A healthy lawn is a beautiful lawn. Beautiful lawns can be achieved with keeping up on the maintenance and giving the grass what it needs to grow. Healthy grass starts from the roots up. There should be a layer of 10-15 cm of good quality soil, that is fertile, well drained with organic matter. Use a good quality grass seed blend that consists of 60% Kentucky Blue grasses, 30% Creeping Red Fescue, and no more than 10% perennial Rye.

Maintaining the lawn involves fertilizing every spring first with 13-16-10 and then later in the season, with a slow release fertilizer such as 24-4-16. Spring is an important time of year for lawn maintenance, as this is the time of year when a lawn is dethatched and aerated. This may not have to happen every season. Thatch is a layer of dead grass and roots that lies on top of the soil surface. A thin layer of thatch is good but it should not be thicker than 1-2 cm as the thatch can prevent moisture and nutrients from reaching the grass roots. Thatch is removed by either raking it up or using a de-thatching blade on the lawnmower. Aerating the lawn can also help with thatch. Aerating the lawn is done when the soil becomes compact. It is done by using either a pitchfork for small jobs, or an aerator which pulls small plugs of soil. Aerating is done to help the lawn breathe, by making space for grass roots to grow and reproduce as well as making it easier for moisture and nutrients to get to the grass roots.

Mowing the lawn is major part of lawn maintenance. Make sure that the blade of the lawnmower is sharp so that it makes a clean cut. Dull blades will shred the grass making it less attractive. Mow no more than one-third the height of the grass. The grass height should be left at 6-8 cm as this will help shade the roots and keep the roots moist and cool. You may have to mow more often, but in return you will have a thick, attractive lawn. Lawn clippings can be left on the lawn as they will break down and be a natural source of nitrogen.

Lawns do not need to be watered unless it becomes dry. When it is time to water, water in the morning as there will be less evaporation and the grass will be dry by night time, which prevents disease. Water deep and less often. When putting on the sprinkler, allow enough water (3-5 cm) at one time so that the roots of the grass will go deep rather than remain shallow which happens when the lawn is watered often but for a shorter time. Sandy soil will need to be watered more often as it will dry out more quickly.

Periodically the lawn may need to be topdressed and/or overseeded. Topdressing is adding a layer of compost or topsoil to the lawn to replenish the soil in the spring or fall.It can also be overseeded at this time. Overseeding is applying a layer of grass seed to the existing lawn, which will make is denser.

A thick, dense healthy lawn will make it harder for weeds to catch hold. Remove weeds as soon as you see them. Dandelions can be a problem and should be removed quickly before the roots go deep. Weeds can be removed manually by using a puller or by using a herbicide such as ‘Killex’ or ‘Weed-B-Gon’ an EcoSense iron based weed control. Always read the labels of any pesticide/herbicide before using it.

-Jos 

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George

Highway 16 West at Kimball Road

Highway 97 north at Northwood Pulpmill Road