Gardening Notes

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 4, 20 June 1929, Page 3

Gardening Notes

MAKING A LAWN FROM

SEED.

The first step in forming a new lawn from seed is to get the site and soil in proper condition. As" a = rule it is not necessary to go to the"*expense of drain ing a site. If it 'be naturally damp, dig'" the site two spits deep, and work in plenty of cinders and road grit to render the ,soil .porous. If, on -the other hand it be, light or sandy, add some heavy loam \and plenty of cow manure, mixing both freely with the natural soil.

The next process is to get the surface moderately firm and level. It is a good plan to either tread the surface evenly with the feet or run a rollerover it, so that*.there is no chance, later on of the surface being linevea through shrinkage here and there of the soil.. The surface should in fine, dry weather only be well raked over, removing at the same 'time all stones or pebbles, and getting the surface as fine as possible. The finer the surface the more evenly will the seeds germinate, and in due course produce a thick sward. ' . . Procure the .best mixture of lawn grass seed to be had, as cheap grass seeds ends in disappointment and failure. . The best mixture can be got at most of the respectable see.d-dealers at from two shillings to half-crown a pound, and one pound of seed will be sufficient to sow thirty square yards. It is as well, when buying the seed, to state whether it is required fox an ordinary lawn or for a tennis court, as some of the finer qualities of grass, which give a good appearance, are hardly strong enough to stand the wear during play of a tennis lawn, and for this reason are better left out.

In sowing the seed, do it broadcast, and -take care that it is evenly distributed over the ground, going over the plot at least three times to accomplish this, ■ after wMeh the seed must be raked well into the fine- mould which was previously spread over, taking caxe to rake in all the seed, as any left on the surface will be wasted, as the birds will have it almost as soon as sown. Choose .a fine day for sowing so that the soil ->may be in a nice friable state and not at all sticky or wet, as after the sowing the ground

must be again well rolled,-.: using this time a roller. of rather lighter weight than the one • used for making the ground firm after the digging. - While on.the subject of_rollings/it may not be out of. the way for me to recommend the use of water ballast rollers, as these are (useful adjuncts to tike ' garden implements, seeing that they can be regulated by the amount of water used to the different weights desired for various purposes. Thus, in making the ground firm in the first instance, the roller should be used at its heaviest.weight; but for simply pTessing in tihe seed it could be used almost, if not quite, empty.

Having sown and pressed in the seed, "precautions niust now be taken to prevent disturbance of the surface by birds, and .this is usually done by inserting all 6Ver the plot pegs of wood standing-out of the ground about fdVr or six inches, and .placed about five feet apart each-way; from these should be stretched iblaek- thread, both on the straight and also diagonally from corner to corer—^n fact, it should be arranged as much on the eriss-crosa as possible, so that any bird attempting to alight on ■ the plot '• would, on its wings touching the threads be so scared that it would not settle. ■■-':

With nice warm showers the grass-— which.,., by the way, should "be sown any time this month —should, be looking green in from three weeks to a month., but on no account must it be trodden on under six weeks or more, or bare patches will inevitably ensue, At about the two months, with favourable weather, the lawn may receive its first gentle rolling which should if possible, be done just after a shower, Use the roller carefully and work on the up-and-down, principle, not turning the roller on the grass if it ca be avoided. This rolling should now be repeated twice every week to keep a firm surface, until, at about three months from sowing, the lawn will begin to want a cut. The. first cutting should be done with the scythe, as this cuts clean if sharp, and "does not jag the grass edge as does the■.■.'machine/- Leave the cuttings on'the', grassland the day after cutting give" a" gentle rolling and then, if needed, the. cuttings can be swept off with" a garden broom, but if the weather be dry, and the grass liable to

parch, they arc better left on as a sort of mulch. •

The general treatment for the keeping in good order the whole year round of a lawn constructed on the above foundation s-hould consist of careful roll ing, especially aftex s-howers, and cutting about every fortnight^ and a good sweep occasionally to distribute any worm casts there may happen to be. In cutting after being first, done "raith .the scythe, the machine may, of course be used, taking care that it is properly adjusted and also sharp so as to cut the grass clean and not tear it,. After cutting give a good sweep, and next day a gentle rolling.

In the case of bar& patches occurring pn established lawns, well, scarify the surface to loosen the soil, then sow seeds and well raKe -them in, Lawns infested with moss should also be well scarified with an iron rake' to detach the moss, which should afterWards be swept off -by means of a birch-broom. Then give the surface a dressing of

Basic Slag wHicli.will destroy "all moss.» The best way to apply Basic Slay (by hand is to mix it with about its own bulk of dry sand. This will allow it to be distributed much more evenly over the lawn. Dustings-of soot at intervals of a month throughout the year in wet weather will also greatly eneoura'ge the growth of the grass.