Shaded Lawn Turf Key Maintenance Advice

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Turf Expert

Even with all the best advice in the world, growing a turf lawn can be problematic depending on one very important factor – shade.

Growing lawn turf in the shade is one area in which Rolawn is regularly asked for advice from customers. As such it makes sense to understand how shade affects successful lawn development and the key maintenance points to help deal with this issue.

Science

Photosynthesis is the natural chemical reaction through which a plant turns sunlight into plant food. The key to the problem of shaded turf is obvious – with less sunlight, the ability of plants to generate the food they need to grow strongly diminishes and therefore additional help is required by the gardener.

Situation

Of course, the most obvious method to prevent unwanted shade on your turf is to ensure that its location is away from objects that will cause problems – however we appreciate that this is often easier said than done.

If you do have the opportunity to lay a new turf lawn wherever you wish, then where possible, you should avoid laying your lawn too close to buildings and other large structures as well as away from large trees. Not only do big trees generate large shady areas and leaf fall, which all add-up to additional maintenance for the lawn gardener, they consume great quantities of water, which, in hot dry summers, can drain the soil of available water for your turf.

Walking

Avoid walking unnecessarily on shaded areas. Grass blades in the shade require as much help as they can get to develop into a strong lawn and the additional wear and tear from unnecessary walking in these areas will make their job much harder.

Mowing

Never cut your shaded lawn turf by more than a quarter of the total grass blade length. This way you’ll be protecting the healthy green part of each blade which will encourage future growth and strength.

Scarification

It’s important to give shaded grass all the help it can get and this means removing competitors from its path. Moss and other unwanted plant growth can choke a lawn if it’s not dealt with properly. Scarification is the name given to the technique of removing moss and thatch (dead plant matter) that exists between grass blades using a fine tined rake. It allows additional room for the grass to grow densely. There are times of the year when scarification is not desirable however, because it can lead to the gaps being filled by further unwanted weeds. Spring and Autumn are usually considered the best time to scarify in conjunction with top-dressing and seeding where necessary.

For further information visit Rolawn’s Shaded Lawns Advice pages.

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Lawn turf – dealing with worm casts & deterring worm activity

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Turf Expert

Worms are beneficial in the garden as their burrowing activities improve the aeration and drainage of the soil. They also improve the nutrient content of lawns and turf by pulling leaves and other organic matter into their tunnels, passing it through their digestive system, in turn delivering a nice compost. However in spring and autumn when the soil is warm and moist, certain species of earthworm can be the scourge of the lawn turf owner, depositing their muddy casts on the lawn surface. If casts are smeared onto a lawn whilst still moist, these muddy casts can ruin the visual appeal of turf. Worm casts may also contain weed seeds. The bare patch that a smeared cast creates is an ideal space for these seeds and other air borne weed seeds to germinate.

Turf

Dealing with worm casts

Avoid mowing or walking on casts whilst moist, as this will smear the casts into the lawn surface. Allow the casts to dry out when they will become much lighter brown in colour and crumble when squashed between thumb and finger. The casts can then be easily flicked away from the surface using a besom broom or an upturned wire rake, leaving only a slight blemish on the lawn turf rather than a large smear.

Deterring worm activity

Although deterring worm activity will reduce the positive effects that they provide, in some severe cases this can be a necessary sacrifice. There are a number of ways in which worms can be deterred; the easiest solution is to reduce the amount of food available for them. This is best done by reducing the amount of decaying organic material in the lawn surface through removal of leaf litter in autumn, the collection and removal of grass clippings throughout the growing season and a programme of regular scarification.

It is also possible to alter the soil characteristics to create conditions that they dislike. Earthworms seem to be discouraged from lawns with a high sand content, probably due to the lower moisture content and abrasiveness of the sand particles. Therefore applying top dressing with a high sand content is one option. Earthworms also appear to dislike soil with a low pH and so the use of acidifying materials in fertilisers and iron sulphate can reduce casting problems. It is worthwhile to note that there are no longer any lumbricides approved for use on garden lawns.

To sum up earthworms are helpful in keeping the soil healthy, however at certain times of the year in extreme cases their presence can affect the appearance of the lawn. This can be dealt with if necessary with a little time and effort.

Find further autumn lawn care advice.

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How To Protect Your Lawn Turf Against Animal Urine

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Turf Expert

We all love our dogs, but not when they destroy our turf. Animal urine, especially from dogs, is one of the leading problems all lawn owners face. The concentrated nitrogen can burn lawn turf, which leads to those all-too-familiar brown patches that annoy us gardener’s so much. However, there are a number of ways to handle this problem. Some of the solutions involve training the animal in question and some of them are turf specific.

Nitrogen ‘burns’ and dog training

Let’s start with the animals. First, it’s important to understand that it’s not the pH of the animal’s urine that causes burns. This is a widely held misconception. The problem is the nitrogen present in the urine, not its acidity. Plant roots wither and die when exposed to high levels of nitrogen.

Sometimes, the urine from wild animals such as rabbits, hares and foxes may find their way onto your lawn and cause your turf problems in the same way that cats and dogs can. Unfortunately it is harder to control such animals but there are things that can be done to prevent or remedy urine from dogs and cats.

You should try to train your dog to ‘go’ in one place by planting ground covering plants or spreading mulch in that area – a pee post can work well for this. Pee posts are treated with pheromones to attract the dogs, encouraging them to use them for their ‘business’. You can also use motion-activated sprinklers in both the front and back gardens to help keep neighbourhood dogs and any other wandering animals such as cats away from your lawn turf.

Turf solutions

Now let’s look at your turf. The first thing you could try is to improve your soil quality. Make sure you have adequate drainage so that urine will sink into the soil beneath the roots of your lawn turf, thus reducing the severity of the burns. By washing the area down with water (one way you can do this is by applying gypsum to the water to neutralise the nitrogen) the nitrogen can be diluted and prevent it from burning your lawn turf. A lot of water must be used, so this solution really only works for spot treatments.

Finally, you might want to consider changing your lawn turf to a form of grass that is less prone to burning. Some types of grass are more sensitive to nitrogen than others. Fescue turf is the most resistant to burning, but perennial ryegrass also has a fairly high level of resistance. This is a fairly drastic step, but it is one way to keep your lawn healthy despite the presence of animals in your garden.

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Springtime for Bark Mulching

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Turf Expert

As with lawn turf care, spring is the time of year when the garden’s beds and borders need some serious attention in order to prepare them for the onslaught of green growth, flowering plants and of course – protection against the dreaded weeds.

Weeds are easily forgotten over the colder months, but it is incredible how nature springs to life as soon as the temperatures increase and the days get longer and lighter. Mulching is one way to help prevent weeding becoming a laborious chore throughout the rest of the summer as well as helping with water retention and improving the organic content of the soil.

There are several materials that can be used as mulch and most are relatively cheap. If you maintain a compost heap as all serious gardeners should try to do, then you’ll have a good supply of mulching material that is high in well rotted rich organic matter. Alternatively, you can buy bags of peat-free compost to use as mulch.

Mulching can also be performed using bark chippings which also have the benefit of providing uniformity in beds and borders and giving an ornamental quality to any garden. Bark mulch has all the benefits of compost such as water retention, weed growth prevention as well as providing plant root insulation during colder periods.

When using bark mulch, be careful not allow the chippings to cover too much of the plants stems otherwise there can be a danger of rotting. An ideal depth for bark mulch is around 5cm, which, when being applied specifically for weed prevention, is to ensure that no light can reach the seeds which would otherwise allow them to germinate. In order to make sure that bark mulch provides effective weed growth protection, gardeners should ensure that the soil is free from weed growth before covering with the mulch.

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Turf Maintenance Following Winter

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Turf Expert

The warm weather has been sprung upon us as spring time has finally arrived. For many, winter has been very cold and the early snow and persistent cold and wet weather will have undoubtedly led to garden turf being affected to some degree.

However, if you’ve always taken care of your turf, then the likelihood is that it will start growing strongly as soon as the sun begins to warm the ground and photosynthesis kicks in once more with abandon. There are a few things that you can do at this time of year to make your turf grow more efficiently and which will also protect your lawn and your lawn mower from unnecessary damage.

The first cut of a lawn during the start of the new growing season is a joy to behold as it sets out the gardening stall for the forthcoming summer months. You must make sure however that the turf is free from any winter debris such as twigs, fallen branches, leaves and other decaying organic matter, as well as stones, pebbles or slate chippings. The latter is often quite a common problem for those whose turf borders with a pathway or drive which has been overlaid with decorative aggregates.

You should also ensure that your lawn mower is up to the job. Remember, like a car that has been sat in a garage without having been started for several months, your mower will need a little care and attention before it is taken out to work. Check any parts that need oiling, check for rust and ensure that any electrical or fuel connections are in good condition. Most importantly for your turf, ensure that the blades remain sharp and adjust the height to ensure a good first and subsequent cuts. It’s generally recommended not to cut more than one third of your grass height at any one time, especially during the spring.

Cutting your turf with care and thought will ensure that it remains strong and healthy and will provide you with a beautiful lawn throughout the summer.

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Birds In Your Garden Over Winter

Posted on December 29, 2010 by admin

Most Gardeners will be aware that their attractive plants, garden turf lawns, shrubs and vegetables all provide a haven for insects, butterflies, birds and bees during the spring, summer and autumn months. With an abundance of lush green leaves, fruits, berries and seeds, it can come as a bit of a shock to wildlife when a cold, hard winter comes along and depletes nature’s larder. And as wildlife is an integral part of what makes a garden, what gardener would not want to play a part in encouraging it throughout the year?

For our native birds especially, for those that haven’t migrated to warmer climes during the winter at least, finding food becomes much harder. This is especially so when snow and ice prevents access to foods that lie underneath in beds, borders and garden turf. And without the natural flurry of insects that are prevalent throughout the warmer months of the year, birds can quite quickly go hungry.

Birds also rely heavily on other wildlife species that are attracted to a warm sunny garden, especially insects and grubs – but again, these themselves are fewer during winter. This is why it can be of great advantage to the gardener during the winter months to employ a bird feeder. Not only will this help the birds during their winter search for food, it will provide the gardener with the additional benefit of being able to watch the many varieties of birds as they come into the garden to feed – an added bonus when many plants, flowers, shrubs and trees lose their colourful leaves, petals and fruit.

Of course, as a gardener, you may rely on insect eating birds to help maintain your plants during the growing months and anything that you can do to encourage them to stay when the going gets tough, should enable you to reap the benefits later on as they recognise your garden as the land of plenty, whatever the weather.

There are many kinds of bird tables or bird feeding stations available to buy, or you could make your own. Further advice is available from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

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Rabbits – Not In My Garden Or On My Turf!

Posted on June 2, 2008 by Turf Expert

Wild rabbits can wreak havoc in your garden, munching on your flowers, bushes and veggies and can prove a nightmare for lawn care. Unfortunately they’re a tricky pest to get rid of – your tasty plants keep them coming back for more. There are lots of tricks you can try however, and we wish you the best of luck!

Trapping The Blighters

Not for the faint-hearted, rabbit traps work best in winter when food sources are scarce. Lure your rabbit into the trap with a tasty morsel and he’ll become stuck when the door springs closed behind him. You can either have rabbit pie for dinner (I said it wasn’t for the faint-hearted!) or release the poor bunny away from your garden. Bear in mind that if you release him, he might just come back!

Sonic Repeller

Like moles, rabbits don’t like noises in the garden, so investing in an electronic buzzing device could be money well spent. These can be installed in the garden and could prove to be an essential part of your vegetable and lawn care.

Alternative Food Sources

Rabbits come to your garden because of all the lovely cuisine on offer. If they found something yummy elsewhere they may stay away. Planting a favourite like clover on the outskirts of your garden could stop the hungry bunnies in their tracks!

Fencing – A Guaranteed Solution

The only tried and tested, successful way to keep rabbits out is to put up a fence. It should be at least 3 feet high and buried 6-8 inches into the ground to stop them digging underneath. It may look unsightly, but the weary gardener would rather spoil the view than let all her plants get eaten by greedy rabbits!

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Mole Invasion and Lawn care – Some Ways To Get Rid Of Moles

Posted on May 28, 2008 by Turf Expert

Moles are all very well when their hills scatter the grass verges at the roadside – they lend a picturesque feel to a rural lane – but when molehills start popping up all over your lawn and ruining the view, it means war. Lawn care can become twice as hard when moles are present.

Unfortunately, if you have a well-drained lawn with lots of lovely earthworms aerating the soil and doing other wormy things, you’re more susceptible to moles. Moles love to eat worms, and as they burrow through your lawn in search of this tantalising delicacy they leave behind a trail of destruction that includes fallen in tunnels and unsightly piles of earth making lawn care imperative.

Lawn Care – Getting Rid of the Blighters

Getting moles to leave your garden can be a tricky job. They’re territorial fellows and like nothing more than to stick around once they’ve found some prime real estate. If you do manage to remove one mole, there’s a good chance another will come along instead.

Don’t give up however – there are several ways to get rid of moles and you might need a mix of methods. Firstly, vibrations drive moles crazy, so try something as simple as installing a child’s windmill in your garden. If you’re into a bit of high-tech lawn care you can buy electronic buzzing devices from your local garden centre.

Trapping and flooding out moles are effective (if a little cruel) methods, but don’t be surprised if the moles come back. You may also drown baby moles so this isn’t a solution for the faint-hearted.

An organic, friendly way to discourage moles is to lace their holes with a garlic repellent like Rolawn Mole Repel. It stops them burrowing further and can curb your problem effectively.

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Handy Hint for Killing Weeds and Protecting Your Turf

Posted on May 14, 2008 by Turf Expert

Salt. Not only does it kill slugs and snails, but it can also be used to kill weeds – and represents an environmentally friendly (and cheap!) alternative to pesticides… but using it comes with several important caveats.

Traditionally, salt is used as a kind of corrosive poison and is applied to areas where weeds can be isolated from other plants – such as between the cracks in paving. Some people apply salt willy-nilly to common lawn turf weeds such as dandelions, but are unaware of some of the dangers of this approach.

Salt and Turf

Firstly, salt is no respecter of boundaries. You might apply it to kill some dandelions, but it is just as likely to harm the delicate blades of turf grass that comprise your lawn turf. It also accrues over time in your soil, potentially retarding growth of other plants in the longer term.

Secondly, salt’s benefits are the subject of intense debate. Some argue that in large quantities it can poison the water table, whereas other people swear blind that it is a great panacea for all weed troubles!

Our Advice

We feel that in cases such as paving, or alongside exterior house walls a little bit of table salt will do no harm, and certainly helps to eliminate dandelions and so on in the short term. However, for long-term use it is best to tread carefully, and look at other organic methods to treat weeds truly effectively, especially where lawn turf is present.

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Dealing With Garden Slugs and Snails

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Turf Expert

Nobody makes friends with garden slugs and snails (other than various parasitic mites which can be found living happily on them).

If these slimy intruders are enjoying themselves at the expense of your flowerbeds or veg patch, there are a few simple, cost-effective and pesticide free ways to deal with them.

Salt – The White Death

Salt might be bad for us humans in large doses, but that is nothing compared to the effect it has on our gastropod friends. Applying salt to them causes their bodies to break down and kills them effectively within a few minutes.

Booze – Lingering but Lovely

If you ever leave any wine or beer in the bottom of the glass (strange concept, I know) then you can use it to create an effective trap for slugs. Simply take an empty jar or margarine tub and sink it into your soil until the rim is level with the soil. Unable to resist the heady scent of alcohol, slugs and snails will wend their unsteady way to the pot and crawl into the booze, where they will drown overnight ready for you to safely dispose of in the morning.

Porridge Oats – for the Faint-hearted

If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of killing garden pests with booze or salt, then the next best step is simply to prevent them from reaching your precious plants in the first place. Sprinkling porridge oats around your flower beds creates a barrier over which slugs and snails simply can’t get across. The oats soak up the mucus they use to lubricate their passage leaving them unable to proceed to those tasty green leaves.

Heavy rainfall can wash them away, so if you are going to use porridge oats, then they will need constant re-application during rainy spells.

Birds are your Allies

Common garden birds such as the thrush simply love to chow down on tasty snails and you can help the process. If you have a shed or garage, simply pick up any snails you find around your plants and throw them on the roof. Before they have a chance to make an exit, your local songbirds will soon polish them off (although they simply won’t eat slugs. The picky beggars!)

So there you have it – four painless ways to minimise the damage that gastropods might do to your garden.

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