Out
On A Limb / August 2007
Blade Runners
Homeowners can enhance their lawn’s ultimate beauty and success by improving the soil before any planting takes place. Benefits of soil preparation include denser, more uniform grass, faster recovery from wear, reduced use of water, fertilizer and other chemicals, plus reduced maintenance. Lush green grass is at least partially due to a carefully prepared soil bed with balanced pH, which allows grass access to iron and other nutrients.
For optimum growth, grass needs sunlight, air, water and nutrients in the proper balance. Reduce any of these, or provide too much of any one, and grass may die or suffer. With the right proportions, grass flourishes, providing a clean and safe place to enjoy.
Grass takes all but sunlight from the soil, but many soils are less than ideal for growing grass. Some soils contain too much clay and may be very compacted, making air and water unavailable to the roots so they can’t grow. Soils with too much sand make it difficult to grow grass because water and nutrients won’t stay in the root zone long enough for the plant to use. Another frequently observed problem with many soils is that its pH, the degree of acidity or alkalinity, is too high or two low for optimum grass growth.
Loams, sandy loams and loamy sands, with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 are the very best soils for producing a beautiful, high-use, low-maintenance lawn. Unfortunately, the ideal soil isn’t easy to find, especially in areas of new construction. Still, most soils be improved.
Test the soil with a chemical soil test to reveal acidic soils (pH of 6 and below), which can be improved with the addition of lime. The type or source and total amount of applied lime will be determined by the level of acidity and should be based on the recommendations of a reliable garden center or turf professional. The same holds true concerning soil correction materials related to highly alkaline soils.
Fertilizer and chemical applications will depend on climate, sod type, soil, insects, weed and disease conditions. However, for new lawns will benefit from a “starter fertilizer” that is high in phosphate (P, the middle number on a bag of fertilizer), at a rate recommended for the particular product.
The rule to remember when growing grass is, “The beauty is in the blades, but the ‘action’ is in the roots”. Proper site preparation and soil improvement, before any planting takes place, makes it easier for grass roots to penetrate deeply and evenly. Deep roots will make a lawn more drought resistant, more efficient in its use of water and nutrients and more dense as new grass plant shoots emerge.
Copyright © 2007 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
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