Tamper for compacting soil under a lawn. Preparing a site for a lawn - from clearing the area to digging up the soil and leveling it. How to level a plot of land with your own hands - detailed instructions










This article contains information on how to properly prepare an area for a lawn. We will tell you about the sequence of actions and describe in detail what needs to be done at each stage.

Preliminary work

In order for a beautiful grass covering to appear on the site, you first need to decide how it will be done. There are two options: sowing special seeds and using ready-made rolled lawn. And although preparing the foundation for rolled lawn It is practically carried out in the same way as with the seeding option; there are still some nuances. They relate to the composition of the soil that will accept seeds or grown grass rolled into rolls.

In general, the soil for a lawn should be fertile or neutral. The main criterion is at least 50% black soil. If seeds are used, then the remaining 50% should contain 10% sand and humus, as well as 30% peat. For roll version humus is not required because the base has already been grown. Therefore, 25% sand and peat are added to the chernozem.

But this is done when black soil is present. If the soil on the site is clay, you will have to add fertile soil to it. If there is sandy soil, sand is not used additionally. Only peat and humus are used. Therefore, before you begin preparing a site for rolled lawn or sowing seeds, you need to determine the type of soil available.

Step-by-step actions

When the choice of lawn material has been made, it is necessary to decide on the size of the area on which you plan to make a lawn. The following is done:

    Marking place and its cleansing.

    Alignment plot.

    Digging.

    Formation necessary percentage soil, fertilization, drainage.

    Seal.

Cleaning and leveling

Preparing the soil for a lawn begins with cleaning the designated area. If there is grass growing on it, it needs to be mowed. There may also be old bushes, trees, and stumps. In order for the site to have a harmonious appearance, you need to not just cut down their visible parts, but uproot everything along with the roots. This is labor-intensive work, but it will bear fruit in the future.

Attention is paid to the degree of surface evenness. Sometimes there are elevation changes, bumps, and ruts. In this case, it is better to plan the area so that it becomes uniform. If desired, you can make a slope, but it must also be uniform. This option is convenient in places where a lot of moisture accumulates. All protruding parts of the surface are removed.

If you have regular grass cover, you need to decide how to remove it. This can be done in two ways. The first is to remove a small layer of turf from the top layer of soil. It is advantageous in that this mixture of earth and grass will produce good rotted soil in about six months. To do this, the turf must be laid in a remote place on the site.

The second method is the use of modern chemicals that destroy not only top part plants, but also their root system. It is more reliable because in the first option the roots remain in the ground. They are removed when further work with soil. But the chemicals do not work immediately. It takes time for them to permeate the entire system. This usually takes several days, after which all that remains is to remove the dry residues. The disadvantage of the second method is that there is a waiting period before sowing lawn grass. It must be at least three weeks.

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Digging

The next stage of cultivating the soil for a lawn is digging. It is mandatory even if the site has been cultivated every year. Then a single-tier option will be sufficient. It consists of removing and turning over a layer of soil, the depth of which is approximately equal to the bayonet of a shovel. At this time, the roots remaining in the soil are additionally removed. If this is not done, they will grow through the cultivated lawn.

The two-tier digging option is used in areas that have not been previously treated. It is also used if the treatment was carried out a long time ago or the soil is heavy. This is done in the following sequence:

    A furrow is dug across the area of ​​the site. The depth is the same as for single-tier digging. The earth is moved to the side.

    Remaining bottom layer of soil exposed to loosening. This can be done using a pickaxe or pitchfork.

    Parallel to the first the next furrow is dug. The soil removed from it is placed in the initial furrow.

    The process repeats until the end of the section is reached. The soil removed from the first furrow is placed in the last furrow.

In both digging options, large lumps of earth are broken. When it is completed, the ground is leveled with a rake. At this time, the process of removing the roots of plants that were previously on the site continues. The end result should be a flat piece of clean land.

Soil formation, drainage

The upper part of the area allocated for the future lawn should have the soil described at the beginning of the article (chernozem, sand, peat, humus). It is recommended that its layer be about 15 cm. When preparing the soil for a rolled lawn, the thickness can be less - 12 cm. This is due to the fact that the rolls are ready-made turf mats. If the underlying soil is loose enough and is a clay-sand mixture, lawn grass will grow well. If sand or clay predominates in it, additional drainage is required. To do this, before pouring fertile top layer, small pebbles and gravel are laid. The thickness of this part is usually 5 cm. If the soil is too clayey, the thickness increases to 15 cm. In this case, additional sand is poured between the pebbles. It is allowed to replace it with small screenings. If there is always a lot of moisture in the area, make drainage ditches. In the most difficult cases stacked special pipes, with the help of which water is drained.

Fertilizer application, compaction

Before moving on final stage To prepare the land for a lawn, it is necessary to add fertilizer to the top layer of soil. The main one is phosphorus, thanks to which plants accumulate nutrients, strengthens them root system, new shoots are formed. Nitrogen is also important to speed up growth. Additionally, potassium is added, which makes the grass resistant to diseases and adverse environmental conditions.

When this work is completed, the area is watered so that the earth settles. Then you need to wait until it is completely dry and start compacting the soil. Garden rollers are used as a device for this. This is an important stage, especially if seeds will be sowed. Plants take root better in dense soil. After all the manipulations carried out, the area should externally look like a flat, clean field and resemble a pie with fine crumbs sprinkled on top.

Prices and terms

The cost of performing work to prepare the selected area for a lawn depends on how large its area is. Also has great value site configuration. If it is a hilly area that needs to be leveled, it will be higher than for normal flat surface. On average, the price for 1 m2 is 70-80 rubles. This is for light soil - the one that was processed last year. For difficult soils (clayey, swampy, virgin soil), the price increases to 90-100 rubles per square meter.

It matters whether it is necessary to uproot stumps on the site, cut down trees, or remove garbage. Such work has been carried out since May. The weather needs to be dry. The end could be October if it is not rainy. When the work is completed, it is advisable to immediately begin sowing seeds or laying rolls. Otherwise, weeds will begin to appear, because on vacant land this process is inevitable.

Video description

In the video you can see the preparation of the area for the lawn:

Conclusion

When you want to make a beautiful grass lawn on your property, you need to first select a convenient place for it and decide how the grass will appear. After studying the composition of the soil, you can begin preparatory work. This is a standard set of manipulations, which may vary depending on the complexity of the soil and the presence of plants that interfere with the appearance of a smooth lawn.

You've probably already realized that you have to work hard to get a good lawn. If you prepare the area correctly, the grass will be healthy and beautiful, otherwise your lawn will be a pitiful sight. The lawn can be seeded or rolled, but in both cases the area for it must be prepared in the same way.

Site clearing

Using pegs, string and sand lines, draw a layout of the lawn at the planned location. Now it's time for the heavy physical work. First of all, you need to clear the area of ​​all previous inhabitants: bushes, trees and flower beds.

If grass is already growing in the area intended for the lawn, you will have to get rid of it. This can be done in two ways: remove the top layer of turf with a bayonet shovel (while trying to capture as little soil as possible) or destroy the grass using herbicides. If you choose the first method, the removed turf can be turned into a valuable source of fertile soil; With the second method, you will have to wait 6-8 weeks before sowing new grass or laying turf. Weeds that appear on the site during this time must be weeded out or also treated with herbicides.

All other coverings of the area intended for lawn, such as concrete, stone or brick, will have to be completely removed, including solid foundation underneath them. This is hard work and you may need to hire help for it. Old blocks, stones or slabs can be saved and used elsewhere, but the concrete will have to be mercilessly broken.

Note

  • Work methodically and make sure that you don't leave any un-dug areas. Never dig in wet weather: it is difficult and you will also compact the soil unnecessarily.
  • To turn removed turf into fertile soil, turn it upside down and stack it like brickwork somewhere in the far corner of the garden. In six months or a year, the grass will rot, and you will get completely fertile soil.
  • With the help of digging, you can improve almost any area. Rocky soil will need to be thoroughly loosened with a rake so that the grass grows on a flat surface.

Digging

If you have already cleared the area, it's time to start digging it up. Be warned, this is hard work and you may be tempted to skip this step of preparation. For the sake of the health and beauty of your future lawn, don't do this! You can dig up the ground in different ways, some of them are heavier, others are lighter. If the soil on your site is good, a simple dig will be enough. But if it is too heavy or light, you will have to resort to two-tier digging, which, of course, is more difficult. To make your task easier, you can use a rotary cultivator, although on heavy soil it will be of little use.

Simple single-tier digging

This method means digging up the entire area under the lawn to the depth of one bayonet. When digging, the earth turns over and its pieces break. On rocky or heavy soils, a fork can also be used for this type of processing. In this way, you can prepare the top layer of soil for sowing seeds, but this does not affect the lower level, so the method is recommended only in cases where you have very good drainage or when you know that this land has been cultivated in the past. For example, simple digging is enough if you are laying out a lawn in the place of an old vegetable garden or flower bed.

Two-tier digging

requires a lot of effort. With its help, an area is prepared for sowing the lawn, which for a long time not treated, or area with poor drainage. Working across the site, dig a furrow to the depth of one bayonet, and take the soil removed from it to the side in a wheelbarrow. Then, using a fork or pick, thoroughly loosen the bottom layer of soil. Make the next furrow, fill the first with soil taken from the second, and continue digging the entire area in this way; Fill the last furrow with soil from the first. During the two-tier digging process, you can add well-rotted compost or manure to the soil. If you have heavy clay soil and very poor drainage, add gravel or crushed stone to the bottom level.

  1. Dig a furrow to the depth and width of one bayonet. Take the soil removed from the furrow to the side in a wheelbarrow or on a sheet of plastic. Remove the roots of all weeds from it.
  2. Dig a second furrow close to the first, and pour the soil from it into the first. Add organic fertilizer if required. Continue working in this manner until the last furrow.
  3. Fill the last furrow with soil from the first. Walk around the entire area and break up large clumps of earth with a shovel or rake.

Leveling the area

A flat lawn looks lovely, but on an uneven lawn some (high) areas will be cut almost bare, while on low areas the grass will be too long, which does not look particularly beautiful. Dealing with hummocks and depressions will be much more difficult once the grass has grown, so take the time to do it now. Do this work with all care and keep in mind that as the ground settles, the unevenness will appear again.

After digging, walk around the entire area with a rake, select stones, old roots, and so on from the surface. Step aside often and check the level of the area from different points. Level the highest and lowest areas by moving soil from the former to the latter.

After leveling, it is necessary to trample the ground and thus create a layer in which grass or rolled turf can take root well. After this, thoroughly level the area again.

Leveling the topsoil

The top, fertile layer of soil is like a layer of cream on milk, and therefore you should not mix it with the lower layer, which is noticeably different in both appearance and touch. If the soil level on your site needs to be changed by more than 5-8 centimeters in order to level it, it is best to first remove the fertile layer and place it somewhere to the side. Then all the leveling work can be done at the level of the lower layer, and when it is finished, fertile soil can be poured on top again. This way you will create the most favorable conditions for the roots of the new lawn.

If your lawn area is very uneven or the fertile layer on it is very small, less than 15-22 centimeters, it may make sense to purchase fertile soil. Be sure to mix it with the old one, since no two types of soil are exactly alike. In addition, mixing will ensure even drainage.

Top dressing

Once the soil is leveled, it's time to add some fertilizer for the grass. Adding fertilizer at this stage ensures it is evenly mixed into the soil.

Soil compaction

Between the first raking of the area for the purpose of leveling and the last, which will finally prepare the soil for sowing, it is necessary to compact the soil so that it does not sag too much after the first rain. To do this, you need to trample the entire area, taking small steps and transferring your body weight to your heels. Don't do this after it rains and don't rush it under any circumstances. Walk slowly and try not to miss an inch. Your neighbors may think you're crazy, but they'll see how wrong they were when they see your gorgeous lawn.

Final loosening and leveling

After you have trampled the ground, you need to go over it with a rake again to level out the newly formed uneven areas and remove stones. Here I must warn you: the more you rake, the more stones will appear on the surface. But you don’t need to turn the soil into a kind of fine powder; it should look like the top of a sprinkle of shortbread. fruit pie, while remaining quite dense inside.

Note

If you need to remove the top layer of soil to work on the bottom layer, never pile it higher than 30 centimeters or leave it that way for more than four weeks. In both cases, the bacteria that make the top layer so fertile and biologically active will die due to lack of oxygen.

Preparing the soil for a lawn is comparable to laying a solid foundation for a house. The more responsible you are at this important stage, the smoother and neater the finished lawn will look, and the fewer problems there will be with it later. Be prepared for the fact that it will take you a lot of time and effort, but the result is worth it!

You will need to clear the selected area of ​​debris, remove weeds and uproot stumps, dig up the soil, level the surface, apply fertilizer, compact the top layer of soil, and then loosen and level again. You will have to work especially hard if the area has not been developed before. And it doesn’t matter whether you plan to sow the area with grass yourself or lay a rolled lawn - preparing the soil for the lawn will be the same.

The land for the lawn must also be completely cleared of trees, shrubs, young growth, and former flower beds

Cleaning the area and preparing the area for a lawn

The first thing to do is to clear the area of ​​construction and household debris, wood chips, stones, branches, etc. Just do not bury small debris in the ground, otherwise problems may arise later when using equipment, and foreign objects will interfere with the development of the plant root system. If you had concrete or stone paths where you plan to have a lawn, you will have to remove them completely down to the base.

Video about preparing soil for a lawn

The land for the lawn should also be completely cleared of trees, shrubs, young growth, and former flower beds. Particular attention is paid to destruction weed. Can be removed with a bayonet shovel thin layer sod and subsequently use it as fertile soil (put the sod in a pile with the roots up in the far corner of the garden, and within six months it will turn out to be excellent fertile soil).

Another option is to get rid of weeds using chemicals (Reglon or Roundup), which, penetrating through the stems and leaves of plants into the root system, completely destroy all the grass in a few days. After using herbicides, it is recommended to sow lawn grass seeds only after six weeks, carefully weeding out weeds that appear during this period.

How to properly dig up soil for a lawn

Further preparation of the soil for the lawn involves carefully digging it up. This stage cannot be skipped, even if it seems very difficult. good soil(after a garden or flower bed) it is enough to dig to the depth of one bayonet of a shovel, turning over and breaking pieces of earth. A simple single-tier digging is only suitable for soil that was previously cultivated, since only the top layer of soil is prepared, and the bottom layer remains unchanged.

Well-rotted manure or compost can be added to the soil.

If the area has not been processed for a long time or the soil is too light or heavy, two-tier digging will be required:

  • dig a furrow across the area with one bayonet of a shovel, removing the soil to the side for a while;
  • Using a pitchfork or pick, thoroughly loosen the lower level of the soil;
  • dig a second furrow and fill the first furrow with soil taken from it;
  • break large clods of earth with a pitchfork or shovel;
  • the last furrow is filled with the soil that was dug at the very beginning.

Well-rotted manure or compost can be added to the soil. With poor drainage and clay soil Preparing the soil for a lawn also includes creating a drainage layer - during two-tier digging, crushed stone or gravel is poured onto the lower level.

Leveling the site and top layer of soil

When leveling the area, try not to mix the top layer of soil with the bottom

To ensure that the grass on small hills does not look trimmed, and in the lowlands it does not look too long, you need to take care in advance of how to level the area for the lawn. To do this, walk with a rake over the dug up area, at the same time removing old roots and stones that are on the surface. From time to time, carefully inspect the area from the side so that its level is the same from different points. Move the soil from the hillocks to the lowlands for leveling, but keep in mind: all unevenness will reappear after the ground settles.

When leveling the area, try not to mix the top layer of soil with the bottom. If you need to level out hummocks and depressions, it is better to temporarily remove the fertile layer and put it aside, carry out all leveling work at the level of the lower layer, and then pour the fertile soil back. If there is a lack of fertile soil on the site (the layer must be at least 20 cm), you can purchase it and mix it with the existing soil - this will ensure uniform drainage.

Final preparation of the soil for the lawn

Before you prepare the soil for the lawn, you need to add mineral fertilizers to it, because in any case, the soil will lack nutrients, and fertilizing will not at this stage will allow for the best distribution of fertilizers in the soil. Organic fertilizers applied in spring and autumn.

Video about the lawn, preparing the land for sowing

The leveled ground must be trampled down in small steps or so that it does not sag after rain. In addition, grass will take root better in compacted soil. When the soil under the lawn is thoroughly compacted, walk along its surface with a rake again, leveling any uneven areas and removing stones. As a result, the surface of the earth should look like a pie sprinkled with sand crumbs, while remaining quite dense inside.

This completes the preparation of the soil for the lawn. It is recommended, if time permits, to leave the area fallow for one and a half to two months - the land will settle a little more, and you will be able to eliminate the defects that have appeared, as well as destroy the wave of weeds that will inevitably grow on freshly cultivated land. After this, all that remains is to loosen the surface of the area again with a rake and sow lawn grass seeds.

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​. As for the cost of services, depending on the organization and the equipment used, prices will vary.​

The alignment process itself goes like this:

Cleaning the area and preparing the area for a lawn

​The place where the soil was removed should​ ​If the soil is clayey, then sand should be used to fill the area.​

​The first method - manually - is usually used when leveling small plots land to

How to properly dig up soil for a lawn

​, and it is desirable that the weather during this period be sunny and dry.​

​Mineral fertilizers, which at this stage can be best distributed throughout the area, are an integral component in preparing the soil for a lawn. To prevent the ground from subsiding after rain and for the lawn grass to take root better, the soil is compacted with a special roller after applying organic fertilizer.​

​The grass can be mowed for the first time 4-6 weeks after germination. After about 8 weeks, a uniform, thick cover should form on the lawn.​

  • ​Sow seeds in dry, windless weather. When sowing, ensure that the seeds are distributed evenly. To do this, measure the area, divide it into square meters and for each square meter weigh out as many seeds as recommended for the grass mixture. Scatter each part of the seeds first along the site, then across it. A large plot can also be divided into strips and the strips sown first along and then across, covering approximately 8 cm of the adjacent strip. Plant the seeds into the soil with a fan rake to a depth of about 1 cm.​
  • ​The last furrow is filled with the soil that was dug at the very beginning.​
  • ​Preparing the soil for a lawn is comparable to laying a solid foundation for a house. The more responsible you are at this important stage, the smoother and neater the finished lawn will look, and the fewer problems there will be with it later. Be prepared for the fact that it will take you a lot of time and effort, but the result is worth it!​
  • ​For example, order alignment in winter time you can, on average, for
  • ​10-15 centimeters​

​cover with sand

Leveling the site and top layer of soil

​To independently level an area with a slope you will need the following

​8 acres​

​Advice!​

Final preparation of the soil for the lawn

Next, the entire surface is processed using a rake, giving it the appearance of a dense shortbread cake sprinkled with fine crumbs. After this, the preparation of mail for the lawn can be considered complete. However, professional gardeners recommend leaving the area for 1-2 months and only then starting to sow grass. During this time, the freshly cultivated soil will inevitably acquire several defects (it will shrink and become covered with a new wave of weeds), which will have to be eliminated.​ ​Soil preparation is the first and one of the most important stages in creating a lawn, mistakes in which are quite difficult, and sometimes even impossible, to correct in the future. To carry out this labor-intensive process, it is necessary to clear the area of ​​weeds and debris, dig and level the soil, apply fertilizer, compact and re-level the top layer of soil.​

​It is better to cover the crops with light non-woven material to protect against birds and to retain moisture. If the weather is dry after sowing, the area will have to be watered regularly. Tip: never water with a hose with strong pressure - the stream of water will wash the seeds to the surface, and gullies and bald spots will appear on the lawn. It is best to water your lawn using a fine mist sprinkler. Shoots usually appear after 2-3 weeks. When the grass grows to 5-6 cm, the surface of the lawn should be rolled with a light roller so that the soil raised by the seedlings is compacted. After a few days, the crushed shoots will straighten out and it will be possible to carry out the first haircut. Mow the lawn grass for the first time when it reaches a height of 8-10 cm, leaving at least 5 cm. Then cut the grass every 7-10 days, without allowing it to outgrow.​

Well-rotted manure or compost can be added to the soil. In case of poor drainage and clay soil, preparing the soil for the lawn also includes creating a drainage layer - during two-tier digging, crushed stone or gravel is poured onto the lower level.​

orchardo.ru

HOW TO CORRECTLY PREPARATE THE LAND BEFORE SEEDING THE LAWN | Do it yourself - How to do it yourself

​You will need to clear the selected area of ​​debris, remove weeds and uproot stumps, dig up the soil, level the surface, apply fertilizer, compact the top layer of soil, and then loosen and level again. You will have to work especially hard if the area has not been developed before. And it doesn’t matter whether you plan to sow the area with grass yourself or lay a rolled lawn - preparing the soil for the lawn will be the same.​ ​200 rub. for 1 square meter

Careful leveling

​The top soil is removed and piled up at the edge of the site (all this must be done using a fork and a shovel).​

Compact the area under the lawn

​layer​

Uniform sowing

​materials​

Before the first mowing

​. This requires virtually no cash outlay - just time and effort. From necessary tools You will need a pitchfork, shovel or rake. Manual leveling occurs as follows: you need to remove the top layer of soil (​

Preparing a lawn site step by step

​The best time to prepare for leveling a plot of land is the beginning of spring, since after the snow melts there is more debris on the plot.​

​C​

​Preparing the soil for a lawn, like laying a reliable foundation for a house, will require not only responsibility from the performer, but also a considerable amount of time and effort. A site that has never been developed before will require special efforts. In this case, it absolutely does not matter what type of green covering we are talking about - the preparation of the soil for both the artificial and the classic living version will be the same.​

​It is very important from the very beginning of laying a lawn to avoid mistakes and complete the work carefully.​

​The photo shows preparatory work for arranging the lawn​

​. Leveling the ground with a bulldozer will cost approximately

​10-15 cm​

​10-15 centimeters​

​Having cleared the area, you can begin to perform the following actions:​

​specially​

kak-svoimi-rukami.com

Preparing the soil for the lawn

​Preparation of a site for a lawn should begin with a thorough cleaning of the designated area, which must be cleared not only of household and construction waste, but also such natural materials, like branches, stones, chips, etc. It is not recommended to bury any foreign objects in the ground, since in the future they will interfere with the full development of the root system of lawn grass, and can also damage garden equipment.​

​1. PREPARE THE SOIL

Cleaning the area

So that the grass on small hills does not look cut short, and in the lowlands it does not look too long, you need to take care in advance of how to level the area for the lawn. To do this, walk with a rake over the dug up area, at the same time removing old roots and stones that are on the surface. From time to time, carefully inspect the area from the side so that its level is the same from different points. Move the soil from the hillocks to the lowlands for leveling, but keep in mind: all unevenness will appear again after the land settles.​

​The first thing to do is to clear the area of ​​construction and household debris, wood chips, stones, branches, etc. Just do not bury small debris in the ground, otherwise problems may arise later when using equipment, and foreign objects will interfere with the development of the plant root system. If you had concrete or stone paths where you plan to place the lawn, you will have to completely remove them down to the very base.​

​50 rub. for 1 square meter

  • ​clean up the ground

Digging up soil

  1. ​pegs​
  2. ​) and fold it at the edge of the plot (using a shovel and pitchfork). After this, move the earth from hills to holes (usually there are many such places). And the last step will be to return the top layer of soil to its place and level it (here you will need a rake). After carrying out the above actions, let the area stand (​
  3. ​First, you need to divide the area into
  4. ​for stranamasterov.net​

Leveling the area

The area for the lawn must be completely cleared of old flower beds, unnecessary concrete or stone paths, as well as trees, shrubs and young growth. Particular attention should be paid to the issue of weed destruction. You can get rid of it manually, for example, by removing a thin layer of turf with a bayonet shovel or using special chemicals - herbicides. The second option for weed control is more effective and allows you to completely destroy unwanted vegetation in a few days.​

​Before sowing seeds, the soil must be thoroughly loosened. After digging with a walk-behind tractor, it is enough to loosen the soil with a cultivator. The top layer of soil must be dry before sowing.​

Final works

​When leveling the area, try not to mix the top layer of soil with the bottom. If you need to level out hummocks and depressions, it is better to temporarily remove the fertile layer and put it aside, carry out all leveling work at the level of the lower layer, and then pour the fertile soil back. If there is a lack of fertile soil on the site (the layer must be at least 20 cm), you can purchase it and mix it with the existing soil - this will ensure uniform drainage.​

​Video about preparing soil for a lawn​

​. Consultation and visit of a specialist can cost from​​from hills to holes, and at the end return the top layer of soil to its place and level it with a rake.​ ​After these steps, it is worth visually determining the point at which you need to level the territory, and drive into this place​with a mark of 10 cm​

stranamasterov.net

Leveling a plot of land with your own hands - instructions for performing the work. Press!

Preparing the area for leveling

​two weeks is enough​ ​9 equal parts​ mirabilis

​Read also:​ ​2. IMPROVE SOIL QUALITY​Before you prepare the soil for the lawn, you need to add mineral fertilizers to it, because in any case the soil will lack nutrients, and fertilizing at this stage will allow for the best distribution of fertilizers in the soil. Organic fertilizers are applied in spring and autumn.​

The land for the lawn should also be completely cleared of trees, shrubs, young growth, and former flower beds. Particular attention is paid to the destruction of weeds. You can remove a thin layer of turf with a bayonet shovel and subsequently use it as fertile soil (put the turf in a stack with its roots up in the far corner of the garden, and within six months it will turn out to be excellent fertile soil). Another option is to get rid of weeds using chemicals (Reglon or Roundup), which, penetrating through the stems and leaves of plants into the root system, completely destroy all the grass in a few days. After using herbicides, it is recommended to sow lawn grass seeds only after six weeks, carefully weeding out the weeds that appear during this period.​ ​500 to 1400 rubles​​A slight drawback is the wait, because after all the above steps you need to wait a couple of weeks for the ground to settle down. If there is no desire or opportunity to wait, then you can crush the earth with the help

​peg​​construction level​​) and use as intended
  • ​and for greater convenience, mark them with pegs (insert pegs approximately every three meters)​ ​Before you begin the leveling itself, it is necessary to remove all​How to properly plant a lawn on your property​
  • Add sand to heavy soil and compost to sandy soil. Then level the surface with a board. 7-10 days before sowing, apply a complex mineral fertilizer, carefully raking it into the surface layer of soil.​ ​Video about the lawn, preparing the land for sowing​​Further preparation of the soil for the lawn involves carefully digging it up. This stage cannot be skipped, even if it seems very difficult. It is enough to dig up good soil (after a garden or flower bed) to the depth of one spade bayonet, turning over and breaking pieces of earth. A simple single-tier digging is only suitable for soil that was previously cultivated, since only the top layer of soil is prepared, and the bottom layer remains unchanged.​

Methods for leveling land

​ramming roller​​. From this point, the leveled earth is divided into a grid (squares), and a peg is also driven into each corner of this grid (it should be equal in height to the very first peg - which holds the maximum height)​ ​not less than 30 cm​

  1. ​The second method is to level the area using​ ​At some distance from the ground (​​garbage​​After cleaning the area, the soil for the lawn is dug up. If this area of ​​land was previously cultivated, you can use a simple single-tier digging, allowing you to work to the depth of one shovel bayonet. If we are talking about soil that has not been processed for a long time, two-tier digging will be required. To do this, you must perform the following steps:​ ​3. ROLL THE SURFACE The leveled ground should be trampled down in small steps or compacted with a lawn roller so that it does not sag after rain. In addition, grass will take root better in compacted soil. When the soil under the lawn is thoroughly compacted, walk along its surface with a rake again, leveling any uneven areas and removing stones. As a result, the surface of the earth should look like a pie sprinkled with sand crumbs, while remaining quite dense inside.​ ​Photo of digging up soil for a lawn​
  2. About how to level land plot with your own hands, you can watch in this video:​ ​. ​ ​In principle, the last action is the​
  3. ​bar​ ​cultivator, walk-behind tractor​about 10 centimeters​ ​.​ ​Dig a furrow across the entire area with one bayonet of a shovel.​

    Leveling an area with a slope

    ​For germination, seeds must be in as close contact with the soil as possible. Therefore, immediately before sowing, the soil must be compacted using a roller. In small areas, the soil can be compacted using planks attached to the sole of the shoe. This will allow you to almost perfectly level the soil surface.​​This completes the preparation of the soil for the lawn. It is recommended, if time permits, to leave the area fallow for one and a half to two months - the land will settle a little more, and you will be able to eliminate the defects that have appeared, as well as destroy the wave of weeds that will inevitably grow on freshly cultivated land. After this, all that remains is to loosen the surface of the area again with a rake and sow lawn grass seeds.​ ​If the area has not been cultivated for a long time or the soil is too light or heavy, a two-tier digging will be required:​

    • ​If it’s a tractor, then it’s apparently a very large area. I have a 1.5 acre lawn. It depends on what kind of land and what slope. It seems to me that the slope is not as bad as unleveled holes and mounds. It will be inconvenient to cut your hair. The optimal time for sowing, it seems to me, and they write about this in the literature, is the end of August-September, the beginning of the rainy season. I prepared the surface for my lawn in the spring and summer. All summer I removed the weeds that had sprung from the seeds, so as not to crawl and pluck with tweezers) I did not bring in any soil. Although the soil is poor, nothing grows. I fertilize with Fertika and other cheaper ones, and sometimes just with urea​ If the area
    • ​alignment​​at least 2 meters long​
    • ​. Suitable for areas with a slight slope. A cultivator is a device for cultivating and leveling the ground. A walk-behind tractor is a so-called “pedestrian tractor”. Driving a walk-behind tractor, man walking follows the machine and regulates the process using control knobs. In this case, there is no need to remove the top layer of soil. Leveling with a walk-behind tractor occurs as follows: first, a flat board is attached to the back of the device (it must be screwed to a universal mount). After this, you can begin the process of leveling the ground. The walk-behind tractor initially loosens the ground, and then levels it with the help of an attached board) you should pull the rope over the pegs. This is necessary to make it easier to control the alignment (it can be done as manually, and with the help of technology, more about this below)​

    ​You should start with​

    • ​Using a pickaxe, loosen the bottom layer of soil.​ ​4. SOWING​Are you planning to create a lawn in your garden or dacha?​
    • ​dig a furrow across the area with one bayonet of a shovel, moving the soil to the side for a while;​ ​drive the pegs into the level and level it​small​ ​– thanks to the driven pegs, it will be clearly visible how much soil needs to be added and in what places​​The sloped area should be leveled as follows:​
    • ​To the third type of leveling -​​And the last step is leveling the mounds and other hills and filling the holes with excess soil. It often happens that there is not enough land that is already on the site, so if necessary, additional land will need to be purchased. You can purchase soil from specialized companies for the delivery of soil​ ​area clearing​
    • ​Dig the next furrow and fill the previous one with the soil removed from it.​​Seeds can be scattered manually or using a seeder. The second method guarantees even seed distribution. The seeder can also be used to apply fertilizers. It is recommended to sow by hand only in calm weather. Scatter the seeds in two directions, crosswise. Depending on the type and variety of seed, from 20 to 40 g of seeds are consumed per 1 mg.​ ​First of all, find a suitable sunny area for it. Buildings, trees and shrubs should not shade the future lawn for more than 4 hours a day. Thawed and rainwater. After this, clear the area of ​​debris and stones. Carefully level the soil surface and dig to a depth of 20-25 cm. If necessary, improve the quality of the soil during digging. Add sand to very heavy soil, and clay soil to sandy soil. If the soil on the site is not fertile enough, add compost to it. When digging, you also need to get rid of difficult-to-eradicate weeds, such as dandelion, clover, cornflower, and woodlice. This is much more difficult to do after sowing lawn grass. optimal time For laying a lawn, end of April - beginning of May, when the weather is moderately warm and the soil is still quite moist.​

    Leveling the area for a lawn

    ​Use a pitchfork or a pick to thoroughly loosen the lower level of the soil;​​Depending on what kind of soil you got after the tractor worked - we had clay and we brought in black soil and already planned it.​ ​, then you can level it with your own hands without spending money.​

    ​ Leveling an area for a lawn occurs according to the same scheme as leveling for small areas -​ ​Need​​with the help of technology​

    ​There​​, removing stones, broken bricks, wire, contaminated soil, etc. It is important to know that construction waste should be disposed of in specially designated areas. There are specialized services that can help resolve this issue.​ ​The last furrow is filled with the same soil that was dug at the very beginning.​

    ​5. WATERING 7-10 days before sowing, complex mineral fertilizer should be added to the soil, evenly distributing it over the area and incorporating it into the soil with a rake. After this, the area must be carefully leveled and large clods of earth must be broken up. On a small area this can be done with a shovel and rake, but when creating large lawns it is better to use a motor-cultivator or walk-behind tractor. The soil fractions after this operation should be no larger than a grain of wheat. Now the surface of the soil must be carefully leveled using a large board, dragging it along the surface of the area. During this operation, small depressions are filled in and the tubercles are cut off. Dig a second furrow and fill the first furrow with earth taken from it;

After building the house and clearing away the garbage, it's time to improve the site. I remembered my old dream of a lawn - a lawn with emerald grass, without beds with vegetables. Just next to the house there was free space that was not occupied by agricultural land. It was decided to give it to the lawn. I started reading information on this topic, then planning in what sequence to carry out the work and what seeds to plant. I want to say right away that laying a lawn takes many months. Personally, I have all the stages, from the beginning earthworks It took about a year to see a decent-looking lawn. I’ll tell you how it was for me - I’ll share my experience, which, I hope, will help novice “lawn growers” ​​avoid many mistakes.

After studying the information on the topic, I came to the conclusion that the best views grasses for the lawn (in our conditions) are meadow bluegrass and red fescue. I started looking for a suitable grass mixture in stores. In most compositions there must be ryegrass, which in our climate is not at all ice. For warm Europe - excellent, suitable, but here the ryegrass freezes in the winter, and in the spring such a lawn wakes up noticeably thinned. As a result, I came across a suitable single-species grass mixture - from the True Blue Kentucky Bluegrass variety. Entire bluegrass lawn... Why not? Of course, during the first years you will have to carefully care for it; at first, bluegrass is capricious. But such a lawn proper care considered one of the most decorative. It has been decided – there will be a bluegrass lawn!

So, I bought bluegrass seeds - 30% more than what was recommended by the manufacturer. This is important, since some of the material may not germinate.

For myself, I came up with the following lawn laying scheme:

  1. In spring and summer I prepare the soil: I plan, cultivate, level, roll.
  2. At the beginning of August I carry out herbicide treatment and get rid of weeds.
  3. At the end of August, I fertilize the soil and sow the lawn. I take care of the seedlings: I water them, mow them, and fight weeds.

In this situation, that is, when sowing at the end of summer, the lawn will have time to grow and strengthen before the onset of cold weather. In winter it will leave already formed, with dense turf. And in the spring it will look quite presentable.

This is the plan I followed.

Step 2. Excavation

I started preparing the land for the lawn in the spring, in April. Perhaps this is the most difficult stage, on which the future appearance of the lawn depends. Work is carried out in the following sequence: cultivation, leveling, rolling (tamping). Rolling and tamping are usually repeated several times. This is what I read on smart sites and decided to follow unconditionally.

The site chosen for laying out the lawn

Initially, the soil on the site is heavy loam. It seems to be good, but for a lawn, as I understand it, you need looser soil. Therefore, to improve and drain the structure, I brought and scattered peat and sand on the site.

It turned out as follows: below I have a pillow of loam, on top - a mixture of sand and peat. To mix all the ingredients and get rid of the weeds, I plowed the area using.

Plowing with a cultivator allows you to loosen the soil, make it homogeneous and remove weeds

This cultivator was used to plow the area for a lawn.

Now it was necessary to level the site. How? At first I thought about going over it with a rake, but I have a large area - 5 acres, and I won’t be able to achieve an even lawn. I decided to go a different route. Got it out of the barn aluminum ladder 6 meters, tied a rope to its edges.

For weight, I placed a weight on top - a channel with stones inside. It turned out something like a modernized building regulations, with whom I walked around the site back and forth. I leveled it where necessary and added earth here and there. The process was controlled by a laser level.

Leveling the microrelief of the site is an important component preparatory work on creating a lawn

After leveling, I went over it with a roller. He spilled the soil thoroughly. The leveling-tamping-watering process was repeated many times over two months with level control. By the middle of summer, after the rains, after two hours it was already possible to walk on the compacted area - there were practically no traces left. Then I thought that's it earthworks you can finish.

If the soil is sufficiently compacted, it should not leave deep footprints when walking.

Step 3. Herbicide treatment

Initially, I was generally against the use of herbicides. But... It seems that I plowed the ground and constantly pulled out malicious weeds throughout the summer, but they kept growing and growing. The prospect of endless weeding was not encouraging, especially since sowing time was inexorably approaching. So I watered the compacted area, waited for the weeds to appear, and treated them with Roundup.

Then he removed the dried grass. After two weeks it was possible to start sowing. By the way, by this time, young weeds had come up again, but I quickly pulled them out - this is not difficult on prepared soil.

Material about ways to control weeds on the lawn will also be useful:

Step 4. Fertilize the lawn

From what I understand, some people don’t fertilize their lawns at all or fertilize them once a year with something long-lasting. Probably, such an approach has a place, but only on fertile soils, which initially contain nutrients. The soil on my site is not particularly nutritious, so I decided to go the traditional route and still add fertilizer before planting.

At this stage, the Texas seeder was very useful to me, which can not only scatter seeds, but also bulk fertilizers. First, I watered the soil well, then walked through it with a seeder, added ammophos (nitrogen and phosphorus content 12-52) - 2 kg per sq.m., as well as potassium chloride - 0.5 kg per sq.m. In pre-sowing fertilizer - special attention for phosphorus. It accelerates seed germination and activates the formation of the root system. Then, during basic care, the lawn will need other fertilizers.

Applying fertilizers before sowing lawn seeds will speed up their germination.

After spreading the granules, I hitched myself into a small harrow and went to loosen the soil. A harrow is not necessary; you can also use a rake.

Step 5. Sowing seeds

And then the sowing season began. I mixed the seeds with sand, then divided the entire volume of the mixture into two piles. I loaded the seeder with one portion and sowed in the longitudinal direction. The second portion of seeds was used for sowing in the transverse direction. When finished, I walked over the seed with a rake to work the seeds into the ground a little. No more than 1 cm, so as not to be washed away by rain or blown away by the wind.

Seeds lawn grass you can cover it up a little by loosening the soil with a rake

Just in case, I rolled the crops with a roller. And he began to wait for the shoots.

I would like to draw your attention to next moment. I timed the sowing to coincide with the 20th of August. At this time, as a rule, the drying heat is no longer there, and the rainy season and cloudy weather begins. My lawn is lucky in this regard. After sowing, the weather was cloudy, cool, and it rained often, so there was no need to water before germination. If you choose a different sowing time, for example, at the beginning of summer (in general, you can sow a lawn from May to September), you will have to constantly monitor so that the seeds do not dry out. The soil must be constantly moist, only then will the seeds be able to germinate.

In hot weather, you will have to water 2-4 times a day, otherwise you will have to give up on the experiment with the lawn - nothing will come up or nothing will come up. separate areas(where the soil is more moisture-absorbing or in the shade). To simplify the task of watering a little, in hot or dry seasons it is advisable to cover the sown area with agrofibre - “Spandex”, “Agrospan”, etc. Under the material, the seeds will be protected from loss of moisture, wind, and hot sun. Therefore, under agrofibre, lawn grass grows faster than on open areas. However, as soon as it has risen, it is recommended to remove the “greenhouse”. And take care of the lawn in the usual, traditional way.

Step 6. Caring for the first shoots

The first shoots of my bluegrass lawn appeared on the 10th day of sowing. These were small thin threads, the shoots were uneven. I thought I would have to finish sowing, but no. With a delay of a couple of days, the lagging seeds also hatched.

It is better not to move on a young, newly emerged lawn so as not to trample small blades of grass.

Just at this time the weather warmed up and there was no rain for some time. I placed sprayers around the area and watered the young seedlings every day, in the morning. The seedlings are very tender; as soon as they dry out a little, they die. The soil should be constantly slightly damp until the sprouts develop a more or less developed root system. Judging by my experience, this happens when the blades of grass reach 4-5 cm. After this, you can relax a little. But just a little. Drying the soil before the first mowing can be disastrous for the lawn; it is very sensitive to drought.

I really hoped that the cold would not come ahead of time and I would have time to mow the lawn for the first time, form beautiful carpet and look at the work of your hands in all its glory. And so it happened. After only 3 weeks, the grass stand reached a height of about 8 cm, and it was possible to mow. I watered the lawn well in the morning, took out the lawn mower and off we go! I cut off no more than the top third of the blades of grass so as not to damage the young plants. I liked the result: a smooth, fairly dense rug of a pleasant color. After mowing it started to rain. I didn’t water or mow the lawn before winter. The experiment and observations of the lawn were continued the following spring.

The lawn was mowed for the first time in October.

Step 7. Measures for caring for a young lawn

In the spring, after the snow melted, the lawn sat “without movement” for a long time, probably due to the cold. As there were small sprouts, they remained the same, the color also left much to be desired - some kind of grayish-yellow. But half-forgotten weeds appeared. At first I tried to pull them out, and then I etched them with Lintur. The weeds shrunk, then there were fewer of them - the lawn itself gradually forms a dense turf and displaces unwanted “neighbors”. Yes, and mowing does not have the best effect on them.

Material about possible diseases and lawn pests:

After winter, the color of the lawn leaves much to be desired

Visible growth of the lawn began when the ground warmed up enough, to a temperature of 10-15°C. Now you can look at the result - the grass stand is fully formed, survived the winter well and is stronger.

The lawn has already started to grow and turn green - May

Bluegrass lawn is fully formed - June

This is how I perform subsequent lawn care:

  1. I water as needed. Not every day, but only after the ground has dried. Watering should be plentiful, but rare. In the fall, before the cold weather, it is better to refrain from watering altogether, otherwise the lawn will not survive the winter well.
  2. Fertilizer. For my lawn, I use a three-time feeding scheme per season, that is, only 3 times at intervals of a month. I use any fertilizer for lawn grass with an approximate combination of the main elements 4:1:2 (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium).
  3. Mowing. In the second year of the lawn's life, I switched to weekly mowing, each time cutting off no more than a third of the length of the grass stand.

These rules help me keep my lawn in good condition. in good condition. I am satisfied with the result, I think that my experiment with the lawn was a success.