With the last few weeks of scorching summer heat on us, here are some tips on how to maintain lawn or terrace garden grass.
If you are a green lover, then we know how precious your grass and plants can be for you. We also know how much time and effort you must be putting into nurturing these green elements of your lawn or terrace garden. Real grass requires a lot of maintenance as compared to artificial grass.
Here, we share a few tips that you can follow and points you can remember to keep your garden green and healthy.
Soil PH Level
For a healthy lawn and healthy grass growth, a healthy soil PH is a necessary factor. An idea soil PH level is between 5 and 7. Before you start growing your grass, you need to get your soil PH level checked.
You can test your soil PH with an interesting home technique.
Take garden soil from different parts of your garden. Put about two teaspoon in two different bowls/containers. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to one of the containers. If it fizzes out, then your soil is alkaline, with a PH level between 7-8.
Now add water to the other container, just enough to make the soil muddy. Add 1/2 cup baking soda. If it fizzes out, then your soil is acidic, with a PH between 5-6.
Once you know your soil PH level, you can add additives to improve it. Two common additives are Sulphate and Lime.
Native Grass
Choose your grass wisely. As terrace garden designers, our advice for a lush green garden/lawn with healthy grass is to always choose a grass variety that is native and local so that it can adapt to the weather and climatic conditions of your place.
Water Requirements
One of the most important factors in cultivating healthy grass for your lawn or terrace garden is watering the grass. Watering requirements depend on climatic conditions and the humidity levels in your place. Watering the plants every day – once in the morning and once in the evening – is a good practice.
Mowing
Mow your lawn before grass reaches its mowing height. Each type of grass has a different mowing height. The key here is to mow the grass when it reaches the one-third level or more of the suggested mowing height. Sharpen your mower blade, as a dull blade can tear the grass instead of cutting it.
Mow your grass in different directions and patterns. By mowing in varied directions, you ensure a more uniform cut, an upright growth pattern, and reduced soil compaction.
Aerate the soil
Over time, the soil in your lawn or rooftop garden becomes compacted, reducing the air pockets that allow nutrients and water to reach the roots of your grass. As landscape designers, we advise that in order to prevent this, it’s important to aerate your garden soil. Spring is an ideal time to do this as it gives your lawn/garden the best chance to receive the nutrients and water it needs to grow healthy all season long.
Treat the Bare Spots
You may notice a few bare spots in your well-maintained garden. As terrace garden designers, we know how disappointing this can be for a green lover. We have a solution for this problem. Flushing the bare spot with water, rake out any dead grass, then level it out with sand and soil. The next step is to re-seed with your grass variety and water regularly until the new grass is fully established.
As Rooftop Garden Designers, we hope that these few tips prove to be helpful for all green enthusiasts.
For advice and consultancy on terrace gardens and other similar projects, visit Studio Machaan.
Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!
