A lawn should consist of lawn grass, be relatively weed free and more than anything green. It is after all a major part of the landscape! Do you recognise this garden feature? Lawns are an integral part of any garden considering they make up perhaps seventy five percent of the garden; it really is a major feature and the first seen!

How much time is spent on maintaining your lawn, I don't mean shaving it every-time it is cut, but actually giving it some attention; for those of you starting a new lawn consider doing it properly from the start, it will save much heartache, time and labour down the road. Let us consider starting a lawn from scratch thereafter the maintenance becomes part of the regular schedule.

Soil Depth

Depth of soil is very important for root development as roots by their very nature are hydrotropic i.e. they 'chase' water, and with a good root system one will achieve superior top growth which in turn assists in lawn development. I aim for a minimum of twelve inches of 'top soil' with another six inches of sub soil broken up below. Firming soil every six inches will reduce settlement and give a superior firm finish to the final grade. Sandy soil encourages root growth being of a finer particle size, but requires regular fertilising as it leaches nutrients more rapidly.

Preparation

Once final grade is achieved, apply a starter fertilizer then rake area to remove stones etc and give a light rolling or firming. Finished surface should be such that when walked on, a light outline of footprint should be seen.

Selecting grass type

It is important to decide what type of grass is best suited to your needs; is the lawn for aesthetic value only or will it be used for entertaining or playing and therefore be 'trampled' with use? In the former case the St. Augustine Floratem would be a good selection, but only gives of its best is mowing is kept high, three inches being the minimal height. Heavy foot traffic is not suited to this type of grass.

Bermuda grass and its hybrids, especially the latter are now bred for various 'locations', and will accommodate certainly foot traffic to a greater degree. Drought and shade are not accommodated in common Bermuda lawns. Height of cut can vary from 'tight' to one and one half inches.

Zoysia is labour intensive but when kept under control produces a first class lawn; the best method of mowing is to use a reel mower, which will keep the grass low. Changing direction of cut will avoid creating a nap and encourage tillering or thickening of grass sward. Using a rotary mower will encourage thatch and thereafter scalping of the lawn will occur.

Seeding and plugging

St. Augustine lawns are built with plugs purchased from landscape suppliers, and should be installed on a rule of thumb basis four to six inches apart. Plugs should be flush with soil level and rolled when installation complete. Moisture should be found in plugs and also in soil and watering should be carried out immediately upon completion of rolling.

Bermuda grass lawns are usually seeded; a firm surface is required and seed should be dispersed in two directions in order to obtain a better coverage. Mixing seed with fine dry sand helps with a more even distribution; finely rake in after completion and water to settle.

Zoysia lawns are usually sprigged or plugged; sprigging is planting small 'pieces' of grass into soil and rolling in to ensure the root is covered with soil. Planting sprigs close together will give a quicker cover and a more level finish. Plugging if not done correctly can end up with an undulating finish which makes creating a level finish difficult. Whereas the two previous lawns are usually mowed with a rotary blade machine, Zoysia is best cut with a reel mower, and will if maintained correctly give a first class level lawn.

Maintenance

Established lawns to be weed free need regular maintenance, which includes mowing, fertilising, verticutting and irrigating during drought periods. Hot dry periods can create problems in St. Augustine lawns as chinch bug can be active during such periods. If grass starts to die of in patches check immediately for any insect activity around the lower leaf blade of root area. Mowing encourages new growth and with a fertilizer programme in place new growth creates a dense sward which arrests weed infestation. A thick sward will after a time creates thatch or a layer 'dead grass' which will require verticutting and removal to encourage new vigorous growth. Thatch if not treated can and will create problems when mowing the lawn as the cut becomes uneven due to the carpet effect of the thatch.

Irrigation is really a last resort, but on shallow soils can mean the difference between survival and a dead lawn, that is why a good depth of soil will encourage root systems to chase water.

Soil compaction is a major problem in lawns with the result that many weed grasses become prevalent in such areas, such compaction is mostly caused by vehicular traffic and takes much work and effort to rectify. The appearance of compaction becomes more obvious during hot dry weather when 'colouration' becomes obvious, with compacted areas becoming a lighter green whilst the 'good' areas are a darker green.