How to care for the lawn? I know that many summer residents would like to have a lawn on their site. But it’s not so simple, not knowing the specifics of sowing grass, the intricacies of cultivation and care. What obstacles and setbacks can be encountered caring for the lawn? How to avoid them? In fact, when planting a lawn, we don’t think about the fact that the green lawn has a lot of enemies. These are pests, starting with insects and ending with moles. This and grass diseases, which suddenly arising, can completely destroy the green lawn. What lawn care should be in order to maintain its beauty.
It just seems that creating a green soft meadow is very easy. In fact, this is a huge regular work. It is not so easy to understand why the grass turned yellow or bald spots appeared, whether the lawn fell ill or you just forgot to water it on time. Or maybe there are insufficient nutrients in the soil? Or, treating neighboring plants with garden chemicals, their spray fell on lawn grass. Pets, walking on soft grass, can also be harmful - the urine of cats and dogs is poisonous.
How to get rid of weeds on the lawn, stages of care
Blooming dandelions on emerald grass seem to look beautiful. But you will not be touched for long. Dandelions are very aggressive. Over time, they will inhibit the growth of lawn grass. After all, they also need moisture, nutrition. And they will develop, multiply and take away nutrients and water from the lawn. Wheat grass weed doesn’t seem to really spoil the appearance of the green lawn, merging with it, not very standing out against the background of grass. But you know, wheat grass, birch or field bindweed, cirsium, their roots, seeds produce toxins that inhibit the lawn grass.
In addition, weeds can become carriers of fungal diseases. Many harmful insects first appear on the weed grass, and then move to the lawn. Do not miss the appearance of weeds on the lawn. Effective will be the struggle at the initial stage of their development. But the easiest way to prevent their occurrence. Buy only high-quality seeds, as manufacturers often sell them already clogged with weeds. This is the first.
And secondly, the preparation of the soil is an important step in the cultivation of the lawn. Clean the selected area from the roots of weeds. Leave this area under steam. Do not plant anything on it yet. Weed several times per season, preventing the weeds from growing.
In the spring you can sow lawn grass. Its frequent shoots themselves will eventually be able to withstand clogging.
If weeds still managed to break through, then they can be destroyed manually. Large lawn areas are difficult to handle by hand. The way out is selective treatment with herbicides. For example, Lontrel. He will destroy all types of sow thistle, chamomile, dandelion, sorrel, and will not touch the lawn grass. But there is one subtlety. Experts advise in the spring two weeks before using the herbicide to make nitrogen fertilizers. The herbicide will destroy weeds, and fertilizers will nourish the lawn and stimulate grass growth.
Moss on the lawn, how to get rid
Moss often appears on moist acidic soils, spoiling its appearance of the lawn. In addition, moss loves dense soil. If you do not fight it, then over time it can displace grass. Moss does not have a root system, so treating a lawn with a rake in early spring (harrowing) or piercing a turf with a pitchfork (bayonet) is one of the ways to prevent moss germination. Liming the places where moss sprouts with lime, adding to the soil dolomite flour deoxidizes it and also helps to get rid of the uninvited guest.
Chemicals will also help withstand moss. Treat the soil with a 5% solution of iron sulfate. A single treatment may not produce a sustainable result. Spend it 2-3 times every 12-14 days until you see that the moss is dead. When it turns black, you can easily remove it with a frequent rake.
Specialized chemicals against moss are not produced in our country, so they are quite expensive. But the choice is yours. The Swedish Gron-Fri is very effective in combating moss. Manufacturers give a guarantee that during the first 4-6 years after processing, there will be no moss on your lawn.
Lawn diseases and their treatment
Spotted Fusarium and Pink Snow Mold
The causative agent of these diseases is the fungus Fusarium nivale (a synonym for Microdochium nivale). Spotted fusarium appears as spots up to 30 cm in diameter with a brown or pinkish-gray color (lighter in the center) with an orange border. Lawn grass in the affected area looks wet, as if covered with mucus. The foliage of grass along the edges of the spot affected by spotted Fusarium is glued with mycelium of the fungus. The reason for the defeat is rainy weather and fallen grass, which was not removed on time. Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers can also cause the development of spotted Fusarium.
Pink snow mold becomes visible immediately after the snow melts. It appears even under the snow, especially if an ice crust has formed on top of the snow, cr. A big mistake is made by those who arrange a skating rink on the lawn in winter, filling it with water.
Pink mold begins to develop, usually at temperatures slightly above zero. The spots of the affected grass have a whitish moldy color.
Spotted Fusarium and pink snow mold are particularly susceptible to bluegrass grass of various species. The development of these diseases will prevent the care of your lawn in the mowed form under the winter. Do not leave tall lawn grass in winter and mowed, do not forget to clean. Mushroom spores develop well in old dead grass. Treatment of antifungal drugs Switch, Maxim Star, Horus will stop the development of diseases at an early stage. It will not be superfluous to treat the lawn with antifungal fungicides in the fall before snow falls.
Dollar lawn spotting, treatment and prevention
Signs of the disease usually appear in the summer, near the end of the season. The causative agent is the fungus Sclerotinia homoeocarpa. Why does the disease have such a name? Because the spots of straw color on the lawn do not exceed 5 cm in diameter (dollar size). With severe infection, the spots merge and the green meadow will no longer work. Dollar spotting develops in soil with irregular watering and lack of nutrition.
For prevention, it is important not to allow the soil to dry out and to make nitrogen and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers on time. But if nevertheless the lawn is sick, then the fungicides Strobi, Topaz, Healthy lawn will help.
Ophiobolus - root rot of a lawn
The disease is rare. The causative agent is the fungus Ophiobolus graminis. The reason is excessive soil moisture. Excessively liming can also provoke the development of opiobolus. It appears in the spring after shoots of grass. The spores of the pathogen penetrate the root system of lawn grass. The roots become brittle and brittle, blacken and die. A rather dangerous disease, since fungicides are powerless against it. Most of all lawn grasses fescue is most susceptible to this disease. The grass quickly turns yellow and in places of yellowing, ugly quickly form. slightly deepened bald spots. The lawn can be cured of this disease only in a cardinal way: remove the upper sod layer of soil from the surface and destroy it.
Red mold or rust on the lawn
The causative agent is the fungus Corticium fuciforme. Rusty or brown spots appear on the infected lawn. The most susceptible to this disease are lawn grasses fescue, ryegrass. High humidity contributes to the spread of fungal spores. Watering the lawn in the morning, and not in the evening, will help prevent the development of the disease. Hot weather and lack of nutrients, especially nitrogen, can trigger the appearance and development of the fungus. This trouble can arise throughout the summer, but more often at the end of the season.
If you notice the first signs of the disease, then apply spraying with systemic antifungal drugs. For example, Topaz. This is a systemic fungicide. Not afraid of rain, keeps on leaves for up to two weeks. Fungicide Quadris has proven itself in the fight against rust on the lawn. In addition to combating rust, Quadrice treatment helps to thicken the grass and increases its resistance to trampling, delays earing.
And one more piece of advice from gas practitioners: its feeding with carbamide is excellent in dealing with rust (you can use watering under the root, or you can spray the foliar).
Tifulosis or gray snow mold
The fungus Typhula idahoensis is a causative agent of gray snow mold. Signs of infection can only be seen after the snow has melted: light gray moldy spots on the grass. Outwardly, the manifestation of typhulosis on the lawn is similar to pink snow mold. Avoid crusting on the surface of the snow. Optimum conditions for the development of the fungus are created under snow on alkaline soil. About two months before the onset of cold weather, nitrogen fertilizing should be stopped. In the autumn, feed the lawn with potash fertilizers. The fungus that causes typhulosis, fortunately, does not affect the roots of lawn grasses, therefore, in time and correctly processed lawn will quickly recover in the spring.
Help the lawn affected by typhoidosis consists in treating with antifungal fungicides (for example, Fundazole), combing it with a fan rake, and applying phosphoric fertilizers.
Powdery mildew and mucous mold
These diseases are caused by different fungi. The causative agent of powdery mildew is the fungus Erysiphe graminis, and the mold mucosa is the fungus Didymium crustaceum. These diseases are not as dangerous as those described above. You can prevent them by regular mowing the lawn grass.
For prevention, you can apply 1-2 treatments per season with Funadozole (consumption rate from 20 to 40 g / 10l). In shaded places it is almost impossible to fight powdery mildew. The best way to use grassy mildew resistant grass varieties on such lawns. In sunny places it can appear in late spring with sharp changes in night and day temperatures.
We talked only about some of the most common lawn diseases. Alas, there are more of them. And not always this or that disease can be recognized quickly, even from a photo. But the most important conclusion, I think, you have made. If you regularly and correctly look after the lawn, then many troubles can be avoided.