1. Lawn care A guide to a better lawn

2. Introduction The aim of this talk is to cover the basics of professional lawn care i.e. 1. Defining the purpose of your lawn 2. Grass selection 3. Mower type, set up and use 4. Maintenance of lawns 5. Threats to the health of lawns

3. How the talk will run I will run through each of the previous items and then take questions at the end of each Section. This will be an interactive session and I hope that you will take an active part.

4. Section 1- Defining the purpose of your lawn This can be broken down into 2 main themes

5. Aesthetic- e.g. to provide pleasing back drop etc to ornamental gardens, as a way of bringing attention to buildings etc.

6. The aesthetic lawn Here the emphasise is on looks. The grasses selected can be fine (fescues and bents) and slow growing as recovery from wear is not a major factor. This will help to minimise upkeep costs.

7. The functional lawn Here the empathise is on use e.g. for play, sitting on etc.

8. Here the grasses will need to be able to withstand high wear and will comprise mainly of rye grass, smooth stalk meadow grass with fescues and bents.

9. Section 2- Grass selection In the main 4 types grasses are used The Fescues Chewings fescue and the creeping fescues (slender and strong) are most commonly used.

10. The Fescues These are very fine grasses with fine hair like leaves, they are able to cope well with drought stress but do not like high wear. Used in golf greens, fine lawns, football pitches etc they help create a fine surface with good shoot density. Prefer dry soils with low nutrient value.

11. Perennial Rye Grass (Lolium perenne).

12. Perennial rye (Lolium perenne) A quick growing grass able to withstand high wear and dry conditions. It has good all year round colour. Prefers a rich moist soil. Needs a lot of mowing. It is easily identified as the back of the leaf blade is very shiny and the base of the shoot is purple in colour

13. Smooth Stalk Meadow Grass (Poa pretensis).

14. Smooth stalk meadow grass A hard wearing grass able to withstand dry conditions. It has underground creeping stems and is good at holding soil together (useful on steep banks etc). Grass leaf tip is boat shaped

15. Agrostis (Browntop and creeping bent).

16. The bent grasses These are extremely find grasses that are rapid growing and generate a lot of thatch. Used in fine lawns, golf greens, tennis courts etc. Prefer moist rich soils.

17. OK so what grass seed mix should I use? For a hard wearing lawn 40% Perennial ryegrass 30% Strong creeping red fescue 15% Slender creeping red fescue 15% Smooth-stalked meadow grass

18. Mix for a fine lawn 30% Perennial ryegrass (dwarf cultivars*) 50% Slender creeping red fescue 20% Chewings fescue

19. Mix for a shady lawn 40% Tufted hairgrass 55% Perennial ryegrass 15% Slender creeping red fescue

20. Good seed supplier Barenbrug UK Ltd Tel: 01359 272000

21. Section 3 Mower selection, use and set up The choice of mower for most lawns is effectively down to 2 choices

22. a. Cylinder mowers

23. b. Rotary mowers Rotary- with or without rear roller (rear roller needed if striped lawn finish is required).

24. Cylinder Pros 1. Excellent quality of cut if set correctly 2. Produce excellent surface stripes due to front and rear rollers. 3. Ability to cut over the edge of borders as roller runs along mower body. 4. Cutting action causes less damage to grass 5. Able to cut really close with minimal scalping

25. Cylinder Cons 1. More expensive to buy 2. More expensive to maintain (sharpening of blades is a specialist task). 3. Harder to set up 4. Cutting blades are easily damaged by stones etc.

26. Cylinder To sum up a cylinder mower is the only choice for someone looking for the perfect lawn

27. Rotary Pros 1. Less expensive to buy 2. Less easily damaged by stones etc. 3. Easier to service (blades can be sharpened by non experts).

28. Cons 1. They do not give as good a cut 2. They do not produce as good a striped finish 3. More prone to scalping the lawn when mowing at a low height of cut. 4. Sometimes hard to mow right up to the edge of lawn (when buying check blade extends over wheel edges).

29. A Rotary mower is ideal for Lawns with surrounding gravel paths Lawns where a low height of cut and perfect finish is not required Lawns that may be cut infrequently (rotary mowers are able to deal with long grass better than cylinder mowers).

30. Cutting heights and frequency for lawns Fine lawns – 8-15mm, 3 times per week in growing season Average lawns 15-25 mm, 2 times per week in growing season Low maintenance lawns – 25 to 35mm once per week in growing season (Note 25mm = 1 inch). Try to ensure you do not remove more than 1/3 of the total height in a single mowing operation

31. Changing the height of cut In hot dry weather raise the height of cut to help the grass deal with drought stress. Raising the cut aids root depth and helps shade the surface, reducing evaporation. In winter raise the cut as the increased grass height helps the sward cope with wear.

32. How to set the height of cut on cylinder mowers Use a straight edge between the rear and front roller. Measure the gap between edge and bottom blade. This is the height of cut

33. Checking the cut on a cylinder Once the height is set then the quality of cut should be set. This is done by using good quality A4 paper folded in half. This is placed between the cylinder and the bottom blade.

34. The cylinder is then rotated (use a bit of wood to do this) and if adjusted correctly it should cut the paper. It should crease the A4 paper when not folded but cut it when folded. The difference between on and off cut is then correct.

35. Using paper to test the quality of cut on a cylinder mower.

36. Note The cylinder should turn freely when set. If you need to have the cylinder tight against the bottom blade to get it to cut then the cylinder and bottom blade need sharpening. Note Before setting the cut carefully apply a little oil to the blades to ensure they turn freely.

37. What a blunt mower looks like (note the grass on bottom blade, brush is applying back lapping paste).

38. What a worn rotary mower blade looks like

39. Should I box off the clippings? For a fine lawn the answer is yes as this helps slow down thatch build up and helps stop the spread of weeds and moss. Boxing off also gives a more pleasing appearance and helps stop the clippings being carried into the house on shoes. However if you are cutting frequently and producing little in the way of clippings it does not really matter too much.

40. Should I mow in the winter? Yes if the grass is growing and more than 1/3 of the height you want to keep it at, then you should mow. Do not mow in frosty conditions or if the soil is wet.

41. Correct mowing patterns? The important thing is to try and change direction each time you mow. I prefer to cut the main body of the lawn first and then do the edges. This helps ensure a neat finish

42. Chequer board pattern

43. Diamond pattern

44. Lawn edges A lawn will only look at its best when the edges are cleanly cut. This should be done after mowing with a pair of edging shears or other suitable equipment.

45. Re-cutting an edge To do this use a string line as a guide for a board and then cut along the edge of a board. For curved areas use hose pinned into position with nails.

46. Permanent edging

47. The correct angle for a cut edge This should be about 60 degrees. Too steep and the edge will easily collapse, too shallow and grass and weeds will grow on the soil face. goodTo shallowTo steep

48. Section 4 - Maintenance tasks (other than mowing) In the main these should consist of 1. Aeration 2. Scarification 3. Fertilising 4. Top dressing 5. Watering 6. Dealing with threats to health and quality

49. 1. Aeration The action of allowing air into the soil.

50. The importance of aeration A good soil is about 40% air spaces. These spaces or pores exist between the soil particles. Over time the movement of people, mowers etc over the surface of the lawn can squeeze the soil particles together and this squeezes out the air. This process is known as compaction.

51. Problems with compaction The closing of the gaps between soil particles causes the following problems 1. Surface drainage of the lawn is slowed as water finds it harder to drain between the closer particles of soil. The wet surface becomes even more prone to compaction and the lawn can be used less often due to water logging. 2. Rooting depth of the grass is affected meaning the lawn suffers more in summer.

52. Typical turf compaction Note the lack of grass cover and poor drainage

53. Dealing with compaction The best way to deal with this is by spiking or slitting the lawn. This can be done with a range of equipment, the most simple method is with a garden fork.

54. Using garden fork for aeration The fork is pushed into the soil and rocked backwards to heave the soil and fracture the underlying soil. This helps create air spaces and improve grass rooting and soil drainage.

55. Aeration machinery For large lawns aeration can also be done with specialist machinery such as spikers and slitters which can be hired.

56. These come with various types of tine, the best for dealing with compaction is the “hollow” tine which removes a core of soil allowing the roots to push outwards and surface water to drain. Sand can be brushed down the holes to help the above.

57. Types of tine- Hollow Hollow tines on aeration fork- note the cores being ejected as fork is pushed into the lawn

58. Types of tine -Slit These cut through the soil and roots. This improves drainage And root depth

59. Types of tine- Solid These create holes in the lawn to allow air in and help drainage

60. Professional lawn aeration fork Professional lawn forks with various types of aeration tines

61. Best time to aerate The best time to aerate is when the soil below the lawn is moist (not wet) and the grass is actively growing i.e. Spring –March to April or Autumn- October to November

62. How not to aerate (unless you have a lot of time to spare or a small lawn). Aeration sandals

63. Scarification Scarification or raking of the surface is another important task in lawn care. In the main it is done to remove the build up of organic matter on the lawn surface know as thatch. This makes the lawn soft and prone to diseases and other problems.

64. Close up of a thatch layer

65. Why scarify a. Helps remove dead material from the lawn surface helping prevent thatch build up. b. Helps control some creeping weeds c. Encourages new growth

66. Methods of lawn scarification By hand with rakes

67. By machine Lawn during scarification – note the large amounts of removed thatch on the surface

68. Best time to scarify The best time to scarify is when the soil below the lawn is moist (not wet) and warm with the grass actively growing i.e. Spring –March to April or Autumn- October to November

69. Feeding Most lawns have enough food to survive and do well in the natural soil they grow on. However if growth is poor and grass cover thin with lots of moss then an application of fertiliser may be required. Remember overfeeding causes more damage than underfeeding a lawn.

70. Types of spreaders To ensure fertiliser is evenly applied you should use a spreader, these come in 2 main types.

71. 1. Drop spreader These are easy to use and calibrate, but must be used with care as any overlap can result in 100% over application. To lessen this risk split the application rate in half and apply from 2 directions.

72. 2. Spinning desk spreader The main problem with these is the fact they spread fertiliser over a wide area, hence it is easy to get fertiliser on to nearby plants or into nearby ponds where it can cause damage

73. What fertiliser should I use? The first answer would be to use one designed for lawns. Then use one that is mainly nitrogen based as most of Hertfordshire is on soils rich in all the other nutrients. These can be liquid or granular formulations.

74. Liquid fertilisers Very safe to use (less risk of scorch to lawn). Easy to apply Less chance of getting fertiliser onto surrounding plants Easy to store (liquids are concentrated so containers are small). Applied by watering can or knapsack sprayer

75. Granular fertilisers Less safe to use (risk of scorch to lawn). Easy to apply Chance of getting fertiliser onto surrounding plants depending on how they are applied Bulky to store if you have a large lawn

76. Important points when applying fertilisers 1. Always cut the lawn before applying the fertiliser 2. Always follow the label carefully 3. If using a sprayer or spreader calibrate it first 4. Do not apply in hot dry weather 5. Do not apply nitrogen fertilisers late in the autumn or over winter (waste of time). 6. Water in well if dry, hot weather follows application 7. Deal with any fertiliser spillage immediately

77. To calibrate a drop spreader Mark out a 1 metre wide strip 3 metres long (to give an average). Run the spreader over the marked area. Collect the material, weigh it and divide by 3. This will give you the average per metre squared. Adjust machine and repeat until desired amount per m2 is produced.

78. Why you should be careful! Fertiliser damage on lawn. The result of spilling fertiliser on a lawn 6 weeks after the event.

79. Top dressing This is the application of bulking materials to the lawn surface such as sand, soil, peat etc. To create extremely fine lawns top dressing is required. This helps produce a smooth well drained surface and can be used to adjust the qualities of the underlying soil.

80. Materials and uses Sand – improves drainage, helps reduce compaction Soil – helps add nutrients Organic materials (peat, compost etc) helps add nutrients, improves water holding of soil (if required).

81. The idea mix The ideal mix will depend on the soil your lawn grows on but an average mix would be 70% sand 20 % soil and 10 % organic matter (made up by bulk not weight).

82. How is it applied It is best applied to a. A dry lawn at 2 to 5 kg per m2* b. A lawn cut lower than ½ inch (12.5mm). c. It is then applied by hand with a shovel or by a spreader. d. After it has been applied work it into the surface with a brush, back of a rake or if you have one a lute or drag mat

83. Applying top dressing by hand

84. Top dressing by machine Lawn being top dressed with a pedestrian top dresser (operator oblivious to H+S!).

85. Working the top dressing into the surface This can be done with brushes, lutes or drag mats

86. Watering lawns If possible avoid watering lawns as this decreases the plants response to drought i.e. to grow deeper roots. However if the following are seen 1. Slow down in growth 2. Hardening of the surface 3. Discoloration and dulling of grass leaves 4. Grass does not spring back up when walked on (footprint test). Then watering may be required

87. How to water a lawn Remember to check for hose pipe bans etc. Then if possible and lawn is small use recycled water from water buts etc and a watering can. Always apply water last thing in the evening to reduce loss due to evaporation. Lightly spike lawn first to get water into the surface and down to grass roots.

88. Sprinklers for lawns Stationary and self propelled for the larger lawn

89. Installed systems (pop-up systems) Today an automated sprinkler system is a possibility for the average home owner. These can be set to run at night and use reclaimed water stored on site.

90. How to help your lawn require less water 1. Ensure roots are deep (lots of spiking in the autumn and early spring). 2. Do not over feed your lawn (less fertiliser promotes deeper roots). 3. Do not cut too close (the closer you cut the shorter your grass roots become).

91. 5. Threats to the health of lawns Bare areas – first examine the cause, most likely will be

92. 1. Compaction (ground is very hard) spike area and rake to produce a fine tilth then overseed or returf. 2. Fertiliser damage- dig over soil, water area well and rake to produce a fine tilth and overseed or returf.

93. Dog urine- Little can be done as the urine contains salts that kill the grass. Fescue grasses are the least affected and it might be worth overseeding areas affected with this grass as they occur. It is possible to give the dog special biscuits that reduce the ammonia in the dogs urine which reduces the problem.

94. Moss A common problem, mosses spread by fragmentation and spores making them hard to control. To control moss look at causes and deal with any present

95. Causes of moss Anything that reduces grass growth and health will help increase moss i.e. a. Shade b. Poor drainage c. Lack of nutrients d. Compaction e. Cutting too low (scalping)

96. Moss control 1. Deal with any cultural problems identified. 2. Kill moss with lawn-sand or chemicals containing Dichlorophen. Do not attempt to control by raking it out as this will only spread the problem as the small bits left behind will re-grow. Kill the moss then rake it out.

97. Lawn sand for moss control Lawn sand a moss killer and lawn feed uses 48 parts sand (use a good quality horticultural sand not builders soft sand). 8 parts sulphate of ammonia (this is the nitrogen feed) 3 parts sulphate of iron (this is the moss killer) Use in the spring i.e. March-April period for best results. For Autumn use omit the ammonia.

98. Earth worms These produce surface casts which make the lawn hard to mow and muddy the surface. Chemicals for worm control are not available to home users.

99. The main controls then are a. To remove thatch by scarifying b. To remove leaves from the lawn in the autumn. This will reduce the worms food source potential

100. c. To use sandy top dressings on your lawn as worms do not like sandy conditions. d. Use of iron sulphate and sulphate of ammonia (both in lawn sand) as worms do not like acid soils. e. Bring worms to surface and remove them by hand (this can be done watering in mustard powder when worms are close to surface in early autumn)

101. Brushing worm casts Other than control the best way to deal with worm casts is by brushing them off the lawn in the afternoon when the casts have dried. They then break up and disappear into the turf surface.

102. Leather jackets and other grubs Insect problems are hard to control as they are not visible and the inexperienced may not recognise the symptoms of insect damage. The main problem is the destruction of grass roots the most damaging insect attacks come from Leather jackets and to a lesser extent Chafer grubs.

103. Leather jackets These are the young of the crane fly (sometimes called “Daddy long legs”). Because they occur in large numbers they can do a great deal of damage. The other problem is that birds (crows) can do extensive damage to turf surfaces as they search for the grubs.

104. Physical and cultural controls Little can be done to control the crane fly One method that can be used on small areas is the covering of the turf with a black sheet in the evening. The grubs often feed on the surface at night. The next day the sheet can be pulled back and the grubs collected and destroyed.

105. The Leather Jacket (Tipula paludosa). Close up of grub and a badly affected lawn

106. Garden Chafer Phyllopertha horticola The grub and area of lawn damaged by Chafer grubs

107. What to do if you suspect insect damage Cut back the turf and look for the culprits. If problem is present and damage severe call in a contractor who may be able to use an approved chemical.

108. Non chemical controls Using nematodes is an alternative method of control that is commonly suggested. Application should be done late August through to the end of October when the Leather jackets are young and active in the soil.

109. Moles Do everything you can to discourage worms! Then ring a pest control agent and get the moles trapped for removal or poisoned depending on your conscience and/or view point.

110. Lawn diseases In the main these will be a. Fairy rings

111. Fairy rings Little can be done by the non professional. Suggestions for the physical removal of the soil contaminated by the ring should be ignored. This is because the mycelium will extend 30cm plus into the soil and up to 30cm plus from each side of the ring. Therefore amount of soil for even a small ring will be extensive. Any mycelium left behind will simply restart the ring. For professional uses (contractors) chemicals such as oxycarboxin can be used to treat the problem.

112. b. Red Thread Common disease caused by lack of the chemical element nitrogen. Treatment is simple, apply nitrogen fertiliser in the spring or summer.

113. b. Fusarium patch Less common but very destructive lawn disease

114. Fusarium patch Timing – mostly an autumn/winter disease Causes Poor soil drainage Shade To much nitrogen fertiliser Snow cover Heavy dews

115. Treatment/prevention of fusarium Remove dew with a brush in mornings Remove shade (cut back trees etc). Do not over feed lawn (do not apply high nitrogen feeds in the autumn or winter). Spike to get good soil drainage Do not top dress late in the late autumn If problem is severe call in a contactor and treat with a fungicide.

116. Lawn weeds These will be a. Those that spread by seed (dandelion etc). b. Those that spread by creeping (clover etc).

117. Weed control First identify the main type of weed that is present i.e. what have you got the most of. The reason for this is that weeds can tell you much about conditions in your lawn. For example Broad Leaved Plantain (Plantago major) grows well in heavy compacted soils. Clover grows well is moist rich soils and creeping butter cup grows well in heavy wet soils.

118. Typical rosette weed - Broad leaved plantain, this weed thrives in compacted soil. Rosette type weeds normally spread by seed.

119. Typical creeping weed, these spread over the lawn surface by over ground stems (stolons) or underground stems (rhizomes). Weed is White clover (Trifolium repens)

120. Once you understand what is causing the weed/s to be successful you can set about changing the conditions to make them more favourable to good grass growth. Physical and cultural practices such as scarifying, feeding and aerating can do much to reduce weed problems.

121. Chemical weed control Weed killers used in lawns are mostly selective hormones i.e. they kill broad leaved weeds but leave grass unharmed due to its small target area. To get the best kill from the chemical follow these simple guidelines.

122. Getting the best from lawn weed killers 1. Do not mow the lawn for 2 days before and 2 days after application 2. If possible feed the lawn a week before treatment 3. Obey the chemical label (do not put a bit more on to ensure a good kill as this may have the effect of lessening the kill!) 4. Apply only if the soil is moist and the grass is actively growing.

123. Recap on the basics Select the best grasses for your situation Select the best mower type and set it correctly Mow regularly at a suitable height Rake and spike your lawn as much as you can (during suitable conditions). Do not over feed your lawn

124. The end