Basics for a Healthy Lawn

When walking barefoot on your lawn, it should feel like a cool, thick, plush carpet. It is the beautiful, lush green lawn that ties the trees, shrubs and flowerbeds into one harmonious picture. A well-manicured lawn is a bit demanding, but it is the foundation of a beautiful landscape. When bordered by a dark green, velvety lawn, shrub and flowerbeds stand out boldly and beautifully.

Healthy Lawn

Providing the soil has been prepared properly before planting the lawn, following the same basic requirements that apply to all plants will greatly improve the odds of having a beautiful lawn.

Aeration

Spike Aerator

This involves removing cores of soil from your lawn if it is heavily compacted. This is done with a special machine called an aerator. A small hand held manual aerator is also available but is impractical for large lawns. The best time to aerate a lawn is in the early spring (May) or in the fall (late September) in our area. If your established lawn has a heavy clay base soil with little or no organic matter, topdressing it annually in the spring or fall with a fine mixture of organic matter and coarse sand will gradually improve the soils porosity and reduce compaction problems.

De-thatching

Thatch

Thatch on a lawn is a tightly intermingled buildup of dead grass, leaves, stems and roots. A thin layer of thatch is beneficial to a lawn, because as it decomposes, it adds organic matter to the soil. It also serves as a mulch and keeps the grass roots cool, as well as conserving moisture. If the layer of thatch is over ½ inch in thickness, then it can be harmful to the lawn. It prevents water and nutrients from reaching the soil and root zone of the grass. While one inch of water per week is generally sufficient for most lawns during normal weather conditions, it takes 1 inch of water to penetrate a ½ in build up of thatch before any water even reaches the soil. We can actually say it is water repellent. During hot, windy weather the thatch dries quickly and again another inch of water will be required just to penetrate this layer. Fertilizers cannot penetrate this layer of thatch and nitrogen fertilizer, especially ammonia, is lost due to volatilization (the nitrogen evaporates into the air).

During long periods of cool, wet weather, new grass will root into this layer of thatch. When hot, dry weather prevails, the grass then suffers from drought.

Insects and diseases thrive in a thick layer of thatch. Mice find it very comfortable to tunnel through in the winter, eating rhizomes as they go.

Deadly carbon dioxide gases that build up in the soil as the roots respire, can not escape through this layer of thatch, and eventually kill the grass roots; this results in a patchy lawn.

Finally, due to the unevenness of thatch, a lawn will appear scalped in places after mowing.

To check for thickness of thatch in a lawn, simply cut into a section of sod here and there with a spade, pry it up, and examine the light colored layer on top of the soil line. If it is ½ in thick or thicker, then your lawn needs de-thatching.

Thatch removed from a lawn.

To de-thatch a lawn, several methods may be used. If it is a small lawn, an ordinary thatch hand rake may be used. It has knife-like blades rather than the ordinary hard steel teeth of a garden rake. Mower blades with special de-thatching attachments may be used. If you have a large lawn, hiring or renting a machine for de-thatching may be the route to go. This machine has revolving vertical knives which cut through the thatch. The material is brought to the surface where it can be easily removed.

The best time to de-thatch a lawn in our zone 2 is in the fall. After de-thatching, you may notice thin spots in the lawn. This is a natural part of the process as many of the grass roots were rooted into the thatch. With proper feeding and watering, the lawn will quickly regenerate. The best way to prevent a quick thatch build up is to mow the lawn often so grass clippings are not too long. De-thatching should not be done every year, only when necessary.

Weed Control

The first and most important step in weed control is preparation of the soil. Before sowing the grass seed or laying sod, the soil should be exactly the same as for your garden. It should have good drainage, organic matter, blood meal and bone meal or rock phosphate added, and worked to a depth of at least 6 inches. This promotes a vigorous, healthy lawn.

The next step is to maintain proper watering, feeding and mowing of your lawn. This is mentioned further down. There are very few weeds that can compete against a healthy, dense turf.

Dandelion

Annual weeds are seldom a problem in a lawn. For the odd perennial weed that pops up, removing it by hand (root and all) is the surest and safest way of removing it. Dandelions and plantain can be easily removed while they are young and small. Once removed, there are no more seed to start new ones. Keep an eye open for the odd weed that pops up from wind blown seeds, and remove them immediately.

Chemical weed control should be a last resort. If there are patches of weeds, one should 'spot kill' rather than spray the whole lawn. When using herbicides, you must be very careful not to let it drift onto you perennials or other plants. Some of them are very sensitive to herbicides and a little drift can kill them. Some weeds like Creeping Charlie may require two applications. Use registered herbicides for weed control. Dicamba or mecoprop controls small leafed weeds like Creeping Charlie, clover and chickweed. 2,4-D, available under many brand names is generally used for control of broadleaf weeds like dandelions or plantain. The air temperature should be warm, the weeds actively growing, and there should be very little wind before spraying any herbicide. 2,4-D weed bars or ready to use spray bottles may also be used. Label directions and precautions should be followed carefully and accurately. Always wear safety gear when applying chemicals. Never use the 'if a little works, more is better' theory. These chemicals are meant to work at the dosages specified by the manufacturer. If you feel uncomfortable using herbicides, searching for a reliable weed control company may be your best bet. On a last note, if your lawn has more weeds than grass, working it up and replanting it after all the weeds have been killed is probably the way to go.

Fertilizing

If your lawn is growing well and remains a healthy green color, there is no need to fertilize. If the leaves appear thin and pale green, then it should be fed. Granular bonemeal may be applied with a regular fertilizer spreader or broadcasted by hand. Divide the fertilizer in half, and then give two applications at right angles to each other. Bloodmeal and compost, or well-rotted manure are mixed together and then spread (topdressed) over the lawn maintaining a depth of ¼ inch to ½ inch thick.

If using chemical fertilizers, make three applications each year. Mow your grass prior to fertilizing. The first application should be made around may 15th. The fertilizer should have twice as much nitrogen as phosphorous for the first application. 27-14-0 is an example. The only way to be exactly sure how much your lawn needs is to send in soil samples and have them analyzed. As a rule, approximately 5 lbs. Per 1000 sq. feet of lawn is sufficient. (Apply the fertilizer at half the recommended rate and spread each half at right angles to ensure even coverage.) Apply at least twice as much fertilizer around the drip line (where the widest branches are on your trees), if you have trees on your lawn. They are also competing for nutrients with the lawn. Six weeks later, apply 4 lbs. Per 1000 sq. feet using straight nitrogen fertilizer, 34-0-0 for example. A third application of nitrogen fertilizer (as above) should be made 6-7 weeks following the second application, but not later than August 15th. If you fertilize your lawn much later than August 15th, it may be to lush and tender when cold weather arrives and this could result in winter damage.

Never stand still with your fertilizer spreader open on the lawn. A pile of fertilizer will kill the grass. The fertilizer should be watered in as quickly as possible.

Watering

Watering your lawn.

Several factors dictate how much water your lawn requires. If your soil is sandy, it will require watering more often than a heavy clay soil. If the weather is hot and dry, it naturally will require more watering than cool, rainy periods. Grass growing along a south facing building will generally require more watering than the open lawn or grass on the north side of a building.

The most important step in watering a lawn is never sprinkle it. When watering, apply enough water so it will go down at least 10-12 inches deep. This encourages the grass roots to grow down. Light sprinklings encourage grass roots to grow to the surface where that water is. This leads to stress of the grass in times of drought.

Watering your lawn.

You will waste water if you are applying water too fast on heavy clay soils. Adjust your pressure so the soil can absorb all the water as you apply it. I check to see if the water has gone down far enough by pushing a flat bladed screwdriver into the lawn grass, or by digging down and checking a near by shrub bed.

Early morning is the best time to water the grass. Little water is lost to evaporation, and the grass will dry before night fall. Wet grass at night can lead to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew.

Watering the lawn should begin in late spring (once the lawn has greened up) and should be discontinued when the tree leaves start turning color (usually mid or late September). The grass must also harden up for winter. Then just before freeze up, soak your lawn.

Mowing

The best height for lawn grass is 21/2 to 3 inches. The grass plant needs this much leaf to manufacture food through photosynthesis. 3 inch high grass also provides shade for the root system. Grass roots do not grow well if the soil is too warm.

Mowing your lawn.

Never remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a mowing. It is not the height of grass that make a lawn look good, but the evenness of the lawn after mowing it. This may mean 3 cuttings per week in June. Remember that there will be less thatch build up with shorter grass clippings. These should be left on the lawn to provide a slight mulch. If wet weather prevents the lawn form being mowed for a long period, be sure to rake up the piles of grass after it is mowed. These longer clippings decompose too slowly and add to thatch build up as well as making the lawn look untidy.

Always mow in different directions or patterns. This keeps the grass growing straight up, resulting in even cutting and this also prevents wheel lines from appearing on the lawn. These lines will eventually become deep and scalping of the grass will occur.

Finally, keep your mower blades sharp. Dull blades tear or batter the grass and do not cut it clean. These ragged edges take longer to recover and give your lawn a brown or grayish appearance. They also invite the entry of diseases into the grass blade.

Edging

Needless to say, grass will eventually creep over your sidewalks, into flower beds and shrub beds. Run an edging tool along the sidewalk to keep the edge looking neat and tidy. I use railway ties to separate my beds from the lawn. Bury them into the edge of the bed even with the ground. This keeps the grass from growing into the beds and when mowing, one wheel runs on top of the tie, trimming the grass as you go. There is no need for a second chore of trimming the grass. If you have grass growing right up to your buildings, you can pour a 6 inch wide strip of cement right next to the foundations. This may take a couple of hours, but you'll never have to trim grass around those buildings again. The lawn mower does this each time you mow.

Preparing the Garden Soil

Now that the garden soil is dry enough to be worked, cool season vegetables may be sown. These include onion sets, radish, peas, rutabagas, lettuce, beets, carrots, spinach and Swiss card. Potato tubers may be planted if you have a warmer, sandy soil, but in our clay soil, if the weather should turn cool and wet for a week or so, the tubers may rot. I generally wait until around the 24th of May to plant our potato tubers. Another way of telling is to wait until all the leaves are out on the trees. Earlier plantings have also resulted in the plants freezing back to the ground with the late June 10th frosts. Some folks will plant a short row of early potatoes, and if all goes well, are rewarded with an extra early taste of new baby potatoes. For even earlier potatoes, sprout them in a sunny window and then plant them when the purplish sprouts are about ½ inch long.

Radish

Proper soil preparation will reward you with an abundance of vegetables in the harvest season. Good drainage is a must in any garden. Low lying, poorly drained areas should be avoided, if possible. These areas will produce low quality vegetables, if any, if there should be prolonged periods of cool, wet weather.

For best results the soil should be worked to a depth of 10 to 12 inches. Feeder roots will be able to grow down to where the moisture is and will not suffer from stress during periods of drought. Tap rooted vegetables like carrots or parsnips will develop long, straight roots. Shallow soils with hardpan (the second layer of soil that is very compacted) underneath hinder the growth of any vegetable and cause poorly developed root crops.

Clay soils will benefit from the addition of sand. In most cases, just spreading enough sand to hide the soils surface and then working it into the soil is sufficient. The sand will aid in drainage and soil aeration. Organic matter added to sandy soil greatly improves moisture retention.

Organic Matter - The Heart of Good Soil

Compost

Organic matter (humus) such as compost, well-rotted manure, peat moss or leaf mould should be added and thoroughly mixed into any type of garden soil. It should be added at a rate of 1/3 organic matter to 2/3 of soil by volume. This amounts to 3 inches of organic matter mixed into the top 9 inches of soil. It is the organic matter in a soil that keeps it from compacting. It acts like a glue and bonds the soil mineral particles together, thus forming aggregates. Vigorous, healthy root growth, good water infiltration, good aeration and excellent seedling emergence are the results of a soil with good aggregate structure. Without organic matter, there is no aggregate formation, the soil quickly becomes powdery and dense and is subject to severe wind and water erosion.

Humus in the soil plays another very important role. It holds and stores nutrients, slowly releasing them for plant use. This also prevents ground water pollution from leaching of excess fertilizer nutrients. Soil microorganisms thrive in organic matter, and in turn release nutrients for plant use during the decomposition of this humus. It is my believe that the acids added to chemical fertilizers kill the beneficial microorganisms in the soil through a process known as hydrolysis. The acid draws the moisture from their bodies causing them to collapse and die. I do not believe putting acid on our skin would do us any good. With many years of continual use , the soil will become a hardpan.

Earthworms are of great benefit to any garden soil. They aerate the soil by tunneling through it, and their castings are 75% richer in nutrients than the soil they ingested. When cut up with gardening tools, their bodies add to the organic matter in the soil.

For many farmers who have an abundance of well-rotted manure, and are able to add it to the garden each year, there is little need to add any other fertilizers to their gardens. For the gardener who does not have access to such a wonderful source of nutrients, other sources of fertilizers must be used.

Compost will supply all the necessary nutrients, however, it is hard to keep up with the required amounts for a fairly large garden. Sphagnum peat moss is generally added to the soil for organic matter. This is then followed with the addition of bone meal to supply phosphorous . Bone meal also has a small percentage of nitrogen. Apply it following directions on the container as to how much per square foot of coverage. If natural rock phosphate is available in your area (stores), grab it and apply about 10 pounds per 100 square feet of garden space. Natural rock phosphate remains in the soil for a long time, does not leach out, is hardly soluble in water, and is available to the plants as they require it. Furthermore, it contains many trace minerals like copper, magnesium, boron, iodine and iron sulfide, for examples. All phosphorous should be thoroughly mixed into the root zone of the soil and used with organic matter.

For nitrogen, blood meal is a good source, but should be used more sparingly as compared to manure. Blood meal contains 12 to 15% nitrogen and is almost instantly ready for plant use. Over using it could result in the burning of the plants roots. For the average home gardener, fish fertilizer may be used to add additional nitrogen at a later date if the plants show a deficiency of nitrogen.

Symptoms Of Nitrogen or Phosphorous Deficiencies

Phosphorus Deficiency

Nitrogen deficiency: chlorosis - yellowing of leaves due to the reduction of chlorophyll in the leaf appearing on older leaves first; stunted and spindly growth; small and erect leaves associated with reduced top-growth and eventually necrosis (death of the plant tissue) may occur.

Phosphorous deficiency: more obvious on older plant parts. Blue-green or very dark green leaves; purple appearing stems (do not confuse with purple stems associated with cool night temperatures); small, stiff and curled downward leaves; short plants; thin, weak stems; overall stunted growth and delayed maturity of flowers and fruits, especially noticeable with marigolds and tomatoes.

In our area, our soils have a pH range that is suitable for almost all plants. An exception may be blueberries which require a more acidic soil. Always have your soil tested before altering the soils pH. A balanced or neutral pH is best for most plants. Additions of sphagnum peat moss or elemental sulphur will lower the pH of a soil (make it more acidic), whereas, lime will increase the soils pH (make it more alkaline).

Helpful Suggestions

Water your furrows before sowing the garden seeds. Simply remove the sprinkle part of your watering can and pour the water from the spout into the bottom of the furrow. Sow the seeds and cover. Germination is seldom less than 100%. For shallow seeded and slow germinating varieties like carrots and lettuce, water the rows with a watering can each morning and evening until they emerge. This takes only a few moments of your time and guarantees excellent germination.

Peas

When sowing legumes like peas and beans, inoculating the seed with Rhizobia bacteria is very beneficial to your plants and soil. Through a symbiotic relationship (need each other), the bacteria enter the emerging root of a legume and form growths of tissue called nodules. Inside this nodule, the bacteria convert nitrogen from the air (atmosphere) into ammonia. The plant then converts the ammonia into protein for its growth. If you are curious to see if these nodules are active, dig up a root and cut the nodules in half. They should be pink in color. Be sure to purchase the correct strain of Rhizobium bacteria for peas and beans. Earlies Garden Center in Saskatoon handles the correct strain for gardeners. Nitrogen fixation is the result of using this bacteria, adding a valuable nutrient to your soil. Additional nitrogen is added when working the plant residues into the soil after harvesting the crop.

Snake Plant - Mother-in-Law's Tongure

Common names: Snake plant, Mother-in-law's tongue

Botanical name: Sansevieria trifasciata

Family name: Agavaceae (Agave family)

Description: A stemless plant with more or less spiraling leaves that are long, thick, fleshy, slender and erect growing. These 2-4 inch wide sword-shaped leaves may reach 5 feet high on some species, but 2 1/2 to 4 feet is more common. This species green leaves are marked with horizontal stripes of darker green. Other species include Sanseveria trifasciata 'Laurentii' (yellow stripes on the edge of the leaves); S trifasciata 'Hahnii' (a short green rosette form about 6 inches tall); S. trifasciata 'Craigii' (whitish-yellow stripes run lenghtwise on the leaves). There are many others. With good lighting, most varieties will bloom at maturity with white to green fragrant blossoms.

Light: This plant will tolerate low light (50-75 footcandles) to full sunlight. It is one of the most versatile, tough plants one can grow.

Water: In spring and summer, let the soil almost dry out before watering, then thoroughly soak it. In winter, once every month or two is generally sufficient. The lower the light intensity, the less watering they will require. Snake plants hate overwatering!

Media: Any commercial potting soil with good drainage is satisfactory. They usually do not need repotting for 3-4 years or until the plant cracks the pot it is growing in.

Temperature: Average room temperatures are fine (68-75 degrees F). Night temperatures should not fall below 65 degrees F or brown edges may appear on the leaves.

Feeding: Once a year with 20-20-20 or liquid fish fertilizer in the spring is sufficient.

Propagation: Separate or divide the clumps with a sharp knife and pot up the seperated clusters. Another method (except for 'Laurentii' - it will go back to straight green and lose it's yellow edges) is to cut the long leaves cross-wise into 2 inch pieces and insert them with the bottom end down into moist sand. It is neat watching new plants grow from a small piece of leaf.

Do not: Overwater this plant or let it get to cool at night. Do not break off the tips on the leaves or that leaf will no longer grow.

Diatomaceous Earth

What is your opinion of Diatomaceous earth, and it's uses etc. Apparently it can be used for fly control, to aid plants in growth and also for a internal and external parasite control in animals, apparently has trace vitamins and minerals to promote general good health in all animals?? Is this correct?

Diatomaceous earth is the ground up skeletal remains of microscopic one-celled plants (phytoplankton) called diatons. They are from a class of algae known as Bacillariophyceae. The deposits of these remains are known as diatomite. Because diatomite is almost a pure silica, the ground up dust is very abrasive.

It is because of these tiny, razor-sharp particles that diatomaceous earth is used as an insecticide. The sharp dust lacerates the insects exoskeleton (outer covering) causing loss of body fluids or water. The insect dies due to dehydration. Diatomaceous earth is supposed to be harmless to all mammals and birds and leave no residual effects.

The insect must come in contact with the dust before it can be effective. For fly control, it should be placed on a window sill where flies frequent. To control crawling insects such as ants, it should be placed around the outside perimeter of the house, or near cracks and baseboards on the inside of the home. It can be sprinkled on ant hills or scattered over the garden soil to control slugs, for examples.

It may be used to control insects such as aphids on plants, but should be mixed with water first , or applied while the plants are damp to insure adhesion. Diatomaceous earth contains many micro-nutrients required by plants such as boron, manganese, iron, and copper for examples, as well as magnesium, a macro-nutrient. So, when rain washes the dust off the plants, it benefits the soils fertility. In the same way it may be used to help fertilize lawns and control grubs, wireworms and cutworms.

I've heard it is used to control ticks and fleas on pets by combing it into their hair for external parasite control, as well as an internal parasite control, especially for fowl. As for using it to promote good health in animals, I've also heard this is true. However, I have had no personnel experience with this product and livestock and can not give you any advice. Perhaps your local veterinarian can be of more help in this matter.

Some precautions should be taken when using this product. Because of the extremely sharp dust, a dust mask must be worn to prevent inhaling it into your lungs. Mixing it with water before applying it is best. Diatomaceous earth also kills beneficial insects such as lady bug beetles that consume hundreds of soft bodied pests like aphids, mealy bugs, and soft-bodied scale. It should only be used for severe infestations of harmful insects, in my opinion.

To conclude, what I do with a new gardening idea or product, is never put all of my eggs in one basket, so to speak. One might try applying diatomaceous earth on an ant hill, or maybe fencing off a couple of chickens and giving them the recommended amounts following instructions or directions on the containers. By watching the results, we can then determine for ourselves which way to go.