Turn your lawn green

By Shamim Saad                             

 

 

One of the first things that will strike you when you start learning about growing your own grass is the many species there is.

 

Pamela Nahamya Abodi, the chief executive officer of Leads Gardener Designers in Kanyanya, says there are many factors to consider when choosing grass for your compound. These include location of your home and type of soil.  

 

Nahamya says grass helps to cover the soil surface, hence preventing soil erosion. “If the soil is not covered, it may create a mess in your compound. Grass makes your home look neat, beautiful and attractive. It creates a relaxing environment,” she adds.

 

There are four ways to plant a new lawn: seed, sod, sprigs and plugs. Seed is the traditional way and has the advantage of relatively low cost. If you are planting a large area, seed is probably the way to go. Most grasses are available as sod.

 

Sod is a good choice when the planting area is small or where one does not have time and resources to nurse a seedbed until germination.

 

Think of sprigs and plugs as pieces of sod. They are essentially the same as sod, but divided into smaller units. Plugs are actually small squares of sod, and sprigs are pieces of mature lawn grass that can form roots and grow. Below are steps to follow when planting seeds:

 

Nahamya says one should ask gardening experts about which grass seed to buy because different species require different conditions to grow well. Compounds differ in sizes, so you will need to be clear about the size of your compound, especially the area where you want to grow the grass. 

 

“This helps in determining the amount of seed needed for the area. If you are not sure of the size, give the specialist details of the compound and they will help you with the estimation,” she says.

 

According to Nahamya, grass seeds are broadcasted per square inch, but this depends on the type of grass one intends to grow. Generally, the seeds are broadcast in threes or fours on every square inch of well-moistened soil.

 

The seedlings will be slightly thin, but these will thicken during the second week. If you overpopulate the seedlings, they will grow poorly, leaving empty spaces on your compound.

After germination, the young grass should be watered regularly to grow well. However, Nahamya warns: “Do not flood the area as this will clog the soil and affect the growth of the grass.” 

 

She says watering the grass does not consume a lot of time, unless one is using a watering can. “There are better irrigation methods, where one sets the hose and leave it to sprinkle the lawn with water as they do something else. 

 

Nahamya says seedlings should be covered with grass to safeguard them from heavy rain and intense heat as these may cause stunting. “Three to four inches of hay covering is recommended,” she says.

 

One should not rush to cut the grass at a tender stage because the seedlings are still developing roots and are using much of the first foliage’s to generate nutrients from the sun. Mowing should only be done when the grass is fully grown. 

 

 

This is a tough course grass that is commonly used in compounds. It is drought and shade tolerant, but requires regular mowing. 

 

This grass is choosy and only grows in places of low elevation, wet, low-fertility and with acidic soils. It is not drought tolerant. “It works well in wet regions and can be easily maintained where the soil is wet, but not fertile. It also works well in yards with shades, whose soils remain moist for a long time),” she says.

 

This grass has thin blades and feels like a woolen rag due to its softness. However, Nahamya warns, it is very delicate and needs a lot of care. 

 

Centipede grass takes long to grow. But it is a fantastic grass for people who are afraid of weeds and other pests affecting the appearance of their lawns. “It tolerates shade reasonably well and the lawn produced by these seeds is usually thick and pretty, if the grass properly adapts to your lawn. It also needs low maintenance,” she adds

 

This grass produces ugly seed heads. If you can get past that, however, and wait for the grass to grow out properly, you can have a beautiful lawn. This grass is often used for “turf” in sports arenas and parks because it can withstand heavy use. 

Nahamya says many people use ryegrass to keep their lawns looking good, as they wait for hardier and prettier grasses to grow. She says ryegrass grows fast and can be a good cover to a lawn that will be planted with other grass.