A well-manicured lawn is the perfect canvas to complement the aesthetics of the garden. Looking ahead to spring, we reveal recommendations that beautify this herb.
Maintain a green and healthy lawn It supposes the monitoring of irrigation, the contribution of vitamins and a regular trimming. Although these gardening techniques seem generic, being such a herb, it deserves a little more attention.
This is because, in the case of plants planted in pots, depending on the season of the year, you can take them out or keep them at home. But the grass is always out in the open. We invite you to review tips to contribute to the desired growth and greenery in this extensive part of the garden.
Why is it important to keep grass green and healthy?
Grass is a bushy, minute, and commonly graminoid, ground-covering grass. This is how the Polytechnic University of Valencia reports it, adding that this “lining” of land is a basic element in gardens and landscaping.
Keeping the lawn colorful is a matter of aesthetics and visual appeal for the environment. Likewise, it contributes to the good health of the rest of the plants you grow. If the grass is healthy, you avoid soil erosion by water and wind.
And if we go economically, a green and well-kept lawn is a hook visual to sell a house. Who doesn’t like a beautiful garden? So, it is worth inquiring about what this element of nature needs, so that it is always healthy.
How to keep the grass green and healthy?
The greenness of the plant cover will be maintained if you put into practice the steps that we present below.
1. Fertilize
The grass appreciates those substances rich in phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. As the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service explains, this trio of components is primary to plant species; if they are together they are considered to make up a complete fertilizer.
According to specialists, these micronutrients in higher concentrations do a good job. Similarly, fertilizers with magnesium, sulfur and calcium, in lower concentrations, provide positive effects to the lawn. The idea is that the root growth is solid and that the grass remains a deep green.
From spring to summer it is appropriate to fertilize warm-season grasses that are actively growing. For his part, cool-season grass is best fed in the spring and fallbecause otherwise, it would be weakened.
2. Remove straws and weeds
Straw is all the withered grass that, in addition to making the garden ugly, causes stagnant water and hinders air circulation, leading to possible fungal infections. You get rid of the straw by raking; in spring gently, in autumn with a little more force.
As for weeds, you can pull them with your hands or spray lawn weed killer. The University of California Integrated Pest Management Program argues that spraying herbicides helps prevent weeds from germinating in the planting bed.
3. Aerate
Acute soil compaction does not favor grazing. This is a natural process that can occur over time and its consequences are inconveniences for the roots to receive proper hydration.
In turn, the difficulties derived from the lack of aeration are evident in the discoloration of the mantle. What to do if the soil in your garden is too compacted? Aerate!
There are machines designed to correct this defect. They open thousands of holes in the grass, so that the water sneaks in without problems.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries refers to the aerated as the “punctured” that maximizes infiltration and moisture in the soil. To achieve this, it is possible to apply artisan techniques or special devices, as well as the addition of a dressing made of organic matter.
4. Hydrate
An extension from the University of Illinois states that the lawn needs at least 1.5 inches of water in the week to look green and not stop your prosperity. They clarify that during the cold season a pause in natural growth is normal and that when it is hot the grass goes into a state of dormancy.
Sprinkler irrigation systems are often used to support hydration.
5. Respect the height
Do not cut the grass flush. This vegetal layer is made up of numerous plants that, in turn, consist of many leaves.
If you overdo cutting the grass, you would leave the soil more bare and exposed to the inclement of the sun. The consequences would be the dryness of the leaves and the stress of the plants. In cold seasons an exaggerated trimming would also hurt them.
The Spanish Association of Garden Centers suggests, through its magazine Green is life, do not cut more than a third of the length of the blade, apart from considering the orientation, the climate and the frequency of irrigation before mowing the meadow. This is because in extreme conditions, such as cold or heat, the grass would suffer.
6. “Populate” the bare sections
Lawns are often targeted for deterioration by multiple factors; frequent stepping on it and pet urine are some examples. In this way, it loses its showiness and does not look healthy; at least, in the sections of greater concurrence.
For the grass to star in the image of your garden in spring, Visibly damaged sections should be replaced with a fresh layer. This way there will be no brown or yellowish pieces, unbalancing the green that we are looking for. The sowing of these mini plots is done by seeds equal to the species you have at home.
Final note: Choosing the right lawn helps keep it green and healthy.
Keeping the lawn green and healthy depends to a large extent on the type of species and the conditions it meets. A publication from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina points out that These conditions influence the ability to adapt to the climate, resistance or support to trampling and uniform tonality.
Due to this, it is opportune to inquire with the provider of these plants the class that you will take to your garden. If you buy without considering the environment in which the grass will grow, it may not achieve the desired vigor and greenness.
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