Overseeding
and Repair
The most inexpensive and
environmentally friendly way to keep your lawn thick and weed free is regular (annual)
overseeding.
Winter damage, insect and disease damage and traffic all conspire to leave thin
or bare patches throughout your lawn. Opportunistic weeds waste no time in
colonizing these open areas. By contrast, a healthy, thick lawn will easily
out-compete most weed invasions.
To overseed, begin by vigorously raking the bare area to remove dead grass and
scratch up the soil. Spread seed over the area at a rate of 1-2 kg per 100 m2
(3-4 lbs per 1000 ft2). The more bare your patch is, the
heavier you will need to seed. Lightly rake the area or press the seed to ensure
good contact with the soil
Water regularly (at least
every other day) for the first 2 weeks.
For best results, use a mix specifically designed for overseeding and thickening
lawns. Look for a high percentage (greater than 50%) of perennial
ryegrass. Perennial Ryegrass establishes quickly and aggressively so it is
ideally suited to overseeding.
De-Thatching
Over time, a mature lawn can build up thatch – a layer of dead plant material.
If left alone, the thatch layer can increase the chance of disease attacking
your lawn. At the very least, it crowds out the viable grass plants.
You can remove thatch in the spring by aggressively raking the lawn with a stiff
tooth rake. You’ll fill a number of garbage bags with thatch. Please note that
thatch does not readily break down so composting this waste is not advisable.
You can also rent de-thatchers to make this job easier on your back.
Aeration
Aeration serves a similar purpose to de-thatching. Over time, the root system of
your lawn will get more and more dense. This will have an ill effect on the
grass as it struggles to compete for nutrients and water. This condition is
prevalent in older Kentucky Bluegrass lawns because of this grass’s
aggressively spreading root system.
Aeration consists of pulling small plugs of soil out of the ground. The holes
left by the plugs allow the roots to spread out and have more space. Proper
aeration requires special machinery which can be rented. Since it is unlikely
that you will have to aerate your lawn very frequently, you might consider
hiring a lawn care service professional to do it for you.
Fertilizing
Before you buy your fertilizer, it is important to know what you should be
looking for. Most of us have seen the three numbers that are printed in large
type on every fertilizer bag. These tell you the composition of the major
nutrients in the blend. These macro nutrients are Nitrogen, Phosphorous and
Potash.
To keep your lawn looking healthy, a minimum of two feedings a year (spring
and fall) is required. You can increase this feeding schedule to every 6-8
weeks – the more you feed, the greener and healthier your lawn will look. Be
sure that you manage your lawn wisely. Heavy fertilization will also stimulate
growth, so the more your feed, the more you will have to mow! If you want a low
maintenance lawn, cut back on your fertilizer.
Mowing
Mowing is perhaps the least
pleasant aspect of lawn stewardship, unless you like riding around on the lawn
mower like me !
For a less grueling regime, set
your mower blade height at 5-7 cm (2-2.5 inches). If you cut your grass
regularly (every 7-10 days depending on growth) you can leave your
clippings on the lawn. This will recycle enough nitrogen back into your lawn to
allow you cut back your fertilizing by 15%.
Remember to
keep your mower’s blade sharp for best results!
