

Lolium perenne / Perennial ryegrass
Poa pratensis/ Smooth stalked meadow grass

Question 3

Types of High quality grass

Answer 3

• Formal lawn/ornamental
• Fine grasses, high maintenance
• Sown at a rate of 30g per m2

Agrostis capillaris/ Browntop bent
Festuca rubra subsp commutata/ Chewings fescue

Question 4

Types of grass for Shaded areas

Answer 4

• Festuca trachyphylla/ Hard fescue

- Agrostis capillaris/ Browntop bent

Question 5

Growing Lawn from seeds - Benefits

Answer 5

• Cheaper than buying turf
• A wide range of different seed is available to suit a variety of sites
• Lighter work than laying turf
• Seed can be easily stored until the weather conditions are right

Question 6

Growing Lawn from seeds - Disadvantages

Answer 6

• Soil must be warm/moist for growth
• Birds eat seeds - Net or fleece must be used
• Seedlings susceptible to drought - must be watered in dry spells
• Can be overtaken by weeds
• Herbicide can’t be used for 6 months
• Slow - can take months

Question 7

Growing Lawn from turf - Benefits

Answer 7

• Immediate visual effect
• It can be done at any time of year
• Less preparation of bed required
• Easy to lay
• Neat, well defined edge to paths and borders
• Weeds and birds are not a problem

Question 8

Growing Lawn from turf - Disadvantages

Answer 8

• Expensive
• Heavy work/ Time consuming
• Less sustainable due to carbon footprint of transporting bulky goods
• Must be laid very soon after it has been delivered
• New turf must be constantly moist, otherwise it will shrink

Question 9

Establishment of lawn - Site prep

Answer 9

• Removing any large stones and rubble and all plant growth including tree stumps
and roots
• Remove any existing turf if it is in too poor a condition to keep
• Eliminate all weeds

Question 10

Establishment of lawn - Soil prep

Answer 10

• Weed - Remove emerging weed seeds by hand or treat with a contact herbicide
• Cultivate - Incorporate some well-rotted organic matter or sand if req, use a rotavator, or double dig. Adjust pH to 5.5-7 if necessary. Leave the soil to settle for a few days - six weeks
• Rake - Rake to a fine tilth
• Feed - Ideal top-soil for a lawn is a well-drained, sandy 20cm -30cm deep
• Tilth - As above

Question 11

Establishment of lawn - Levelling

Answer 11

• Remove bumps & hollows which cause issues mowing
• Accurate levelling can be achieved using pegs
- Create a grid of pre-marked pegs
- Knock into ground at same depth
- Add or remove soil until level with marks on pegs
• Tred evenly to firm and ensure no soft spots
• Tred several times in different directions

Question 12

Establishment of lawn - Sewing seeds

Answer 12

• Plan - Sewn Spring/Autumn
• Pest/disease - N/A
• Water - N/A
• Setting out - Divide site into sections or m2 with string and cane
• Plant - Divide seeds pack in half - spread using broadcast method. Lightly rake over to cover seed well
• Food - Apply general fertiliser 2-3 days prior
• Water – Thoroughly

Question 13

Establishment of lawn - Laying turf

Answer 13

• Plan - Laid Autumn/Winter, lay straight away
• Pest/disease - N/A
• Water - Don’t let turf dry out
• Setting out - Start from corner or edge of site
• Plant - Lay first row in straight line, avoid foot indentations - use boards. Lay next row in staggered/brick pattern. Avoid gaps, always end row with full sheet - end piece vulnerable (backfill gaps). Ensure level - add sandy soil if necessary. Continue until covered. Firm lightly with rake or tamper. Leave undisturbed for 2-3days
• Food - Top dress with sandy soil to fill gaps
• Water – Thoroughly

Question 14

Maintenance of new sewn lawn

Answer 14

• Weed - Remove any weeds by hand - no herbicide for 6months
• Water - Water gently morning or evening when dry
• Feed - Lawn feed 4 times a year. Top dress in Sep with sieved compost - fill any irregular holes
• Support - Over sew any patches where germination failed
• Pest/disease - Fairy rings, red thread, leather jacket
• Prune – Cut back when 5cm tall - sharp blades

Question 15

Maintenance of new turf

Answer 15

• Weed - No weeds (minimal)
• Water - Water in summer - must stay moist to avoid shrinking (Water thoroughly to reach roots)
• Feed - Lawn feed 4 times a year
• Support - N/A
• Pest/disease - Fairy rings, red thread, leather jacket
• Prune – Mow when grass reached 5cm

Question 16

Mower suitable for hardwearing utility grass

Answer 16

• Rotary mower

- One blade moving with such force it cuts the grass

Question 17

Mower suitable for fine ornamental lawn grass

Answer 17

• Cylinder mower

- Two blades moving in opposite directions creating a clean scissor cut

Question 18

When to Mow grass

Answer 18

• Early spring to late autumn
• Spring/ Autumn = Once a week
• Summer = Twice a week
• Never when ground is wet of frozen - damage turf and compact soil

Question 19

Key grass Disorders

Answer 19

Scalping

• Bare patches appearing on soft ground and on turns
• May occur when cut height of mower is too low or where the surface in uneven

Moss

• Found when soil is compacted, low fertility, low in light or extremes in pH
• Treat in Spring with moss lawn killer or by cultivating (moisture, drainage, aeration)

Question 20

Maintenance of established lawn

Answer 20

• Weed - Weed with 2-4-D in spring
• Water - Water if req - shouldn’t be needed as grass with recover
• Feed - Feed in spring with lawn fertiliser (high in nitrogen) - use spreader for even spread
• Support - Overseed bare patches
• Pest/disease - Aerate with fork to allow drainage 2-3 yrs. Scarifying - Vigorous but careful raking of surface for remove thatch. Top dress with fine sand and sieved soil, Level any bumps/hollows
• Prune – Mow to required height

Question 21

Red thread symptoms and control

Fungal

Answer 21

• Patches with reddish tinge and gelatinous threads
• 8-25cm in diameter

Cultural

• Ammonium sulphate
• Cultivate - Drainage, aeration, scarifying
• Dispose of grass cuttings to prevent spread

Chemical
- Fungicide = Trifloxystrobin

Question 22

Fusarium patch

Fungal

Answer 22

• Yellowing patches, dying
• White fungal growth can be seen on damp days

Cultural

• Avoid high doses of nitrogen
• Cultivate - Drainage, aeration, scarifying

Chemical
- Fungicide = Trifloxystrobin

Question 23

Fairy rings symptoms/control

Fungal

Answer 23

• Irregular rings of dead grass
• Crops of brown toad stalls

Cultural

• Remove affected area 30cm deep
• Spike/water where dead patched occur
• Provide lawn feed

Question 24

Leather jackets

Pest

Answer 24

• Yellow/brown dead patches
• Grubs can be seen below surface
• High levels of starlings, crows, magpies present
• Flower/Veg seedlings can be damaged

Cultural

• Nematode watered onto soil
• Wet soil. Cover with black sheeting overnight, lift to reveal, encourage predators

Question 25

Moles | Pests

Answer 25

- Visible mole hills late winter/early spring - Roots of plants damaged by excavation Cultural - Traps - Netting installed before turf laid - Electronic repellant - buzzes to drive away - Repellant smoke - May cause moles to move - Euphorbia lathyris - claim that moles don't like roots but may cause weed problem