Planting grass by the plugging method| Photos by the writer
Planting grass by the plugging method| Photos by the writer

A beautiful garden is one in which colours and foliage complement each other. In our home lawns, the focal point of the garden is grass. If grass is not taken care of, the beauty of the colourful flower beds and plants blooming around is tarnished.

The soothing colour of green grass helps reduce stress. The level of endorphins or feel-good hormones in our body increases as we walk barefoot on grass.

The tiny soft blades of grass with shallow roots absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as well as dust and dirt, making the air more breathable. In this way, grass acts as a pollution filter.

There are more than 50 types of grass, among which only a few are grown as lawn turf in Pakistan. The popular ones among these being Korean grass, fine Dhaka grass and American grass.

A lush, green lawn is well worth the effort as there is nothing quite like wandering barefoot across, savouring the feeling of grass between your toes

Fine Dhaka grass, which belongs to the Bermuda grass family, grows fast, and has soft blades, making it a popular choice. Though American grass — like fine Dhaka grass — needs seven to eight hours of sunlight every day, it demands more maintenance than fine Dhaka. For places in partial shade of trees or surrounding buildings, there is Korean grass, which makes a dense carpet and is deep in colour. The blades though are not soft enough to walk barefoot on.

Weeds must be removed manually on a regular basis
Weeds must be removed manually on a regular basis

If you are setting up a new lawn turf, loosen the soil four to six inches, remove all the clumps, add some compost in the top layer and level the soil.

Grass turf is grown from seed, by plugging and by the carpeting method.

Once the soil is levelled, water is sprinkled and the seeds are spread evenly by hand. The tiny seeds may be mixed with sieved leaf compost for ease of spreading. A very light layer of no more than a quarter inch of leaf compost is spread to cover the seeds lightly. Watering is done by a fine shower so as not to wash away the seeds. The seeds germinate within two to four weeks.

Already-grown grass patches of usually 1x2 feet can also be bought from the local nursery. These patches are placed side by side so as to cover the soil, thus creating a carpet of grass. This method is called the carpet method of laying grass turf.

The same pieces are broken in small bunches and planted at an interval of four to six inches so that one sq-ft of grass patch can cover three sq-ft of soil. This plugging method is most common as it’s economical and creates a strong root system for the grass, as it spreads within a few weeks.

Once the grass is laid, it has to be watered immediately. Daily watering is required during the early days of growth. Watering is preferably done in the morning hours, as the water reaches the roots better in the cold hours rather than being evaporated before reaching the roots.

Once the grass gets three to four inches high, the first mowing is needed. The lawn mower must have sharp blades and the soil must be dry before mowing, otherwise it will damage and pull the roots of the grass.

For a regular routine of mowing, grass should be mowed at an interval of 15 days. Blades of the lawn mower must be kept at a height so that no more than a third of the grass is mowed in a single session. The grass may be kept at a height of one to two inches, as higher than that will result in browning close to the roots.

The clippings of the grass contain more than three percent nitrogen, more than two percent potassium, and can be added to the compost bin. Leaving the clippings on the grass can cause fungus or thatching. So, it’s better to clean the grass clippings after each mowing, and then water the grass generously.

A lush lawn of deep green Korean grass
A lush lawn of deep green Korean grass

To keep the grass lush green, the following fertilisers are recommended: 3-5gm/sq-ft of Nitrophos (NP) in Feb and April and 3-5gm/sq-ft NPK (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) in 20:20:20 ratio, in October.

You can however, sprinkle urea+DAP (Di-ammonium phosphate) in small amounts every few months before watering the turf, except on hot summer days.

The biggest challenge to an otherwise lush green and manicured grass turf are weeds of various types. The best recommended method is to remove them manually on a regular basis. If you can’t manage it manually, then you can spray Bromoxnil+MCPA (2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid). Please follow the instructions printed on the label and take care not to inhale it by keeping your face covered.

Keeping the grass mowed, free of weeds and regularly watered will also hinder the spread of pests and insects to other plants. The freshness of lush green lawn is soothing to the eyes and it takes the surrounding plants and flowers to a higher level of beauty.

The writer is a Lahore-based gardening consultant who does training workshops and garden landscaping

Please send your gardening related queries and email on EosGardening@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, August 21st, 2022

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