This month's
gardening tips

Think of your lawn as a big, hopefully green, welcome mat or a rug in your family room. It greets our friends and neighbours as they arrive. It is what our kids play on or where you might have a picnic. That is why a lawn must be properly installed and well looked after.

The ideal time to seed a lawn is around Mother’s Day or late summer between, Aug. 15 and Sept. 15, but if you keep your lawn well watered it can be seeded anytime.

Before seeding spread an ample layer of good soil, 10-15 cm thick enriched with a 12-4-6 fertilizer over the area you plan to seed. Smooth out the ground with a rake and then roll it to create a smooth surface, without it being powdery.

The next step is to select the best type of grass seed depending on the amount of sun the area normally receives. Apply the seed by hand, or better yet rent a proper lawn seeder.

Finally, soak the area to a depth of about 8 cm.

It is vital for a new lawn to be watered well in the first few weeks of its life and kept well watered throughout the summer. And by well watered I mean don’t be afraid to water it too much.

Last but not least, do not cut the new grass until it has attained a height of at least 10 to 15 cm.

Troubleshooting your lawn

• In early spring or late fall, clean the lawn by removing all dry dead debris such as leaves and fallen branches and twigs.

• Top dressing your lawn with this recipe will guarantee a healthy, hardy lawn:

- 6 cu. ft. peat moss
- 4 cu. ft. vermiculite
- 12 kg 12-24-6 fertilizer
- 2 kg grass seed

Mix together in a wheelbarrow and lightly rake into your lawn. This will cover an area of approximately 75 sq. metres.

• Your lawn will withstand dry periods better the deeper the roots have grown. You should water your lawn once or twice a week as long as you do a deep watering for one to two hours.

• You should try to aerate your lawn every year or two. Aerating helps reduce compacting of soils and helps air, water and fertilizer get down and into the roots.

• To have a good healthy lawn apply a good layer of top soil, 2-3 cm thick, every other year.

• Kill weeds with herbicide or by hand only when the weather is warm (between 10 and 20-degrees Celcius) and when the weeds are actively growing. Do not mow your lawn first. The weeds must be a nice height in order for herbicides to work properly.

• If you find moss or mushrooms in your lawn it means that your soil is too acidic. Applying lime will help to reduce acidity. Talk to your local gardening centre first before applying so they can explain to you when and how to best apply lime.

• A dull cutting blade on your lawn mower can damage a lawn and make it susceptible to diseases and drought. So sharpen your lawn mower blade regularly.

(If you would like any more information on these or any other helpful tips please feel free to visit our garden centre on Old Montreal Road just east of Trim Rd.)

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