How to Restore a Lawn. Stains, bare patches, weeds and other problems
Owning a lawn at the cottage or personal conspiracy is a cozy rest, cleanliness, well-maintained and, finally, pleasing prestige. Often gardeners believe themselves that you should only try it once – and then it will only be enough to mow the overgrown grass from time to time with a mower. Unfortunately this is not the case. A lawn needs a lot more attention, and problems are inevitable throughout the season. Think about what problems may await the owner of an emerald lawn.
Many problems can be eliminated.
1. Weeds
What counts and what doesn’t count is a moot point. When you’ve created a sustainable lawn, everyone looks terrible. If your Lawn is more democratic, the appearance of “aliens” can be taken less seriously. However, there are some plants that don’t belong in your lawn.
First of all, this is dandelion. On a young lawn, it is especially visible, because the seeds of this plant, got into the ground before sowing the grass, can germinate for several years. Secondly, although the lawn has not yet come into full force, it has not been compacted, the shields of dandelion carried by the wind are easily caught between the grasses. In addition, meadow, clover, creeping and crawling plants (midge, dodder, schwarz, creeper), cottongrass and others were causing many problems.
Dandelion has no place in the lawn.
Undoubtedly, this problem is easier to prevent than to solve. A thoroughly cleaned lawn before sowing lawn grass and quality, contamination-free seeds are therefore essential for a homogeneous lawn. On the finished lawn, weeds can be dealt with by gently knocking them out by hand, as well as by chemical method with the use of selective herbicides (“Hacker”, “Magnum”). Gradual removal of unwanted plants from the lawn also contributes to the timely removal of grass. In order to get rid of woodlice, thistle and thistle, it is recommended to lift the grass with a rake before mowing, and then cut them short enough, for which the mowing height is set at 4 to 5 cm.
- Shade,
- High humidity,
- Acidic soil reaction,
- Lack of nutrients and oxygen,
- Low mowing grass.
Accordingly, you can get rid of moss by reversing the conditions. For example, lawn ventilation and liming (taking acid) of the soil works great in the fight against bryophytes. For partial spots, you need to buy special blends of grasses that do well in low light (remember that no lawn in full shade can form a full lawn). Reduce moisture will help the device of drainage and the formation of a small slope. It is better to take care of this, even if you are preparing a place for lawn seeding.
2. Moles and the community
Moles cause significant damage to lawns, so it’s best to find out ahead of time, even before you lay your lawn, if your neighbors will have this problem. If these animals are around, there is a very high chance that your lawn will attract them. In this case, when preparing the site, the top layer of soil (about 10 cm) is removed, a solid mesh is laid, and the soil is returned to its place. This operation gives a 100% guarantee of protection against moles, although it complicates and increases the cost of creating a green lawn.
However, it is important not only to eliminate the source of the problem, but also to restore the lawn. To do this, you must first remove the piles of earth, find the mole tunnel and fill it with earth, tamping it down as much as possible. Then you need to sow the seeds of the same grass mixture that makes up your lawn, and water it. If the weather is favorable, such “spots” quickly take root.
You should know that not only moles can leave holes in the lawn, but also crickets, bears and some other insects. The damage from them is not so great, but when there are a lot of moles, it looks ugly. You can get rid of such pests with the help of special agents against bears (“Grom”, “Medetox”, “Grizzly”, etc.). Worms also often cause problems and leave behind small mounds of earth. If there are a lot of them, they need to be flattened out.
On the lawn can settle not only moles, but also some insects.
Spoil the lawn and ordinary ants, take the soil to the surface and arrange loose sand dunes. It is better to treat them with preparations that dissolve in water. By no means use “good old” boiling water against ants on the lawn: the grass will be irreparably spoiled.
3. Bald spots.
- Careless application of fertilizer. Any mineral fertilizer (whether you bought a ready-made compound or made it yourself) is a concentrate. Excessive or uneven application can cause a real chemical burn.
- Inadequate or untimely watering. Grass should be watered regularly and when the sun is low in the sky, that is, early in the morning or evening. Sprinklers of all kinds are ideal, the main thing is that they should be positioned in such a way that there are no so-called dead zones.
- Diseases. As a rule, they are fungal in nature. The most common is fusariosis (snow mold), special fungicides (Benomil, Fundazole) are used to combat it. Red thread is also common. It is characterized by the pink color of the gaps and is treated with chlorothalonil.
- Objects left on the surface. After a long rest on the grass, the lawn can be covered with spits left by garbage, leaves that were not removed in time.
It should be noted that the first remedy for bare spots on the lawn is a thorough care. Regular watering, balanced fertilization, competent mowing, combing, aeration and scarification 1-2 times a year – these are the main operations.
Combing removes what is known as reeds – a mass of dead shoots that do not allow moisture and fertilizer to penetrate to the roots. Aeration allows the lawn to breathe, while scarification stimulates the growth of new shoots. These procedures can be carried out manually, using fan rakes and special spiked sandals, or with the help of modern technology which facilitates the work and greatly increases the quality of performance.
Husqvarna s 138C compact and powerful electric rake erases dry thatch and moss and creates soil. All of these operations are possible by simply replacing the spring tine working mechanism with a knife mechanism and adjusting the depth of the knives into the soil. The working width is 37,5 cm, the crop residues go into the grass catcher box. The same functionality has its battery-powered counterpart – the Husqvarna s 138i scarifier. Only it has additional advantages: it is practically nameless and is not tied by a wire to a socket. In addition, two batteries can be installed to increase operating time without recharging.
Husqvarna s 138c (left) and Husqvarna s 138i (right)
4. Pet Presentation
Many homeowners and suburban homeowners think of the possibility of enjoying a lawn with a pet, among other things, when coordinating a lawn. But unfortunately, cats and dogs are the main enemies of a beautiful lawn, as sad as that may sound. Landscapers don’t even want to bother creating a lawn if the owners have a large pet.
Besides, there are two aspects to this problem. First, the pet can physically damage the grass, rolling, lying on it, digging holes. In this case the problem is partly solved by a specialized lawn – sports or airfield, where special grass mixes are used that are resistant to trampling. However, it is not allowed to leave the dog on it for the first few years. It must be said that such lawns are not too vigorous and withstand large animals, one solution remains – to protect.
Some dogs like to dig up the lawn.
The second aspect – your pet may defecate on the lawn, this will manifest itself in the appearance of yellow stains. Neither owners of small cats nor happy owners of large dogs are immune from this. The best solution is to accustom the pet to go to the toilet in a special place. With cats, however, this does not always work, and strangers can enter your territory.
If you notice this process yourself, you can quickly drain the place of urination with water and reduce the concentration, and then the grass will not suffer as much. You can try to accustom the house cat to a certain place on the property and move the cut corner lawns there. Subsequently, the toilet area is planted with white clover, it is quite resistant to the natural excretions of animals.
The result of the intestines of cats. Photo by Natasha777
5. Mowing mistakes
Incorrect mowing of the lawn leads to a deterioration of its appearance or even damage. When using a lawn mower, it is important to follow the technology, in which the movements should not be chaotic, but in strips: first move in one direction, and back – a parallel course in the other. So you get a beautiful alternating dark and light stripes. In the next haircut, you need to pull in the opposite direction. In hot weather, it is better not to mow, but if you have to do it, you should immediately water the lawn. Wet grass should not be mowed: it sticks to the mower blades, clogs them, and therefore the quality of mowing is reduced. The wheel can leave traces on the wet ground.
Do not mow wet grass
The minimum height of a normal lawn is 4-5 cm (mature turf-3-4 cm). If you mow the grass too low, it slows down, grows weakly, and dry patches may form. If you have recovered from mowing and the lawn is heavily overgrown, you should not only mow it to its normal height. Do not remove more than a third of the length. For example, leave about 7 cm and shorten it to 5 cm after a week.
The Husqvarna LC 140 rugged self-propelled lawn mower, designed for small to medium-sized areas, offers both regular and high mowing heights. The cutting height is adjustable from 25 to 75 mm and the width is medium 40 cm. This model has a function of grass ejection to the surface of the lawn. By selecting this mode, you can mow without interrupting the operation of the grass catcher box. The remaining grass after work should be collected, so as not to disturb the local areas of the lawn. For the edges of the lawn and the first mowing of grass (more than 15 cm) it is best to use the grass catcher box. For example, using a model Husqvarna 226R. It can handle not only the lawn but also uncultivated grass, because instead of trimmer head you can install a metal blade with three Multi 255-3 flower blades, which is included as standard equipment.
Regular and proper mowing of the lawn can be entrusted to the battery-powered roller. You will only have to set the mode of operation on the control panel and limit it to a special wire on the plot (it is included). In general, it will mow and flick. For a small country house with a lawn, we recommend the compact Husqvarna Automower® 105. It is also suitable for plots up to 600 m² and can handle areas with up to 25% elevation. The Lawnhouse robot is environmentally friendly, quiet, and safe, including for children and animals who may be standing on the lawn while it works.
Arsenal of mowing technologies. 1-Husqvarna Automower® 105 robotic lawnmower. 2-Husqvarna 226r grass. 3-Husqvarna LC 140S home-made mower.
It is important that the mower blades are always sharpened, otherwise you will get into the blades of grass or even pull them out of the lawn (young shoots can definitely “test”). The lawn spoils instead of becoming healthier and more beautiful. Once a month you should check the blades and, if necessary, sharpen them. It is better to entrust the sharpening to the specialists of the Service Center. It is not easy to do it yourself. Without skills and special equipment it is very easy to break the knife.
You can learn more about proper mowing and comprehensive lawn care in the article Secrets of Ideal: What to feed, how to mow when watering?
6. Lowering of the soil
It is very frustrating to see how on a flat lawn appear depressions. Most often this is due to the following reasons. The first is poor compacting of the soil before sowing. The second is if the lawn was installed almost immediately after the underground supplier. The ideal is when all the technical work is completed in the fall, and in late spring are taken for the arrangement of the lawn for the next year.
If lawn subsidence has already occurred, there are two options. You can simply reseed the floor over the failed area, level it and seed it with grass. The second method is more complicated, but more effective. You need to cut the lawn, cut one or more strips, bend them (or set them aside), spread the floor, thoroughly tamp it down, and put the lawn back in place. This is usually easier to do with relatively fresh rolled grass. Once the grass layer is back in place, it needs to be watered more often, which means you don’t want it to dry out.
You can simply pour soil over the fallen area, smooth it out, and seed the grass.
7. Unfold and freeze
They resemble the delicacy of the grass cover, the appearance of brown lazy islands. In most cases, this makes it difficult to plant crops in the transition from fall to winter. If snow falls on unfrozen ground, plants remain vegetated, gradually become exhausted and die. Losses also occur when an ice crust forms that does not allow air to pass through.
Grass fading can also be referred to burning if it has not had time to prepare for winter with unsightly brown patches of fine vegetation if the grass cuttings are not removed in time or dried after being combed out.
Lawn Advocate.
There is no way to save battered lawn areas – you can only sow the same seeds in spoiled areas after removing the dead grass and loosening the bottom with a pen. Proper farming techniques can prevent such problems.
Grass that is left over the winter is more susceptible to being dug up. Around mid-autumn (at a certain temperature of +10. +12ºc) the lawn should be mowed for the last time, and then feed it with autumn fertilizers with an emphasis on phosphorus and potassium. This gives the plants time to firm up before the cold weather, and they will survive the winter better. It’s important to carefully remove fallen leaves so that the lawn stays clear under the snow.
The lawn should go under the snow clean
Scenic, upright mother or fan – which is better?
Do you want to have a beautiful and well-maintained lawn? Then pay attention to its care in advance and buy an aerator, vertical or scatter. The first is a device for saturating the soil with oxygen and is called the English word “ventilation”. Mizer and vertical mater, the differences of which are not clear to everyone, are designed for loosening, mowing the lawn and removing old dried grass.
In this article you will find detailed information about any type of lawn equipment, its advantages and disadvantages. And also get acquainted with such procedures as ventilation, fear and verticalization.
Aerator
An aerator is a hand-held or machine-operated soil treatment machine. It is used to allow lawn grass to grow and oxygenate the upper layers of the soil. Specifically, the aerator has sturdy metal bars. Air flows little by little into the resulting “holes” and the grass will grow faster and look fresher.
Unlike the upright mother, the air-loading device is quite simple, so the technology does not require complicated preparation for work. There are different types of air-loading units for soil:
- Mechanical ones are the simplest and cheapest. Outwardly, they resemble a metal roller with large spikes on a long handle. Grinding the floor with them is done manually and therefore requires good physical training. Suitable mechanical tool for small cottages.
- Gasoline-powered – most often a combination aerator, scarifier and scarifier for lawn treatment (you will see the differences in the selected mode). Ideal for large lawns, soccer fields, golf courses or park areas of dozens of acres. But they require regular maintenance, gasoline refills, and become noisy during operation.
- Electric – machines that run on a direct current source. Ideal for dachas and home gardens with an area of 5 hectares or more, they combine several functions. You get a scarifier or aerator, simply by installing the necessary shaft on the device.
What is lawn aeration?
Ventilation is a word that came to us from the Greeks. Today this concept is actively used in agriculture and landscape design: wherever the quality of the soil affects the yield or the appearance of green spaces.
The process of aeration itself can be natural, if the soil is well aerated and blown, or artificial. In the second case, an aerator or scarifier with a special nozzle is used. Moving on the ground, the technique digs small holes through which the plant roots get extra oxygen, and the grass on your lawn will always look greener.
There is another option of aeration – the old-fashioned way: not a lawn machinery, but an ordinary rake is used to do the work. But this solution is suitable for a small cottage or front yard. On a plot of several hectares, forks and rakes will not help, only an aerator and a scarifier in one will save.
aerator device
Outwardly similar to a lawnmower, the lawn aerator is very easy to use. Its main working body is a roller with metal needles. During the operation of the device, it is driven by torque and quickly deepens the needles into the ground, leaving small holes in it. This is done very carefully without damaging the root system of the plants and to a depth of 3 to 9 cm.
The person operating the aerator only needs to point the machine in the right direction. The technique requires no additional physical effort to perforate the lawn.
Lawn aeration rules
To ensure that the grass in the garden or park area always looks fresh and does not fade, it is important to properly aerate. To do this, you just need to remember a few simple rules:
- Never aerate the ground in the heat or in the blazing sun (or on dry soil).
- Do not treat a lawn that is too wet – this will have no effect.
- Water your lawn well 2 to 3 days before you plan to work or perforate the day after it rains.
- Use fertilizer when watering your lawn plants. This way, the nutrients get to the root system of the plants even faster.
- Move the fan like a lawnmower – in even strips with an overlap of 3-4 cm.
- After 2 to 3 days, water the lawn again with fertilizer.
If in the process you see too dense turf or, conversely, bare spots, repeat the work in 2-3 weeks, seeding the empty spaces with seeds.
Scarifier
Schleister (like Vertikutter), unlike an aerator, is lawn equipment with cutting blades. They are used not so much for loosening the soil, but rather for the treatment of heavily overgrown areas, removing dead and last year’s grass, weeds, moss. The scrubber’s rotating blades plunge into the turf to a certain depth, thinning it out so that new grass can grow faster.
slime-removal device
All, without exception, scrubbers are automated, as they are designed to work on large areas of several acres. Also, the difference between an aerator and a scrubber is that the latter leaves “debris” in the form of mowed plants and sod, which must necessarily be cleaned up with a rake or other gardening equipment.
At the same time, timely work gives:
- A quality lawn treatment and loosening of the soil,
- saturation of the soil with moisture and oxygen,
- excluding the rotting of grass and the appearance of pests in it,
- Maintenance of the aesthetic appearance of the lawn,
- Rapid sprouting for newly planted seeds.
Scheduled acceptance
Schleister is most often used to work with commercial areas, as it is simply impractical to buy it for a dacha. The main tasks that this technique performs include:
- Remove last year’s and withered grasses from the lawn,
- Remove moss and grass,
- planting vegetation on the site,
- loosening the soil with cutting blades,
- removing debris and crushed grass from the site.
Lawn care rules
To keep your lawn smooth and green at all times, follow a few simple sharpening rules:
- Carry out the work in three consecutive stages – in March, before planting the seeds in the ground in May, after the first full-fledged shoots appear in September, before the end of the summer season.
- Before starting work on the site remove stones, debris and anything that can damage the equipment.
- The grass (if it is tall) is cut to 3 cm. All cuttings will be removed.
- It is necessary to work with the stuff only on moistened ground, so the lawn should be abundantly watered 2-3 days before the planned activities.
- On a dense lawn, it is better to comb out the dead grass beforehand.
If your lawn mower has a grass catcher box, clean it first, and then remove the soil when you’re done.
Scarifier
A scarifier is a mechanical lawn equipment used to clean and rejuvenate the lawn. The working body of the device is a shaft with cutting blades plunged vertically into the ground, and its main task is to thin the grass and remove debris from the lawn and dead plants. This is the key difference between an aerator and a scarifier.
The construction of the scarifier
The machine is used for personal purposes, as well as on large lawns for work. Refers to semi-professional and professional equipment, and also has in its design an additional container for collecting leaves and debris. Another important feature of the scarifier is the additional aerator attachment, which allows one machine to perform a full range of lawn care.
Scheduled acceptance
Are there differences between Scriber and Vertikutter? The two types of lawn equipment are completely identical in purpose and do the same job:
- Clean the lawn of last year’s compacted grass,
- remove moss and rotten areas,
- mow and clean the lawn.
- Help young grass grow faster and the lawn look smoother.
- Loosen the floor.
At the same time, the vertical matting also performs the function of ventilation – this is possible due to the fact that the whitener nozzle in the device is included.
Rules for checking the lawn
Verticalization is the easiest and most effective way to thin and fight in the lawn. The sharp-sounding system quickly and thoroughly counts the spot and removes dead vegetation and debris. And to ensure that working on your lawn doesn’t cause damage, we recommend following a few simple rules:
- Clear the area of rocks and mechanical debris,
- Set the depth of the cutting units properly,
- Do not apply additional physical force with a verticalizer or fan,
- Work only on previously prepared soil (water after 2-3 days),
- Mow the lawn or grass bumps before using the vertical groomer.
2-in-1 Lerators.
How to understand when choosing a fan or an upright, which is better for lawn care? Of course, study the functions of the garden equipment and assess the work that needs to be done. There is another solution – it is simpler and more economical. You can buy a device that combines several options at once.
In-1, they are often thought of as excavators 2, but it is more correct to call this technique a vertical or scruate. As standard, it is equipped with an additional attachment with a shaft and needles, which allows you to complete the perforation of the soil.
What should you look for when choosing a vent, vertical and scruat?
Do you want to buy a verticalizer or ventilator, but do not know what takes better care of the lawn? Just pay attention to the following parameters of the selected equipment before buying:
The difference in power sources
Lawn care units can be divided into 4 main types based on the type of power supply. And this distinction not only gives functions in the company, but also the dependence on a power source or regular refueling.
Mechanically
The simplest garden tool, not unlike the Robbel or Vil. Ringing or cutting the soil involves physical exertion, so requires good gardening training. Recommended for use in small cottages.
petrol
Machines used for semi-professional and professional purposes. Suitable for airing and checking the area of several hectares. The wave with blades is driven by a gasoline engine.
Electric
Scarifia comes in motion from a stationary power source. Therefore, you can not work with the socket at a great distance from houses or signs. It is optimal for workhouses, gardens and places in front of office buildings or hotels.
battery
The most environmentally friendly models, whose principle of operation is based on the transfer of energy from the motor to the battery. They can be used on large fields (for golf or soccer), as well as in parking areas and other coding areas.
Engine power
Lawn mower motor power directly affects both the quality of work in the garden and the life of the equipment itself.
Choosing models with power up to 1000 watts, you should understand that a large load will not suit you. The fan will quickly overheat. The power of 1000 watts is ideal for a small house, but for fields and schemes of several hectares you need scarifiers at least 2000 watts.
The body of the device
The reliability of each device lies not only in its “stuffing”, but also in the body. When choosing a scarifier, make sure what its frame is made of. Ideally, the body material should be strong and lightweight. For garden models plastic or aluminum is ideal, and for professional models – steel.
Weighing block.
Another way to protect your lawn from crumpled and damaged grass is to choose a lawn mower that is lightweight. There should be no additional load on the ground or on the grass layer itself.
Depth of treatment.
These are the most important metrics to consider when choosing a blower or scarifier. The immersion depth of the needles or blades can be from 3 to 9 cm, for professional machines – up to 10 cm.
Availability of a trash collector (grass catcher).
This question is relevant for scarifiers and scarifiers. When treating the lawn, you are not only editing the floor, but also cutting the turf, old grass through and leaving debris behind. Only a grass scarifier allows you to leave your lawn clean and dispose of uneven and collected turf from the garbage can when you return to your home or landfill.
Last on the list, but one of the first criteria for choosing a lawn mower. And here you should be guided by your own budget, as it makes no sense to buy too expensive devices as the cheapest.
Choose a fan or scarifier with the best combination of price and functionality.
