Lawn grass — grass mixtures, seeds and the formation of a multi-year design (120 photos)

Today, lawns have firmly entered our lives. They decorate the house territory, park areas and squares. In the hope of saving money, many owners of suburban plots equip lawns from existing grass. Often, as a result of such work, an uneven surface with hard, shaggy vegetation is obtained.

In order for the lawn to impress with its neatness and beauty, it is necessary to choose the right seed material. The question arises: which lawn grass is better?

Summary of the article:

Cereals are considered the best option. Their advantages are the ability to withstand significant loads, rapid growth and a vegetative method of reproduction. It is pleasant and safe to move along them.

Basic requirements

Not every grain is suitable for creating a lawn. To get into a ready-made grass mixture, lawn grass seeds must meet a number of requirements:

The first criterion is the decorative, aesthetic nature of the grass. It should be soft, retain its natural color for a long time, without fading from the sun.

For operation in low temperature conditions, varieties must be frost-resistant.

The ability to form a good root system is very important. A branched underground part is a necessary condition for plant growth on all types of soil.

The selected species should be easily restored after shearing, mulching and other procedures.

From the point of view of care, it is better to use seeds of perennial herbs. They will not have to be sown annually, it is enough to sow on small plots.

The final choice is made based on the purpose of the coating, climatic conditions, illumination and soil type.

Be sure to pay attention to the shelf life of the seeds.

When and how to plant lawn grass

To get a juicy grass cover, it is necessary to determine the time of planting lawn seeds. There is no consensus on this. The lawn can be created in spring, summer and autumn. There is one limiting factor — weather conditions. The weather should be dry and windless.

In the spring months, the survival rate and germination of seed material is quite high. Experts believe that lawns planted in late April or early May develop better and adapt to the conditions of maintenance.

The earlier the sowing is done, the more time the lawn owner will have to fertilize and repair the coating. Lack of sowing in spring — weeds are actively growing together with lawn seedlings.

Summer planting is popular in southern regions with a long, warm autumn. In July and August, the soil is well warmed up. This is an ideal environment for seed germination.

Plants have time to fully form, get stronger before the winter dormancy period. By this time, the weeds had already sprouted enough. They can be easily removed immediately before sowing lawn seeds.

Autumn work should be carried out before frost. You can plant a lawn in September. Morning dew will help maintain moisture in the soil, weed growth will stop. It is allowed to sow in the frozen ground at the end of November. Germination is not worth waiting for, but the seeds will undergo natural stratification, which will improve their germination next spring.

How to plant grass for a lawn correctly

Sowing is carried out on a prepared surface — leveled, treated from weeds and fertilized soil.

Visually divide the entire area of the future lawn into several squares. Divide all the seed material between them approximately equally. Up to 40 grams of seeds are consumed per 1 square meter of land.

You can plant with a seeder, or you can manually mix the seeds with sand in an amount of 1:1. The placer is produced in 2 perpendicular directions. The planting density at the edges should be higher than in the center.

After sowing, sprinkling, ramming and moderate moistening of the soil are carried out.

Types of grass for lawn

Depending on the function of the lawn (decorative, sports or special), a certain type of grass is used. You can buy both a monoculture and a grass mixture of several varieties.

One type of grass is used to create expensive professional lawns at sports stadiums. The mixture is an order of magnitude cheaper, it is not too capricious in care and is common for creating lawns with your own hands.

Weed-fighting herbs

The ideal grass, which itself will destroy unwanted vegetation, has not yet been bred. But many lawn crops form dense turf, through which it is difficult for alien roots to break through.

The best lawn grasses that displace weeds

Polevitsa. An excellent choice for those who can not devote much time to the lawn. The plant does not grow as actively in height as in breadth. This reduces the frequency of haircuts. Creeping shoots form a dense green array that prevents the formation of weeds. The vole does not react well to direct rays of the sun, it is better to place it in partial shade.

Meadow bluegrass. As a monoculture is practically not used, grass mixtures with bluegrass have become widespread. This cereal representative is among the earliest.

Advantages – softness, unpretentiousness to temperature changes and soil composition, resistance to trampling. Its ability to suppress weeds is estimated to be slightly worse than that of the vole. A thick green carpet that hinders the germination of weeds is formed a few years after sowing.

Ryegrass. The peculiarity of this herb is aesthetics, the leaves of medium width fit seamlessly into any composition. The culture does not tolerate negative temperatures, so planting in the southern regions is preferable.

Microclever. Another natural weed killer. Unlike the vole, it tolerates drought well. But on closer inspection, it does not look as decorative as other herbal "brothers". The plant dominates the lawn and suppresses not only weeds, but also cultivated grasses.

Oatmeal. An unpretentious inhabitant of many lawns. It is used both as a monoid and as part of lawn mixes. The plant is suitable for planting on depleted soils, is not afraid of frost and heat.

A photo collection of grass varieties for the lawn is presented below. Combining these crops, it is possible to achieve the best effect of weed displacement.

Artificial grass

What should I do if there is little light on the plot and poor conditions for the growth of a natural lawn? The solution will be the arrangement of artificial turf. Modern technologies make the visual difference between them almost indistinguishable. Such a lawn is appropriate to lay around the pool, on playgrounds for children.

The product is sold in rolls, which greatly facilitates the installation process. The basis is an elastic substrate with a latex layer. A pile with a height of 6-10 cm is fixed to it, its density is determined by the purpose of the lawn. Depending on the filling , there are 3 types of artificial material:

Non-bulk (carpet analog). It is characterized by a small (4-10 mm) fiber height. It is used for landscape design of places where traffic is not carried out (cafe sites, private courtyards).

Semi-dormant. It is a polyethylene thread woven into a rubber base. When laying, the lawn is covered with quartz sand. This is the best solution for tennis courts, sports complexes. The coating softens falls, promotes a clear bounce of the ball.

Charging. This is a specific grass used on professional football fields. Filling is a combination of rubber crumbs and sand. The coating springs well, reliably protects against injury.

The advantages of artificial lawns are year—round use, wear resistance, hygroscopicity, lack of watering and fertilizing. Drainage holes are provided in the substrate to remove moisture.

Natural grass in rolls

Rolled grass for the lawn is grown in nurseries. The average period from planting seeds (most often bluegrass and fescue) to the sale of the coating is 3 years. By this time, the lawn has time to get stronger, to build up an extensive root system. The finished canvas is cut into strips of 40x200 cm and twisted into a bay so that the roots do not dry out. The weight of one roll reaches 25 kg.

It is desirable to lay such a lawn on the day of purchase. So there is more chance that it will take root. Sequence of works:

Installation begins from the corner of the site. The bay is rolled out straight, it is not allowed to bend, turn up the canvas. If there is an obstacle on the way (the edge of the curb, the corner of the flower bed), then an appropriate cutout is made in the lawn.
All rows are stacked tightly butt-to-butt (without gaps and overlap) in a staggered order. The layout pattern resembles brickwork.
Use solid strips for the edges. Place the cuttings of the rolls in the center.
After laying the first row, install a flooring of boards on it. The following rolls are lined by standing on it. This eliminates pushing through the new coating with your feet.
Water the lawn. Strive to prevent the soil from drying out.