Garden design tips and tricks - Lawns, grass or turf
Lawns, grass or turf call it what you will. There are a number of different
tip & tricks to ensure that you choose the right type and that your
lawn stays in good condition.
Not all grasses/turf are the same and there are a wide-range of grasses/turf
to suit different purposes. Before ordering grasses/turf the following
need to be taken into account to get the best results
- Characteristics – leaf textures can range from
fine to course
- Temperature tolerance – ideally you should
look for a grass/turf that tolerates hot and cold weather well and has
good winter hardiness
- Drought resistance – A grass/turf with a deep
root system is less prone to drought and when irrigation is withheld
the grass/turf takes longer to go into dormancy.
- Shade adaptation – Some grasses/turf will
not tolerate shade, therefore, if your garden or landscape has areas
that are shady a mix of grasses/turf are needed.
- Wear resistance – If there is going to be
heavy foot traffic an exceptionally hardy grasses/turf type is required.
- Watering requirements – Factoring watering
requirements into your design make sure that if your time is limited
you choose a grasses/turf that have low level watering requirements.
Always deep soak when irrigating.
- Mowing – All grasses/turf have an optimum
height usually between 25mm – 75mm. Never crop a lawn, as this
allows weeds to gain a foothold.
- Soil and fertiliser – Grasses/turf range from
highly adaptable, e.g. grow on a wide-range of soils, from light and
sandy to heavy and clay to types, which require a specific soil to grow
on.
- Disease – Always select grasses/turf that
are disease resistant, e.g. one that will copy with brown patch, leaf
spot, stem and crown rust…
Choosing the wrong grass-type for a location and you will end up with
a lawn looking like this!
