LAWN

Lawn is a natural green carpet comprising grass.It is a smooth living carpet

and is the least expensive ground cover to install. It is delightful to look at, play on
and can be ready in just a few weeks. It is an important feature of a landscape and
a garden without lawn lawn is not considered complete. Lush green lawn provides
great satisfaction to the owner and even becomes a center of the garden for major
activities. Lawn provides a place for taking rest after the tiring job of the day,
holding parties, social functions and recreations. A patch of green grass in home
gardens add beauty and softness against walls and other concrete structures. It
harmonises with the surroundings and provides a natural green colour. Lawn in
front of houses, hotels, public buildings, industrial and commercial buildings,
hospitals, etc not only add to beauty but also keep the surroundings clean and tidy.

Lawn grasses are sold in nurseries along with other ornamental and horticultural
plants. The sale and laying out of lawn is presently a good source of income. A
beautiful lawn can be successfully made by applying the following guide lines.

1. The lawn should really appear green in colour like a green carpet.
2. The grass should grow closer to soil.
3. The grass should grow evenly throughout the area.
4. The lawn grass should not be invaded by weeds which may result in starving
of grass. If well fed the grass will grow and establish quickly.
5. The correct type of grass and the proper site should be selected. Areas with
deep shade, steep slopes, dry spots, flooded places and with excessive trafic
should be avoided.
6. The garden should not be cut into small areas since it becomes difficult to
water and mow and the grass may not develop uniformly.
7. The lawn should not be made into square or rectangle with tight corners
since it makes mowing difficult.
8. Lawns with free floating curves outlined with a mower strip are the easiest
to be worked with.

To make a good lawn it requires great effort and skill and its
successful completion gives us tremendous joy. Only in a small area a good variety
grass can be made use for establishing successful lawn. Firstly the location and
shape of the area for a lawn should be decided. The area has to be calculated based
on the size of the building and shape based on our taste. Mostly a rectangular shape
is preferred, but others like square, round, semicircular, elliptic, triangular, etc can
also be adopted. In some cases informal lawn with irregular outline gives more
beauty.

TYPES OF GRASSES

The common species ideal for lawn planting include - Cynadon dactylon, Poa
annua, Zoysia matrella, Z. japonica, Z. tenuifolia and Stenotaphrum
secundatum. A number of varieties are available in the market to be utilised
depending on the situation and they include-

1. Carpet grass : It is grown in places with full sunlight and is very suitable
for home and office gardens. There are two types of carpet grasses grown in
our places. One grows very close to ground surface giving a soft feeling to
feet and the other grows quickly with needle like leaves and requires
frequent mowing. The first type is more attractive.
2. Velvet grass : This is a hybrid of indian burmuda grass and alos called as
fine- leaved burmuda grass. It is known in other names like, sun-turf, tex-
turf, diffin, diflon, diff- grass, etc.
3. Burmuda grass : It is the common Cynadon dactylon used in regions where
rainfall is very low.
4. St. Augustin’s grass : Suitable tobe grown in shady places. The leaves are
longer and strap shaped and good to be grown near to big buildings like
institutions, universities, offices, etc.

Rainy season is the most ideal for growing lawn grass. The site selected should
be tilled and ploughed well one foot below ground for removing roots, stems,
rhizomes and tubers of other plants. Lawn grass requires very high amount of
fertilizers as underground manure. Fine cattle dung and dry leaves both 5kg each
along with 250 gms of bone meal is the most ideal one. If soil has more clay, add 5
– 10 kg of sand to the above mixture before spraying. This is to be thoroughly
mixed with soil where lawn is to be started. Lumps of cow dung, decaying logs
and such other materials if present will result in growth of white ants . This can be
checked by adding oil cakes of Hydnocarpus seeds to the soil. After the addition of
underground manure, the region should be leveled and made firm. If the region is a
little higher than the surface soil level the lawn will be more appealing. By raising
certain areas and bordering them using bricks and cement will also give a good
appearance. Care should be taken to see that there is no stagnant water amidst the
lawn. It will affect growth of grass and promote weed growth. Tall plants should
not be kept or grown near or around lawns. But dwarf flowering plants like
Portulaca, Lantana, Verbena, China Balsam, etc and foliage plants like Duranta.
Amaranthus, etc. are good since they form a live edge. A rock garden and a small
lily pond near to the lawn will add more beauty, giving a natural look. Lawns can
be made in same level on aground or as small hills and valleys. The common
methods of growing lawn grass include-

Dibbling : A little slow, common and cheap method. Grass pieces along with
roots and portion of rhizome free from weeds are prepared , planted and watered
liberally.

Turfing : Uniform pieces of grass along with soil is taken and arranged carefully
close to each other evenly. It is then made firm by beating with a stick or roller and
liberal watering is done. Grass starts growing in a very short period.

Seeding : This is practiced in seed producing varieties like fine -leaved burmuda
grass. Before sowing seeds , soil should be finely tilled followed by light rolling.
Seeds should be uniformly and evenly sownon a wind less day. Bulk materials like
sand or ash should be used for even distribution of seeds. The ground should be
lightly rolled again. Gentle watering should be done initiall, followed by sprinkler
irrigation later.

Bricking : This method is used to replace unhealthy patches in a well maintained

lawn. Grass along with soil in the shape of bricks are taken and planted in the
desired regions and watered immediately.

Planting on polythene : Lawn is grown on thick polythene of desired dimension.

A mixture of soil is spread on the sheet and grass is planted. This can be rolled,
taken to place and unrolled where temperory effect is to be created.
MANAGEMENT OF LAWN

Mowing and rolling : Newly planted lawn is not mowed till it has established
well. It is done to give more strength and induce dense branching of grass. In rainy
and winter seasons, it is required at an interval of 7-10 days. In spring it is done at
an interval of 15 days and in summer at monthly intervals. The height of lawn can
be maintained by adjusting height of shears of the lawn mower. Different types of
mowers like hand driven, tractor driven are available, that is selected based on size
of lawn.

Irrigation : Water requirement depends on season, type of soil and the type of
grass used. Lawn should be watered uniformly and regularly depending on the
climate. Grass being shallow rooted are surface feeders and should be watered
adequately and frequently. Flood irrigation followed by sprinkler system is better.
Sandy loam soils require frequent watering than heavy soils. Permanent and
temperory sprinklers can be made use of. Best way is to have underground pipes
and sprinklers fitted at ground level. The number of sprinklers to be fitted depends
on the amount of water to be sprayed and area it can cover.

Fertilization : Regular fertilizer application keeps grass to grow luxuriantly and

maintains a lush green colour. Usually Ca NH4 (NO3)2, super phosphate and
K2SO4 in 2:1:1 is used. Spraying of urea is also useful for growth of grass.
Biofertilizers promotes slow and steady growth of grass. Decayed powdered
leaves or compost or dried powdered animal dung is very useful, when added with
bone meal and oil cakes. This is to be sprayed or sprinkled soon after mowing. In
rainy season grass will be fresh green and can be maintained green in summer too
by spraying a dilute solution of NH4(SO4)2 – ½ teas spoon in 1l water.

Scrapping of Lawn : It is done when grass becomes old or compact. After 3-4
years during summer lawn should be scrapped completely. Before onset of rain, a
top dressing mixture of garden soil, sand and sieved leaf mould (1:2:1) should be
applied. The soil used should be free of pests, weeds and of same texture as that of
turf soil. This hepls in easy establishment of roots and rhizomes. With the onset of
rains bone meal should be applied. Thus grass will grow luxuriantly to make a
compact and healthy turf.
DISEASES

Fairy Ring : This is caused by soil borne fungi like Fusarium, Marasmius,
Psalliota, Lepiota, Cortisium, etc. They cause a circular ring of thin coloured or
dead grass. Rings may not be complete but appear like horse shoe. As grass turns
brown the rings will widen. This can be controlled by drenching soil with bordeaux
mixture or spraying copper fungicides like Blitox, Bavistin, etc.

Pale or Yellow Lawn : This occurs due several reasons like water logging, poor
drainage, N-deficiency, hardening of soil, O2 deficiency of roots,etc. Loosening of
soil with rakes will reduce yellowing.

White Ants : They attack lawn grass and cause great damage. Can be eliminated
by spraying BHC in water (2gms of 50% BHC in litre water).

Larvae : Larvae of certain bugs, beetles, flies and worms are also found to destroy
the leaves of grass. This can be checked by spraying suitable insecticides.

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