Red alert comes from garden green? Then late August through September is the best time to repair unsightly or bald patches. If they are not too big, otherwise it may be better and more effective to renew the entire lawn from the ground up. The soil still has a sufficient heat cushion, which makes it much easier for the lawn seed to germinate. In addition, experience has shown that it is no longer as hot and less dry in the last weeks of summer than in the period before.

Instant lawn green is possible with rolled turf

Incidentally, bare patches on the lawn do not necessarily mean that these visual problem areas have anything to do with a lack of care. If the green areas are used for playing, sunbathing or an evening barbecue with friends during the summer months, natural wear and tear is almost unavoidable. In the case of small-area damage, it may be sufficient if only overseeding is carried out.

Soil preparation and lawn mowing

First of all, the entire green area should be mowed and any bare spots should be thoroughly cleaned of forgotten plant remains. Then it goes like this:

  • loosen soil at the surface (rake or scarifier);
  • Mix loamy soil with sand, soil that is too loose with powdered clay so that water and nutrients are optimally stored;
  • level area;
  • Distribute lawn seed evenly by hand or, for larger areas, with a spreader.

During the next few days, the repaired area will be kept evenly moist and access is of course also taboo during this time. Depending on the weather and the type of grass, it can take up to two weeks before the seed begins to germinate. After that, the fresh stalks should grow about eight to ten centimeters long before they are shortened with the lawnmower.

Alternative: lay out the entire lawn from scratch

If parts of the lawn had to be repaired year after year, a real patchwork quilt forms over time, which is particularly noticeable if varieties that deviate from the original seed were used for overseeding. In such cases it makes more sense if the entire green area is completely redesigned. However, the preparation of the soil is time-consuming, since the old lawn, including its roots, has to be thoroughly removed. That means digging at least a spade deep first and choosing a time when the soil to be removed is not excessively wet. This strenuous work is made a little easier with a tiller, which can be rented by the hour or by the day in larger hardware stores. The further work steps:

  • Separate the ejected loose soil from weeds, grass clippings and stones using a throw-through sieve (or remove it completely and fill in with new soil as a mixture of humus, compost and topsoil);
  • Amend the excavated or completely replaced soil with phosphate, nitrogen and potassium oxide (optimal pH = 5.5 to 6.0);
  • Rake the soil surface, smooth it out and, if possible, compact it with a lawn roller;
  • Apply lawn seed by hand or with a spreader (amount required per square meter: 20 to 25 grams distributed lengthwise and crosswise);
  • Carefully rake in the seed and solidify again with the lawn roller so that the best possible traction is achieved;

Finally, the freshly sown lawn must be generously watered, preferably with a fine spray.

Dense, green lawn the very next day?

Ready-made lawn from the roll can make this "miracle" come true. It is laid relatively quickly and you do not have to wait several weeks before the green areas in the garden can be walked on again. Laying the green carpeting requires sophisticated logistics, because the rolls should be laid on the day of delivery. And: The water-soaked rolls are relatively heavy with a weight of 15 to 20 kg, so that laying them can be quite strenuous. However, what puts most garden owners off when it comes to lawns is its high price. Depending on the distance to the supplier, costs between 5.00 and 10.00 euros must be expected per roll (approx. 1 m2), which corresponds to about seven times the price of traditional sowing. But as a garden owner, you know that convenience comes at a price.

Category:

Garden design