LAWN MAKING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 590, 16 February 1929, Page 28

LAWN MAKING

PRACTICAL ADVICE THE SOIL: A neatly cut arid wellrolled lawn is good to look upon, and nothing lends more charm to me general appearance of the home. Where the best possible results are desired it is imperative that the lawn should be carefully made in the first place. Grasses, like all other garden plants, respond to good treatment and thrive best in well-cultivated and enriched soil, and taking into consideration that the life ox a lawn runs into a goodly number of years, the wisdom of a little careful preparation will at once be made obvious. Generally speaking, most soils are naturally suited to grass production, although a rich black loam, or a soil of a light, workable- clayey texture, is best adapted to the purpose. Drainage is a most important factor governing successful results, and where the soil is inclined to be stagnant or sodden, artificial means to accomplish this end must, he resorted to. A good dressing of lime is also advantageous. The soil should be rich in plain food, particularly that of a nitrogenous nature. Animal manure is particularly adaptable.. This should be thoroughly dug in, but not trenched. USE OF MANURE: All soils contain weed seeds in greater or lesser quantities, and it is a good plan to let the land remain idle for two or three weeks in order to check any foreign growth which makes its appearance prior to the final planting or sowing. When the growth of weeds asserts itself, dig them well under, and again allow the soil to settle, as it is highly essential that it must be firm before the seed is sown or the turfs laid, otherwise unsightly hills and hollows are apt to present themselves a few months later. Previous to the final sowing or planting, we would advise applying the following mixture —in addition to the organic manure already incorporated, at the rate of three ounces to the square yard: 101 b superphospate, 51b bonedust. 5 lbs sulphate of ammonia. This should he mixed thoroughly and well incorporated in the surface soil. SURFACE SOIL: Should sowing the seed be decided upon, a thorough preparation of the surface soil is essential. The top soil should be raked to a fine tilth, and any unevenness remedied, at the same time removing all loose stones and debris that may have worked to the surface. After this has been done, should the soil still present a lumpy, uninviting appearance, it would be advisable to spread a two-inch layer of fine light soil over the entire surface to be sown. Level off, roll out and rake it over again. The ground is now ready to lake the seed, which we trust has been purchased from a reliable source, otherwise there may be trouble awaiting you, with a battle for supremacy between weeds and grass. SEED SOWING: For the cooler climes we strongly recommend the sowing of the mixed English lawn grass, an operation which should be performed during early autumn. Such a procedure enables the grass to become thoroughly established before the warm weather sets in. We would recommend sowing at the rate of one pound of seed to 20 square yards. A thick sowing is always preferable. Sprinkle the seeds evenly over the surface, walking up and down and across the area being sown, an action which ensures a more even distribution. Rake the seeds lightly—roll repeatedly, each rolling being at right angles to the opposite one. When this operation is complete, the surface of the plot should be quite smooth, firm, and

devoid of any unevenness. Should the weather remain dry after seed sowing, watering will have to be resorted to, and distributed with care, or there is a likelihood of the seed being brought to the surface and washed away.

REGULAR ROLLINGS: When the grass begins to grow, regular rollings should be resorted to, and within three or four months it should be sufficiently advanced for its first mowing. Perform this operation at regular intervals during the growing season, give an occasional rolling, preferably after rain, and practically no more attention is required.