Gardening Notes

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 50, 22 May 1930, Page 9

Gardening Notes

MAKING A LAWN FROM SEED

Tth.e first step iv forming a_ new lawn from seed is-to gef the site and soil in proper .condition. As a rule it is not noeessary.to go to ,the expense of draining the site. If it be naturally damp, dig the site two. spits deep,-and work iii plenty of cinders and road, grit to render' the'ltoil porous, if,,on the other hand, "it -be light or sandy", add some hieavy loam and plenty of ew' manure, inixiug both freely with the "..natural soil..

The next process is to get the surface moderately linn and level. It is a good plan, to either tread the surface evenly vrlth the feet or run a roller over it, so that there is no chance later of the surface bei^ng uneven through ishrmk•age /-hero and there of the soil. The surface should in fine, dry weaifcer only be well-, raked over, removing at _the 'same., time all stones or petobles," and getting the surface as line as possible. The finer the surface tihe more evenily will the seed germinate, and in "due course produce a thick sward. ,

Procure the best "mixture of lawn grass seed to be had, Us ebeap grass. «eed ends in difeappointmont and failure. The best, mixture can bo .got at most -of th reputable seed-dealers at from about two and sixpence ' a pound, and one pound of seed will.be suffijcient to sow thirty square yards. It is as well, when buying t>he seed, •to state whether it is required for an ordinary lawn or. fox a tennis court,, as sonic of, the finer qualities of grass, whicili" give a good appearance, aiije haidly strong enough to stand the wear during play of a tennis lawn, and for t-his -reason are better left out.

In sawing the seed, do .it broadcast, and take care that it is evenly distributed.over the ground, going over the plot at'least three thrues .to bccomplish. ■this, after which the seed must be raked well into- the fine mould, which, was previously spread over, taking care to rake in all the seed, as any left on the surface will be wasted, a« fhe, birds wiE •have it almost as. soon as sown. Choose a fine day for sowing so that.jt-he soil may h& in a nice friable state and not at all sticky or wet, as after the soaring the ground must be again well rolled, using this time a roller of Tathex -lighter weight than tie one used for making'the ground firm after the^digging. While on the subject of rolling, it may not be out of the way for me to reeomnwrid the use of water balflasit rollers, as tiiese are useful adjuaota tx> the garden implements, seeing that they can be negulatd by the amount of water used to tho different; weights desired for various purposes. Thus, in making the ground firm in the first jnstamje, tiie Toller should be used-at its iheav'iest weight; but for simply pressing in the seed;lt be used abriost, if not

qmdte, empty. Having sown and pressed in the seed, precautions must now be taken to prevent disturbance of the surf-ace by birils, and this is usually done by inserting' alt ov.er the plot pegs of wood, standing out -of the grounS about" four or dix inches, and placed about five feet apart each way; from these shouldJje stretched black thread, both on 'the straight and also diagonally-from corner to comer —in fact,- it should be arranged as niuieh. on the orisS-ci'oss as possible, so that any bird attempting to on the. plot would, on its ■wings'touching the threads, be so scared that it would not settle.

With.nice, .warnr 'iweS.;^ grass— which, by the 170.7, should be sown, any time this month—shoiild -be looking green in from throb weeks to a month, but on no account niust it be trodden on under six weeks oa'mcffe, or bare patches will ineyita^bly ensue. A* about the, two mqii't'hs, with, favourable weather, the la>wh may receive-its ..first, gentle roiling, which,sh.ould> df possible, be. done just; after a shower. Ilse.t'he rqfller carefully, and work on th« u»p: and-doiwai *~ principle, not turning tloe" roller on. the gra>Si.if it can be avoided.' 1 This, rollonig should now be .repeated ■fewice every week to keep a firm suri&oe, un-til,' at. about three'months from sowing, the lawn will begin' to want, a cut. Tie nrst a eutiing" should be done with tfaio schythe,: as ; titis cuifcs clean if ehaasp, and does not jSg the grass edge as does the machine. Leave t&e cuttings on the igrass, and the" day after cutting give a -gentle rolling, and then, If neederl, the cuttings can be. siwept ofE- with a garden broom, but if th» weather be dry^ and t-he grass liable to parch, they are. better left on as-a sort of mulch.

The general treatment for the keepr ing in good order the whole year round of a la.wn constructed on th© above foundation s-hould consist of carefui rolling, especially after showers, and cutting about every fortnight, arid ft. good sweep occasionally to distribute, any •worm casts there may happen to -foe, In. cutting, after being first done vjith the scythe, the machine may, of course, be used, taking care that it is praperly adjusted and also sharp, so as to cut the grass eileah and not, tear it. After cutting giv«o^ a good and next day a gentle "rolling.

In. the case of bare patckes occurring on established^ lawns, well scarify the surface to loosen the soil, tihen saw seeds and. :weM 'rake- them An. Jjomtia infested with moss should also 4bo well scarified with; ah iron rake to detach the moss, which should afterwaTds be ©wept o2 by means of a ,hirc!h brooms Then give the surface a dressing of 46a of bone nieal^er square yard, and, if possible, an application also, of decayed manure passed through .a haflfineh sieve. Well "brush, this into the grass by t&e aid of a birch broom, and a^terawrds well roll.- Dustings of saott at imtexvals of a month throughout t»he year in awet weailier will also greatfly encourage the growth of the grass.