Thursday, July 23, 2009

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Developing a new lawn Did you know that a new lawn can be developed from live stems (sprigs), solid sod or plugs. Your local nursery should offer solid sod that should be free of weeds and pests. Preparing the site: You should always have a plan of your proposed law. Proceed to dig the area and remove large stones and other foreign material. Add some top soil and organic materials such as peat moss to the area, rake the soil thoroughly and level the area. Sprinkle a granular fertilizer of (27-3-4) by using a lawn spreader to cover the area. The adding of peat moss to your soil is very useful as it enables our sandy soil to more efficiently retain moisture and the fertilizer elements. Selection of lawn grasses: The selection of lawn grasses is sometimes a problem to the newcomer. However, one thing is certain, there is no perfect lawn grass. But, with hard work and good treatment, the grasses that do well to a lesser extent are Bermuda grass and Bahia grass. These grasses can be started by means of sod strips or plugs. Sod strips: These strips are approximately 16 by 24 by 1-1/2 inches thick and can be obtained from your local nursery. You should examine the strips you are purchasing to ensure that they are not dry or spotted with brown or yellowing leaves which may indicate that it is old or has been stored improperly or damaged during shipping. This grass should be watered at least twice per week if there is no rain. Sprig planting: This consists of inserting runners (stems) into slits in the soil so that the leaves on one end show above the ground while the other end is buried deeply enough to reach moist soil. The soil should be firmed over the buried portion of the sprig. New growth will be evident from the joints within a few weeks. Water thoroughly after planting and at least twice per week if there is no rain. Plugs planting: You can make your own plugging tool by using a 1-1/2 inch diameter galvanized pipe that has been sharpened at one end and should be about 30 inches long with a tee at the other end to provide a handle. This tool could be used to dig sod pieces from an established portion of your lawn for planting in your new lawn area or repairing damaged areas in your established lawn. Plugs are a dependable way to start a new lawn by placing them six inches apart. From personal experience, Zoysia is an ideal grass for this exercise. Water your lawn twice per week if there is no rain, and this should be done early in the afternoon between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Planting guide for June Vegetables: Collard, eggplant, garlic, lettuce, okra, peppers, spinach, turnips and tomato. Flowers: Aster, cosmos, gaillardia, marigold, portuluca, periwinkle, salvia, zinnia. Grasses: Bahia, Bermuda, centipede and St. Augustine For help with your garden problems, write to Garden Korner, P.O. Box N-3011, Nassau, Bahamas. Tuesday, June 23, 2009