Q. We have a 200 square
foot lawn that gets morning sun and late afternoon shade. The whole thing is
brown now and I think it’s because we overwatered it for the last few months. When
we first put down the sod I don’t know if we had a good enough base. How many
inches of good soil should we should have above the hard stuff?
A. First things first. You
cannot have a good lawn without a good irrigation system in our desert climate.
Please be sure your irrigation system was designed and installed correctly.
cannot have a good lawn without a good irrigation system in our desert climate.
Please be sure your irrigation system was designed and installed correctly.
There is a lot of engineering that must be considered
when designing an irrigation system. Make sure you have “head-to-head
coverage” and your operating water pressure lies within guidelines of the
sprinkler manufacturer. Select pop-up sprinklers that clear the surrounding
grass at the maximum mowing height.
when designing an irrigation system. Make sure you have “head-to-head
coverage” and your operating water pressure lies within guidelines of the
sprinkler manufacturer. Select pop-up sprinklers that clear the surrounding
grass at the maximum mowing height.
Soil preparation is important before establishing lawn. But
lawns have been successfully established on poor soils and the soil improved
after lawn establishment. I don’t recommend doing it this way but it can be
done.
lawns have been successfully established on poor soils and the soil improved
after lawn establishment. I don’t recommend doing it this way but it can be
done.
It seems like no soil preparation before establishing the
lawn would save money but it actually doesn’t. Inadequate or no soil
preparation prior to planting makes a lawn difficult to manage, particularly
during the summer months. Lawns established the “inexpensive way” are subject
to more disease and irrigation problems.
lawn would save money but it actually doesn’t. Inadequate or no soil
preparation prior to planting makes a lawn difficult to manage, particularly
during the summer months. Lawns established the “inexpensive way” are subject
to more disease and irrigation problems.
How to improve it
after the lawn has been already planted? Irrigate the lawn and while the lawn
is still moist, aerate it with a gasoline driven aerator. Stay away from
sprinkler heads and hopefully the irrigation pipe was installed more than 4
inches deep or you’ll break the pipe.
after the lawn has been already planted? Irrigate the lawn and while the lawn
is still moist, aerate it with a gasoline driven aerator. Stay away from
sprinkler heads and hopefully the irrigation pipe was installed more than 4
inches deep or you’ll break the pipe.
After punching holes with an aerator, apply a top
dressing to the lawn and rake it into the holes followed by an irrigation. A
good quality top dressing is screened to 1/8 inch minus and can be purchased
from Viragrow in Las Vegas. It’s the same top dressing used on golf courses. Do
this once a year for the next 2 or 3 years in spring or fall and you will see a
dramatic improvement IF the lawn has a good irrigation system.
dressing to the lawn and rake it into the holes followed by an irrigation. A
good quality top dressing is screened to 1/8 inch minus and can be purchased
from Viragrow in Las Vegas. It’s the same top dressing used on golf courses. Do
this once a year for the next 2 or 3 years in spring or fall and you will see a
dramatic improvement IF the lawn has a good irrigation system.
Don’t bag your lawn clippings. Recycle them back into the
lawn. Most lawnmowers now are recycling mowers and chop the lawn grasses fine
enough so there are no problems afterwards. If you have an older mower that is
not a recycling mower, retrofit it with a mulching blade and mow the grass more
slowly than you would normally. Don’t bag the clippings.
lawn. Most lawnmowers now are recycling mowers and chop the lawn grasses fine
enough so there are no problems afterwards. If you have an older mower that is
not a recycling mower, retrofit it with a mulching blade and mow the grass more
slowly than you would normally. Don’t bag the clippings.
Ideally, new lawns should have a 12 inch base of good
soil. If that is not practical, then a 6 inch base would be the minimum.
Removing that much soil and replacing it with good soil would be expensive and
a lot of work.
soil. If that is not practical, then a 6 inch base would be the minimum.
Removing that much soil and replacing it with good soil would be expensive and
a lot of work.
It would be better to mix a 1-inch layer of compost with
your existing soil and mixing or tilling it in. No fertilizer is needed the
first season after planting if a good quality compost is used.
your existing soil and mixing or tilling it in. No fertilizer is needed the
first season after planting if a good quality compost is used.