Which type of grass should I use?

• Consider your climate, the amount of sunlight the lawn will receive, how much traffic the lawn will take and how easy it is to establish. Your options include warm season grasses and cool season grasses.
• Kikuyu is the most popular of the warm season grasses, followed by LM lawn, buffalo lawn and Cynodon – these grow best in sunny areas, are more tolerant of traffic and are easy to establish and maintain. LM and buffalo grass can also handle less sunlight and will do better than even the strongest kikuyu lawn in a 30 percent sun-filtered environment.
• Cool season grasses include evergreen mixes such as All Seasons Evergreen, Starke Ayres Evergreen Mix and Lawnpro Green Domein, shade mixes like Shade-Over, Starke Ayres Shady Mix and Lawnpro Under Cover and various over-seeding rye grasses. For a green lawn all year round in the coldest climate, or a green lawn in shady areas, this is the route to go. However, they don’t tolerate a lot of traffic, require more frequent watering, take more time to establish and may need constant seeding and nurturing.

How often should I water my lawn?

• You need to water your lawn to supply the right amount of moisture, cool down the soil temperature and wash fertilisers into the soil. As clay soils hold moisture for longer than sandy soils, you’ll need to water grass planted in sandy soils more frequently. However, clay may hold onto water more intensely, preventing your lawn from utilising that high moisture content. Loam is the ideal soil mix and will retain just the right amount of water, while still releasing enough moisture.
• If you have loamy soil with a warm season grass, give your lawn a good soaking of water once a week, and perhaps just cool it off if the grass is under stress from extreme heat. The norm is 25mm of water per week. Place a container in each of the sprinkler zones and determine how long it takes to fill the container up to 25mm. This is the amount of time you’ll have to irrigate each zone once a week. It’s better to give more water in one session to force the roots to grow down to a deeper level, than giving a little water every day.
• Cool season lawns need more frequent, shallower watering, as their root systems are not as deep as some of the warm season lawns.
• Water early in the morning as this is the coolest time of the day and there will be less evaporation. You’ll lessen the chances of your lawn contracting a disease if it dries before nightfall.
• Water spots where pets have urinated immediately, or at least more frequently, using a watering can or hose.

*Tip An easy way to tell if your lawn needs water is to walk on it. A healthy lawn feels soft under your feet. If the lawn feels crusty and it breaks when you rub your hands over the top of it, it’s not getting enough water.

How often should I mow, and at what height?

• Mowing is one of the greatest ways to bring out the best in virtually any lawn. If a lawn grows really fast and there is a lot of leaf development and growth then you may have to mow your lawn more than once a week.
• The biggest mistake made in lawn care is cutting the lawn too short. It’s important never to cut off more than 1/3 of the leaf blade in one go and also to keep mower blades sharp.
• Keep kikuyu at a height of 4–6cm above ground. Finer grasses such as cynodon, at a height of 3–4cm. LM lawn and cool season lawns at a height of 5–7cm. This results in deeper roots which are more capable of surviving dry spells.

What is scarifying and aerating?

• These two practices involve removing dead root material from a lawn and ventilating the root system in the growing season when the underlying thatch becomes a visible problem.

Aeration is carried out to enable air to get to the roots. It aids drainage and also allows water, minerals and nutrients to reach the roots. It’s done by using a spike roller, fork or a hollow tining machine to punch holes into the soil.

Scarifying is a process where a rotary-type mower is used to cut into the soil. Bolts or pins are fitted to the rotary blade and the mower is then set to its lowest setting. This is followed with an application of fertiliser and lawn booster.

Scarifying puts the lawn under stress as it is torn rather than cut. This can make it susceptible to disease and there is the possibility of cutting the live root system. An alternative is to get a professional to dethatch or verti-cut your lawn. That is to remove the zone of dead grass roots that builds up below the soil surface. This process rips into the grass vertically, tearing into the roots and cutting them vertically, leaving a lot of roots intact to immediately start growing.

How do I deal with weeds, pests and diseases?

Weeds: Most weeds are broad-leafed and are quite simple to get rid of using the correct selective weed killer (herbicide) for broad-leafed plants. Always follow the instructions on the label exactly. This is not a case of ‘the more you apply, the more they die’. Avoid mowing your lawn before you apply the herbicide. Allow 24 hours to pass after applying it before watering or mowing your grass.

Insects: Carry out a pest control regime on a regular basis so that destructive insects don’t reach a point where they destroy your lawn completely. Change the insecticide frequently to prevent pests from building up a resistance to any one type. Use organic products whenever possible.

Lawn diseases: The difficult aspect of disease control is identifying the specific disease. It’s often best to ask your local nurseryman for advice. Some diseases may require you to apply fertilisers. Others will thrive on even the smallest amount of nitrogen in a fertiliser application. If a disease is noticed on a lawn, aerate the soil as soon as possible. Most diseases flourish in areas with poor drainage, heavy traffic and poor soil fertility.

What is top dressing (lawn dressing) and when and how should it be applied?

• Top dressing is a mixture of well-balanced organic matter and weed-free soil. A thin layer should be spread on established lawns between August and February, if necessary. It’s applied to level an uneven surface or help a lawn recover after a serious disease or a very cold winter by replenishing nutrients.
• Buffalo grass, LM and all cool season lawns don’t tolerate lawn dressing at all. If the lawn needs to be levelled, remove the areas of uneven grass carefully, level the soil and replace the old lawn.
• The amount of top dressing you use depends on your lawn type, but as a rule of thumb, the recommendation is to cover 100m² of lawn with 1m³ of sterilised lawn dressing.

How often do I need to fertilise and what should I use?

• A good general fertiliser for all lawn types is 5:1:5 (36). These numbers indicate the amount of nitrogen (5), balanced phosphorus (1) and potassium (5) it contains. The (36) indicates the percentage of these three elements in the mix. Apply this fertiliser during the growing season at a rate of 60g/m² at least once every three months.
• You can feed your lawn during winter using a fertiliser, like 2:3:2, which contains less nitrogen and more phosphorus. Most warm season lawns become dormant in the winter; they do not need high volumes of nitrogen.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE SOIL IN YOUR GARDEN

In order for plants to thrive, soil should be well aerated, rich in nutrients and organic matter, and although free draining, it should still retain some moisture – but unfortunately this isn’t always the case. Here’s what you need to know about different types of soil. 

Although poor soil can make gardening more of a challenge, there are ways you can improve it. The first step is finding out exactly what type of soil you’re dealing with.

Apart from topsoil and subsoil there are three main kinds of soil – loam, clay and sand – and many combinations of these. A simple DIY test will help you determine which type of soil you’re dealing with. You may even discover that different kinds occur in different areas of your garden.

Types of soil to know: Topsoil and subsoil

As the name suggests, topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil in a garden bed. It’s darker than the subsoil found below it and contains more organic matter and nutrients. Subsoil is denser, usually lighter in colour and cooler than topsoil as it contains little organic matter and less air.

When digging a hole, it’s a good idea to separate the topsoil and subsoil as you remove them. This way you can replace them in the correct order when you fill it in. The reason for this is that the airier topsoil contains many beneficial micro-organisms which will die if there’s not enough air at the bottom of the hole.

This is also why proponents of ‘no-dig’ gardening argue against ‘turning’ the soil, preferring to just lay an organic mulch, like peanut husks or bark chips on top of it, letting nature incorporate all the goodness into the lower levels of the earth.

Loam

Dark in colour, loam contains a good balance of sand, clay and silt as well as plenty of humus (decomposed organic matter). This type of soil is a gardener’s delight; it’s easy to cultivate because it’s friable (crumbly), highly fertile, well aerated, good at holding nutrients, and although it drains freely, it still retains moisture.

How to maintain it:

Avoid over cultivating the soil.
Keep the soil well mulched, preferably with organic substances as these introduce beneficial micro-organisms.

ABOVE: 1. Coarse river sand. 2. Fine, coastal sand often contains fragments of shells making it slightly alkaline. 3. Sandy loam. 4. Loam with minor red clay content. 5. Ochre-coloured soil, rich in iron oxide. 6. Good loamy soil with high humus content. 7. Dark, clay soil.

Sand

Sandy soils are usually light in colour, feel gritty and rough to the touch and don’t hold their shape. They don’t hold water well, contain little organic matter and usually lack nutrients. On the positive side they are easy to cultivate and warm up quickly in spring giving plants an early growth spurt.

How to improve it:

Dig in as much organic matter, like compost and manure, as possible to improve the soil’s texture, water-holding capacity and ability to retain nutrients.
As they don’t retain nutrients well, feed sandy soils more frequently with small quantities of fertiliser.
As water passes through sandy soils quickly, give plants smaller quantities of water more frequently.
Some sandy soils are hydrophobic, repelling water; keep these kinds well mulched.
In his book, Dry Gardening (Murdock Books), Jonathan Garner recommends applying a ‘clay soup’ to the sandy soil around thirsty plants to improve moisture and nutrient retention and reduce their hydrophobic tendencies. Simply add a few clay sods to half a bucket of water, break them up and stir until it resembles a thick soup. Pour around plants, no digging required.

Clay soil

This heavy, often dark, smooth soil is made up of very fine particles between which there are small air spaces. It is difficult to cultivate, being sticky when wet, yet hard and even cracking, when dry. In situations where drainage is poor, plants can rot because of waterlogging and a lack of air around the roots. Clay is also a cold soil taking time to warm up in spring, which can slow a plant’s root growth. On the upside, clay is not only richer in nutrients than sand, but also retains nutrients and holds water well.

How to improve it:

Autumn is the best time to dig in as much organic matter as you can; this will help bind the fine particles of the soil together, thereby improving the texture, which encourages drainage and lessens waterlogging. Adding sand is not an option, as large amounts are needed to make a difference.
Maintain a permanent mulch of rough compost, straw, bark chips, coir peat or shredded timber; as the mulch decomposes, earthworms and other micro-organisms draw the organic matter down into the soil, helping to improve its texture and increase the number of micro-organisms.
Applications of gypsum (calcium carbonate) in winter will help bind the particles together without changing the soil’s pH.
Never dig or walk on wet clay as you will compact it and press out all the air making it solid and rock hard

Your New Lawn

 

Selecting a suitable lawn

When making a decision about the type of lawn, consider the following:

• Climate
• Shade
• Drought tolerance
• The amount of time you wish to spend maintaining your lawn
• The costs (resist the temptation to consider money first and variety second. Converting a poor lawn to a superior lawn usually costs in the long run. An ill-considered choice can cost more to maintain in the long term than the initial capital outlay at the time of installation.)

Sods

A professional sod lawn needs no special care as it is a healthy, mature lawn when installed, whereas sprigged, seeded, or plugged lawns require at least a season of nurturing before reaching maturity. Sod is grown under expert supervision from either top quality seed blends, or certified hybrid sprigs. After it has been installed, simply water, mow and fertilise your sod lawn as needed and it will remain a healthy, green carpet of grass, requiring very little maintenance.

Sod can be installed practically anywhere, even where seeing is impossible, or too costly. Sod is often used to stop soil erosion as well as water pollution on slopes where water is likely wash away both seed and soil. Sod is available in a variety of grass blends to suit various conditions, such as climate, amount of usage, sun and shade conditions.

Sod establishes itself quickly and is ready for full use in just a couple of weeks. It creates the perfect surface for lawn games and family outdoor living. Considering the various blends of hardy grasses currently available, sod is chosen for parks, golf courses, athletic fields, as well as residential homes and office parks.

Great care is taken to ensure that Bergland sod is weed and pest free. Shortly after removing the sod, the soil is treated with a pre-germination weed killer to prevent weed seeds from germinating. The turf is treated with pesticides to ensure that no worms are relocated to your site. The products used in this process are not hazardous to humans or animals.

Plugs

A lawn plug is a pre-rooted sod supplied with a complete root system. Plugs are easy to grow and perfect for a do-it-yourself lawn. One tray of 18 plugs spaced 20cm apart, can cover an area of 0.5 square metres. Lawn plugs are easier to transport and cleaner to handle than conventional slabs of instant lawn (sods).

Lawn plugs are ideal for patching and great when renovating existing lawns. They can also be used to grow a new lawn, where complete coverage is usually achieved in one growing season.

Sprigs

Sprigging means planting Kikuyu roots by hand in areas where machines are unable work. Sprigs can also be planted by a Rotovator using a Roto-Dairon rotovator.

Seeds

Seeing is generally used where grass species other than Kikuyu is desired. Hydroseeding is done on embankments of sports fields, or manual seeding can be used with a precision seeder.

 Preparing for a New Lawn

Removing the existing lawn

Prior to the installation of sod, any existing lawn should be removed. Apply an herbicide to the entire lawn. When the turf is completely brown and dead, the old lawn can be easily removed either manually or using a sod cutter. Be sure to remove only the top-most layer. All you wish to remove is dead vegetation, not a thick layer of soil. After removal of the dead turf, clear the ground of all remaining debris like rocks and weeds.

Preparing the soil

Should there be too many weeds to clear by hand an herbicide will lighten the work load. Once cleared of debris, spread soil amendments such as compost and fertilisers in an even layer about of 1 to 3cm thick. Using a rototiller, blend the amendments and fertilisers with the soil to a depth of 100-150mm. Ensure that all loose stones and lumps of organic matter is removed.

Once again, clear the surface of any large root segments, rocks or debris that may have surfaced after tilling. Using a wide rake, begin levelling the area. Break up any large clods of dirt that remain. Make sure the soil level is approximately 25mm below the edges of cement structures such as sidewalks, driveways or patios.

Using a lawn roller, roll the area in two different directions. This will further assist in breaking up clods and will expose any high or low spots in your proposed lawn area. Rolling firms, the soil and will assist in minimizing excessive settling. After rolling, fill in any ‘low’ spots and “fine” grade the area. Excessive settling after installation of the sod will result in a very uneven mowing surface and poor appearance. Several days prior to the delivery and installation of your sod, the area should receive a good watering. This will enable the new sod to establish quickly. This would be an excellent time to check out your sprinkler system. To avoid dry patches and to promote even growth, coverage should be overlapping from sprinkler head to sprinkler head. Prior to sod installation; check once more for uneven settling and low areas. Regrade if necessary. To avoid compaction, ensure that the soil is dry prior to rolling.

The levelling and shaping must mimic the final contour that you require your lawn to be.

Installing irrigation

A sprinkler or irrigation system is a virtual necessity for the survival of any lawn. When installing sprinklers, ensure that the head will be flush with the soil, but lower than sidewalks or cement structures. Bergland can design and install your irrigation system. Remember, it is recommended that lawn irrigation systems remain separate from those of trees, shrubs and groundcovers. Incorporation of a timer in the irrigation system, which will control frequency and quantity of watering, is strongly recommended. There are many excellent irrigation systems available at a wide range of pricing to ease the cost of installation and operation. Leave sprinkler risers capped while you complete the grading process of the soil in order to avoid clogged sprinkler lines.

Fertilising

Apply fertiliser or compost to the entire area at the rate of 5kg per 100 square metres, to a depth of 7 to 10cm. The sod may be laid directly on the fertiliser.

It is important to schedule the delivery of the sod after the soil preparation is complete. Prompt installation of the lawn on the day of delivery is crucial for the strong growth of your lawn.

Laying New Lawn

Laying sods (instant lawn)

Install your lawn immediately upon delivery. Start laying sod from the back of your property to the front along the longest straight boundary line. Should your boundary line area be irregular in shape, run a string along a straight line though the area and begin laying sod along this line. Work away from the line so as not to step on freshly laid sod. Butt edges and ends to fit tightly against each other. Stagger strips as though laying bricks to offset seams and promote better knitting together of edges. Ensure that each sod piece has good contact with the soil surface. Air pockets prevent good rooting. Push the individual strips together firmly- do not stretch the sods.

In hot weather, protect unlaid sods by placing stacks in the shade. Very hot summer temperatures can quickly damage fresh-cut sod, it is therefore very important to protect the sod before, during and after installation.

Trim edges with sharp knife or digging spade. Use a sharp knife to cut sod to conform to curved boundaries, around trees, sprinkler heads and cement structures. Avoid cutting sod into short or narrow strips, as smaller pieces run a greater risk of drying out and failing to root properly. When laying sod on a steep slope, use wooden pegs to temporarily keep sod in place.

Planting plugs

Before installing plugs, thoroughly water the area to be plugged to soften the soil. Using a plugger (available from Bergland), dig holes in a checker-board pattern. Insert a teaspoon of fertiliser in every hole and cover lightly with soil.

Plant the plug securely, tapping the soil around the plug. Water the area thoroughly again, and continue to water for 7-10 days until the plugs are firmly rooted.

Wait at least two weeks before mowing. Once the roots are firmly rooted, mowing will promote spread.

Planting sprigs

By hand
Lay roots in rows in furrows of 20-50mm deep, no further apart than 100mm. Once laid, cover with soil and compress to ensure the roots make good contact with the soil. Roll the area with a hand roller to ensure soil levels are maintained and roots are in contact with the soil. Fertilise and irrigate well. Pre-germination herbicide must be applied within 10 days of sprigging to ensure that weeds do not germinate. Keep soil moisture content within the top 50mm layer for minimum of eight weeks.

Rotovator
Spread your sprigs evenly over the surface to the same density as hand planting. Cultivate the sprigs with a Rota-Dairon rotovator with the depth setting on 80mm. The rotovator will break the roots up into smaller pieces and spread them thoroughly through the soil. Roll the area with a hand roller to ensure soil levels are maintained and roots are in contact with the soil. If levels need correction, do it before rolling again. Fertilise and irrigate well. Pre-germination herbicide must be applied within 10 days of sprigging to ensure that weeds do not germinate. Keep soil moisture content within the top 50mm layer for minimum of eight weeks.

Sprig planter
A fairway planter is ideal for planting athletic fields, golf courses, recreation areas, sod and turf farms, areas surrounding ponds or anywhere you wish to keep the land surface as undisturbed as possible. Fairway planters broadcast sprigs rather than cultivate the ground. Different densities can be planted to suite your requirements. Roll the area with a hand roller to ensure soil levels are maintained and roots are in contact with the soil. Fertilise and irrigate well. . Pre-germination herbicide must be applied within 10 days of sprigging to ensure that weeds do not germinate. Keep soil moisture content within the top 50mm layer for minimum of eight weeks.

Planting seeds

Kikuyu should not be seeded less than 30kg/Ha and only during spring and summer months. Prepare a very fine seedbed with low surface moisture content. Before seeding, rake in one direction several times to make a furrow for the seed. Apply the seed and rake in the other direction several times to ensure the seed penetrates the soil and stays within the top 8mm. Roll the surface with a hand roller and fertilise. Irrigate thoroughly to maintain optimum moisture conditions for the first six weeks. (The top 15mm layer must never dry out completely) and keep traffic to a minimum.

Herbicides can be applied in low dosages to eradicate weeds, but not before the grass reaches 5-leaf stage. Normal manual weed control methods (Lawnmower and hand weeding) are recommended.

Maintaining a New Lawn

Watering a new lawn

After you’ve laid down about 20% of sod, spray with a fine mist from your garden hose. This will prevent the sod from dehydrating before you are finished and can turn on your sprinkler system. Give your lawn at least 2 to 3cm of water within 30 minutes of installation.

Rolling a new lawn

After all the sod is laid, use a roller to ensure good contact between the soil and sod. Avoid heavy roller marks by using a roller filled with only half as much water as when you rolled the soil before the sod was installed. Upon completion, start your irrigation system.

Watering requirements for a new lawn

Water your sod as much as necessary to keep it well watered; maintain it that way for 7- 10 days (sods should not be allowed dry out underneath) since newly laid sod requires constant moisture to establish new root growth. Allow the lawn to partly dry between watering. After 7-10 days of frequent watering, you should start to reduce your watering to a more normal schedule. This will allow the soil to firm up and give you an opportunity to mow your lawn. Avoid mowing new lawn to a “low” setting on your mower. Set your mower to remove only the new growth and avoid cutting into the root layer. Mowing height for normal lawn is 20-25mm. Depending on the season, a new sod lawn will need to be mowed 2-3 weeks after installation. Water areas near buildings more often where reflected heat tends to dry the turf more.

Avoid heavy of concentrated use of your new lawn during the first three weeks. This ensures that the roots have an opportunity to firmly knit with soil and ensures that the turf will remain smooth.

Your new sod lawn increases the value of your property significantly. With proper care, it will remain a great asset which aesthetically pleasing and ensures a clean playing surface and an improved environment.

Existing Lawns

Caring for your lawn is a relatively simple process.

Irrigation

Water newly laid grass every day for two weeks, enough to keep the soil moist for 3 to 8cm below the grass.

For an established lawn which is in constant sun, water 25mm once or twice a week during the growing season (all year round for cool season grasses), and 25mm once fortnightly in winter. For shady areas, water 15-20mm once a week in the growing season (all year round for cool season grasses). Shady areas need 15mm once or twice a month in winter. These figures depend largely on how much water evaporates from the lawn.

Mowing

Here are a few tips for keeping your lawn perfectly mowed:

• Mow once a week to a height of 18 to 25mm
• Keep the mower blades sharp, and service your lawnmower regularly
• Avoid severely lowering the height of the mower (no more than 2/3 of the leaf should be cut)
• Too low mowing will damage the lawn
• Never mow newly installed lawn too low – mow just enough to remove new growth

Lawn Fertilising

In order to ensure a health green lawn all year round, a regular fertilisation program should be followed:

• September: Apply 5:1:5 at 5kg/100 square metres
• October: Apply L.A.N. at 2kg/100 square metres
• December: Apply L.A.N. at 2kg/100 square metres
• March: Apply 3:2:1 at 5kg/100 square metres

Water the fertilised areas soon after application. Do not apply fertilisers on wet lawn, since this will burn the grass.