“More work than potatoes.” Watching stockholders near Minsk take care of their lawns
“Quit that vegetable garden, have everything with a lawn,” is the traditional advice to mansion owners. A perfectly level lawn is also the result of a lot of hard work. A lawn mower, trimmer, scarifier, and vent advisors are a partial list of things you can use to keep your green spaces in order. Along with the online hypermarket, 21vek found out how homeowners in a village and a gardening community near Minsk take care of their lawns.
“Don’t walk on the lawn” only when the grass is young
Sergei Khokhlov stops in the village of Domashany near Minsk Atmosphera Estate. The plot is substantial: about 20 hectares, there is a lawn everywhere. The territory outside the farm near the fence also had to be sown with grass.
Taking care of the lawn on such plantations is a tedious business.
“I feed the lawn twice a year: I apply fertilizer in the spring and autumn,” says Sergei.
The grass has to be mowed once a week. To do this, his interlocutor has a Makita lawnmower and a Stihl FS 55 trimmer. With the first machine, Sergiy mows large rooms, and with the second, he mows along the fence in difficult areas near trees.
– It takes me a whole day to mow all these hundreds.
Rotary mower, electric motor, 1400 watts, 1,9 hp, cutting width: 37 cm, soft grass catcher box 40 liters
Lawn mower, electric motor, 1200 W, 1,63 HP, cutting width: 33 cm, dustbin 30 l
Gasoline engine, 1900W, 2,58hp, four-stroke, cutting width: 46 cm, with 60 liters of soft grass catcher box
The cut grass is covered with beds – this protects the ground from weeds and enriches the soil (there is a fancy word “mulching” to describe this process).
“Now my lawn is not quite perfect,” believes Sergei. – Just yesterday it bloomed, you can also see the stripes from the lawnmower. But in a few days – and the traces will no longer be noticeable.” Spring is also bored: it rained for a long time, then it dried up, so that the necessary completeness and brightness is still absent.
Sergei’s gas-powered lawnmower and himself.
But that’s not all: the lawns need to moisturize. To do this, a vehicle deflection system is placed on the site.
– Of course, it costs money, but do not walk around with a hose on the hill.
In villages and garden associations, a common problem – a little water pressure on the days when everyone who wants to water their beds arrives.
“To defeat this misfortune, a pond was dug,” – shows another nice corner on the plot Sergei. – Water for the lawn fluctuates from here, and then slowly adds to the pond with a fountain.
The nozzles of the automatic water system are hidden in the grass. At the right time, you go up and the water is sprayed around the construction site.
In most cases, the more expensive Dutch lawn mixture is “shoveled” near the trees, and the cheaper Belarusian lawn mixture behind the fence.
– The lawn in the yard was sown five years ago. And elsewhere, by my house, the lawn is even 16 years old – now I’ve changed it,” says the man.
If you are using a trimmer, you need to wear a mask to prevent eye damage: grass flying under the device can jump over rocks
How can you sow grass?
– You need a special reader, which will come in handy for fertilizing later. It’s also important to lay an anti-slap net. But they can climb over them. On my property, the lawn was damaged.
Dogs can also damage the perfect grass, as these animals like to dig into the ground,” complains the owner.
If the perfect grass needs an “ambulance,” there is a way out.
-We had a situation like this: a wedding was booked for the summer, and we were doing a yard renovation, and we quickly had to put in a place where the work was in order.
The urgent editorial was to cover the lawn. It’s putting down roots on the site and soon won’t be distinguishable regardless of sawgrass.
– In cities, you can see impressive signs saying, “Don’t walk on lawns.” Also for your own?
– Here, it’s safe to do so. There’s a boundary of toughness, but here I’ve played soccer. Not only is it needed on a young lawn, it takes two seasons for the lawn to take root.
“Our lawn is not for beauty, it’s for reducing the acreage.”
Elena lives in another yard in Domashany and doesn’t have her first season either.
“As a villager, I can tell you the truth: we personally plant our lawn not for beauty, but to reduce the crop area,” says the woman. – I no longer need many beds like I used to.
We sow grass so that the place doesn’t weed.”
Elena gradually reclaimed the room from the vegetable garden: first there was a strip of grass, then a second and a third. At the same time, I did not use the facer and spread the lawn mixture with my hands.
-One strip is seeded with my lawn, the other with golf course mix. They’ll stand on both,” the hostess suggests. – The second is very soft, you can even feel it under your shoes. In the summer it is like a carpet: the grandchildren like to run barefoot. It grows slowly, and dandelion does not appear on this grass.
This season has not yet mowed: the lawnmower is in the garage, it needs a little repair.
– It’s time to mow. It should be done once a week.
If you yawn the grass is already in the ground, it’s not easy to mow.
What company the lawnmower was made by, Elena does not remember. A device with a motor does not run around the site, but is sure to push it.
The resident does not water her lawns.
– I don’t see the point, why? We get enough rain!
At the same time Elena sums up with a smile:
– There’s definitely more work to be done with a lawn than a potato!
“It must be a lot like a lawn: in spiked sandals, the whole yard is engaged in small steps.”
We move on to the garden partnership “Daring”. Here lives Natalia Bulich with her husband Sergei. Natalia is a landscape designer, Sergey works in agro-technology and just loves lawns.
The family is like little children with their lawns.
– I remember, we were sick with coronavirus, were without strength and looked out the window: the lawn is growing, and we can not cut it! My heart was bleeding. My friends even offered to come and mow it and see how we would get on”, – says Natalia Bulich.
The landscape designer is also engaged in this direction: he creates ungroomed flowerbeds.
– But a lawn cannot be created. You have to feed it with fertilizer,” says the owner of the site. – In the spring we need nitrogen to enhance growth, and in the fall – phosphorus, so that the roots develop, and the grass was more frost-resistant. We use Belarusian fertilizers. The effect is about the same as imported. However, it is cheaper when you need a regular fertilizer on a large area. The lawn needs to properly “winterize” and “bounce back from winter”.
The couple are perfectionists when it comes to court supplies. There are many well-maintained flowerbeds and plants on the plot.
How to care for the lawn: necessary procedures and seasonal work
Watering, mowing, aeration – about these and other activities we will talk about, so that the lawn for a long time remained well-groomed and beautiful.
When the lawn is planted and sprouted, it seems that all worries are left behind. All that remains is to enjoy the sight of lush greenery. We hate to disappoint, but that’s not the case at all. The lawn must be cared for, otherwise it will quickly lose its attractive appearance. Let’s find out how to care for your lawn so that it is always bright and beautiful.
All about lawn care
What treatments are needed for your lawn?
To keep your lawn from losing its attractive appearance, you need to take care of it. Lawn care consists of performing certain procedures on a regular basis. We will list what grass plantings need.
Watering
Moisture is necessary for plant life, so its consumption should be regular and sufficient. With each watering, the soil should be moistened to a depth of about 20 cm. It is optimal to do this once every two or three days in the morning. Evening watering procedures can provoke the development of fungal diseases, especially if it is cool outside. In hot weather, the amount of watering is increased, in rainy weather it is reduced to a minimum or discontinued.
Do not water very cold water. Plants are stressed, so they will not take up more nutrients. This immediately affects their appearance and growth. Choose to water with a hose or sprayer. Water jets wash roots and seeds out of the ground, causing irreparable damage to the grass.
Sprayer hose
Mowing
Mow at a frequency of every 2 to 4 weeks. Grasses may need mowing more often, clover less often. A special lawn care tool is needed for the job. This can be one of the varieties of trimmer or lawn mower. Mowing levels the level of green cover, helps to combat weeds, stimulates the growth of grass.
Work is only done with a dishcloth on a non-hot day. Mowing is done in two directions: first across the plot, then along it. The average height of the stems remaining on the surface is 8-10 cm, but not less than 5 cm. The cut grass should be removed immediately. Otherwise, the aeration of the soil will be disturbed, which provokes plant diseases.
ventilation
The roots of cereals are very powerful. As it grows, they compact the soil, which prevents the absorption of nutrients and oxygen. This has a negative effect on the plants. Therefore, it is necessary to ventilate at least twice a year. To do this, the soil is pierced to a depth of 12-15 cm. This can be done with the help of mechanical ventilation or ventilation pads. In the absence of such devices, a pitchfork is used. After aeration, it is advisable to apply fertilizer to the soil.
plant fertilizer
mulching
Gardeners use this technique to protect the soil from many undesirable factors: waterlogging, temperature differences, drying, etc. The technology is simple: a layer of organic matter is applied to the dry surface without flipping. This can be sawdust, hay, compost, peat, agricultural soil, etc. Lawn mulching can be done after sowing and without fail in the fall in preparation for winter.
Scarifying
Another technology of soil ventilation. It differs significantly from ventilation. Plant growth is accelerated properly. They become thicker and root better. The color of the grass becomes a rich green. The process is carried out with the help of a scythe knife, which is then cut or pruned. In some cases, loosen with a fan rake. After sifting, it is advisable to sand and cover the place with mulch.
Vertical Aerator.
Seasonal work
We have listed the main activities that include the care of grass plantings. It is important to distribute them properly after the season and complete everything that needs to be done. Sometimes it seems that after sowing, when the sprouts are already green, for a while relax and forget about the plants. But this is not the case. Grass cover is a mood, it requires the closest attention every season.
Taking care of your lawn in spring
The work begins even before the snow cover completely leaves the floor. With the beginning of thaws comes the time to take care of the lawn. Temperature fluctuations change the structure of the snow layer. It becomes dense, heavy. An ice crust forms on the surface, trapping the flow of air. In such conditions, rotting of plantings, damage to the root system occurs.
At this point, it is recommended to remove the snow and gently break the ice crust. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the grass cover. When the snow is completely gone and the ground is dry, it’s time for a full post-winter cleanup. Start with trash, last year’s leaves. Fan racks or other tools are removed and carried away. No organic matter should be left behind.
It creams, compacts, and disrupts the growth of young shoots. In addition, plant debris is a breeding ground for fungi and parasites. After the first sprouts appear, it remains to wait until they grow to 10 cm. In this case, the first trimming is carried out after a year. Only the tips of the plants are removed, no more than 1-2 cm. Then fertilization is carried out. A starter mixture or nitrogen fertilizer is used. Plenty of watering is required, otherwise burns of the root system are possible.
In the spring, all work is carried out especially carefully. After the winter period, the lawn is divided, which makes it especially susceptible to damage. New weeds appear in the gaps. If necessary, the place is covered with mulch after planting. After the second or even third mowing, the lawn is aerated. The lawn should be inspected particularly closely at this time of the season to check for fungal diseases. Even minor signs are an excuse to treat with fungicides.
Lawn care in summer
In summer, the focus shifts to timely, sufficient watering. This occurs two to three times a week. Weather conditions, of course, make adjustments. Regular mowing is also required if the stems are growing. A length of more than 10 cm is already considered excessive.
Summer is the time to control weeds. It is best to sort them by hand. It is possible to use herbicides, but in this case the lawn plantings also suffer. In this case, it is recommended two or three days before treatment to apply fertilizer to reduce damage to the grain. And after weeds die off, spray the grain with Epin, Megafol or another stimulant that helps relieve stress.
Fertilize regularly during the summer months. Without them, the grass weakens, loses its attractive appearance and resistance to disease. Special summer complexes are selected for fertilizing. Use them in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Sprouts are regularly combined, conduct scarification. In August, fertilizing is carried out again, but already autumn compositions. If bare spots appear again, new plants are planted.
Autumn work
An important autumn task is to properly prepare the lawn for winter. At the beginning of September, aeration is carried out. After that, a special complex of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers is applied to the soil. They strengthen the rhizomes before the beginning of the cold period. The frequency of watering is changed. Now it is carried out only once a week, when the floor is dry. Watering is dangerous for the roots. They become weaker, die off with the beginning of frosts.
The last watering is carried out at the beginning or no later than the middle of October. It depends on climatic conditions. But this should happen before the first frost. Shortly before winter comes, the area should be cleared of trash, leaves, etc. If these wastes are left behind, the grass begins to get lazy and rot. This should not be allowed to happen.
The number of cuttings is also reduced. They are now done every two weeks. The last one is no later than the end of October. Sowing is carried out on open lawns. The seeds are not buried very deeply, they have to be tamped down. After sowing, it is impossible to fix this moment. A layer of mulch is thickened to protect against leaching and overcooling.
What to do in winter
During winter cold weather, life in the backyard or cabin freezes. The lawn is no exception. It’s already made winter-proof, it’s no longer treated. The only thing to do is avoid surface damage. It is particularly susceptible at this time. You can not walk on the site, to load it in any way. After the snow has descended and its thickness exceeds 25-30 cm, you can go to the construction site.
