How to prepare soil for the lawn ?
Correctly preparing the soil for the lawn is necessary for grass to emerge evenly and create nice turf in the future. Regardless of whether it is the enlargement of the current lawn or the creation of a new lawn from scratch, always start with proper soil preparation. Here’s how to prepare the soil for your lawn correctly and with success.
Preparation of the soil for the lawn consists of several stages. You should remove weeds, dig and fertilize the soil, dry the damp soil, break up clods and finally level the ground. If you perform these treatments conscientiously and correctly, you will certainly enjoy a beautiful lawn for many years.
Step 1 – Weed Removal
Start preparing the ground for the lawn by removing weeds. It is very important to thoroughly clean the ground of all annual and perennial weeds. The complete removal of weeds is unfortunately rather impossible, however, everything should be done to reduce their amount in the soil as much as possible.
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The best effects give the use of a non-selective herbicide (it will destroy both annual and perennial weeds), which will penetrate into the entire plant and destroy its aerial part and roots.
Use a non-selective herbicide at the appropriate time when weeds are in the growth phase. After using the herbicide, allow some time to penetrate the plant and decompose it.
In a particularly weedy area, it is worth waiting for the weeds to grow back (and this will happen for sure) after applying the first spray and spray them again with the herbicide.
Typically, the first dose of the herbicide is applied in the fall and the next in the spring, before the lawn is established. The next phase can commence approx. 3 weeks after applying the herbicide.
If you do not want to use herbicides in the garden the only way is to mechanically clean the soil from weeds. However, in the case of large areas of land, it is very labor-intensive and never be possible to remove all the weeds.
Step 2 – drainage
Drainage is one of the most important things to do. If you would put a lawn in a wet area, you will see large puddles of water on your lawn after each rainfall.
You must remove excess water from the lawn surface. One of the easiest ways to drainage is to use coarse sand or fine gravel. To do this, remove approx. 30 cm of the top layer of soil and lay out a drainage layer of sand. The thickness of such layer should be approx. 5-10 cm. Tamp it well, and then spread the garden soil on it.
Attention!
After lining the drainage and covering it with fertile soil, the terrain should return to the same level, not higher or lower.
If the area is too large to lay a layer of gravel underneath it, it is worth using pipes and drains. It is a complicated procedure, so it is worth entrusting it to professionals.
Step 3 – digging and fertilizing the soil
If you were making a drainage layer, you must have already dug the ground. However, if the drainage was not necessary, remember to dig the ground for the lawn at a depth of 20-25 cm. It is best to dig the soil when it is moderately moist (day after rainfall).
Digging with a shovel or fork gives the best results, but if you don’t have enough strength, you can use a mechanical cultivator. While digging, remove any stones, roots and perennial weeds that still remain in the ground.
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When preparing soil for a lawn you may want to replace the top layer with new more fertile one. To do so remove 8 – 10cm of old soil and replace it with new fertile and permeable soil.
Sometimes it is enough to spread a layer of sand about 3 – 5 cm and mix it with the soil. It will loosen the soil under the lawn.
If, on the other hand, the soil is too light. Scatter a 5-centimeter (3 – 4 kg / m²) layer of compost or de-acidified peat substrate (unless the soil needs acidification, then use acid garden peat) and mix it with the soil. Before digging the soil, it is also worth checking its pH.
Important – often forgotten! Lawns grow best on slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5 – 6.5) and before setting up a lawn, you must obtain such a soil pH. To increase the alkalinity of the soil by 1 pH, 300 g / m² of slaked lime should be added. To increase the acidity by 1 pH, add ammonium sulphate in the amount of 70 g / m2 of soil or non-acidified peat in the amount of 3 – 4 kg / m2 of soil.
Step 4 – breaking up clods of soil
Breaking up clods of soil. If the soil clumps into large lumps during digging and you do not break it, it can cause uneven ground subsidence and eventually make the lawn surface uneven. Therefore, each lump of earth is best crushed with shoes or separated into small pieces with a pitchfork or shovel. If the terrain is large, a cultivator can be used for this purpose, setting it to a small depth.
Step 5 – tamping the ground and leveling the surface
If you want to properly prepare the ground for your lawn, you cannot forget to compact the soil properly. For this purpose, you can tamp the ground with your shoes, putting your foot next to the foot, and so on the whole area. Remember to shift the weight of your body to your heels each time you put your foot down.
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After trampling the entire area, the soil should be ruffled and the treatment repeated. Repeat the trampling and raking until the ground is compacted enough so that no deep heel marks are visible.
Obviously, trampling is very laborious and not very effective. It is definitely better to use a garden roller to roll your lawn. Especially on large surfaces.
After tamping, it is necessary to level the surface. This is the last step in preparing the ground for your lawn. The best way is to use a flat board. Place the board on the ground, press it lightly, then move board to next position.
When you do this all over the area, you can see where the unevenness is. Then, any hills should be leveled with a rake and the excess soil should be moved to the holes or removed. Repeat the treatment with the plank and raking until the ground is completely flat.
