Site preparation for lawn: preliminary work

This article contains information on how to properly prepare the site for a lawn. We will talk about the sequence of actions and describe in detail what needs to be done at each stage.

Preliminary work

In order for a beautiful grass surface to appear on the site, you first need to decide how it will be done. There are two options: sowing of special seeds and the use of ready-made turf. And although the preparation of the base for the turf is almost done the same way as with the sowing option, there are some nuances. They relate to the composition of the soil, which will take the seeds or grown grass, rolled into rolls.

In general, the soil for a lawn must be fertile or neutral. The main criterion is not less than 50% of black soil. If seeds are used, then the remaining 50% should contain 10% of sand and humus, and also 30% of peat. For the roll version, humus is not required, because the base is already grown. Therefore, 25% of sand and peat are added to the chernozem.

But this is done when black soil is present. If the soil in the plot is clay, you will have to add fertile land to it. In the presence of sandy soil, sand is not additionally applied. Used only peat and humus. Therefore, before you begin preparing the site for a lawn or sowing seeds, you need to determine the type of soil available.

Step-by-step actions

When the selection of lawn material is made, it is necessary determine the size of the area on which it is planned to make a lawn. Then the following is done:

1. Marking places and clearing it.

2. Alignment of the section.

3. Digging .

4. Formation of the required percentage of soil, fertilization, drainage.

5. Compaction .

Cleaning and leveling

Preparing the soil for a lawn begins with cleaning the designated area. If grass grows on it, it must be mowed. Also, there may be old shrubs, trees, stumps. In order for the playground to have a harmonious look, you need not just to cut their visible parts, but to root out everything along with the roots. This is a laborious job, but in the future it will bear fruit.

Attention is paid to the degree of flatness of the surface. Sometimes there are elevation differences, bumps, ruts. In this case, it is better to perform the layout of the site so that it becomes homogeneous. If desired, you can make a bias, but it should also be uniform. This option is convenient in places where a lot of moisture accumulates. All protruding parts of the surface are removed.

If you have regular grass cover, you need to decide how to remove it. This can be done in two ways. The first is that a small layer of sod is removed from the topsoil. It is beneficial in that after about six months this mixture of earth and grass produces good rotten soil. To do this, the sod must be folded in a remote place of the plot.

The second method is the use of modern chemicals that destroy not only the upper part of the plants, but also their root system. It is more reliable, because in the first version the roots in the ground remain. They are removed by further work with the soil. But chemicals do not act immediately. It takes time to soak the whole system. Usually it takes several days, after which it remains to remove dry residues. The disadvantage of the second method is the presence of a waiting period before sowing lawn grass. It must be at least three weeks.

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Digging

The next stage in tilling the lawn is digging. It is required even if the site was processed every year. Then it will be enough single-tier option. It lies in the fact that it removes and turns over a layer of soil, the depth of which is approximately equal to the spade of the spade. At this time, additional removal of roots remaining in the soil. If this is not done, they will sprout through the cultured lawn.

The two-tiered digging option is used in areas that have not been previously treated. It is also used if the treatment was done long ago or the ground is heavy. This is done in the following sequence:

1. A furrow is excavated across the site area. Depth is done as with single digging. The earth is moving away.

2. The remaining lower layer of soil is loosened . This can be done with a pickaxe or fork.

3. In parallel with the first , the next furrow is dug out. The ground taken out of it is placed in the initial furrow.

4. The process is repeated until the end of the section is reached. The soil taken out of the first furrow is placed in the last furrow.

In both digging options, large clumps of earth are broken. When it is completed, the ground is leveled with a rake. At this time, the process of cleaning the roots of plants that were previously in the area continues. The result should be an even piece of pure land.

Soil formation, drainage

The upper part of the area set aside for the future lawn should have that soil, which is written at the beginning of the article (black earth, sand, peat, humus). It is recommended that its layer be about 15 cm. When preparing the soil for a rolled lawn, the thickness may be less than 12 cm. This is due to the fact that the rolls are ready-made sod mats. If the underlying soil is loose enough and is a clay-sand mixture, lawn grass will grow well. If sand or clay predominates much in it, additional drainage is required. To do this, before pouring the fertile top layer, stacked small pebbles and gravel. The thickness of this part is usually 5 cm. In the case when the soil is too clayy, the thickness increases to 15 cm. At the same time, sand is additionally filled between the stones. It is allowed to replace it by small screenings. If there is always a lot of moisture on the site, drainage ditches are made. In the most difficult cases, special pipes are laid, with the help of which water is drained.

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Fertilization, compaction

Before proceeding to the final stage of preparing the ground for a lawn, it is necessary to apply fertilizer to the upper soil layer. The main thing is phosphorus, thanks to which nutrients accumulate in plants, their root system is strengthened, new shoots are formed. Nitrogen is also important to accelerate growth. Potassium is additionally added, making the grass resistant to diseases and adverse environmental conditions.

When and this work is done, the plot is watered so that the earth settles. Then you need to wait until it is completely dry and proceed to the tamping of the soil. As a device for this garden rollers are used. This is an important step, especially if the seed will be sown. In dense ground plants better root. After all the manipulations carried out, the plot should look like a flat, clean field and resemble a cake, on top of which a fine crumb is poured.

Prices and terms

The cost of work on the preparation of the selected area for a lawn depends on how big is its area. Also important is the configuration of the site. If it is a hilly terrain that needs to be leveled, it will be higher than for an ordinary flat surface. On average, the price for 1 m ² is 70-80 rubles. This is for light ground - the one that was processed last year. With complex soils (clay, marshy, virgin) the price increases to 90-100 rubles per square meter.

It matters whether it is necessary to uproot stumps, cut down trees and take out garbage at the site. Performed such work, starting in May. It is necessary to establish dry weather. The end may be October, if it is not rainy. When the work is completed, it is advisable to immediately begin sowing seeds or laying rolls. Otherwise, weeds will start to appear, because this process is inevitable on a free land.

In the video you can see the preparation of a section for a lawn:

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Conclusion

When there is a desire to make a beautiful grassy lawn on the site, you must first choose a convenient place for it and decide how the grass will appear. After studying the composition of the soil, you can proceed to the preparatory work. This is a standard set of manipulations, which can vary depending on the complexity of the soil and the presence of plants that prevent the appearance of a smooth lawn.