Why They Became A Trend, What We Need To Maintain Them and How We Keep Them Healthy

Turf, lawn, grass. Whichever word you use, they can all be used to describe that patch of green that surrounds so many homes and businesses that so many of us love. We’ll be using these terms interchangeably (we apologize to the professionals who hold a staunch opinion on the definitions, you know who you are) throughout this article. Before getting into the nitty-gritty, we’re dropping a quick history lesson on you for context. Have you ever wondered how and why lawns even became a thing? Yeah, most of us didn’t either.

If you could travel back in time to the middle ages in England, you’d see expanses of grass and meadows surrounding estates that allowed people to spot incomers long before they arrived at the home or castle. The lawns were, essentially, a tool for defense and survival. Jumping ahead to the 1700s lawns and gardens became spaces for recreational activity and a status symbol for the wealthy who could afford to hire help to maintain their landscape. The trend spread from England, across Europe, and over to the Americas and remained a status symbol until the invention of the lawnmower in the 19th century. Before this, lawns were kept tidy with scythes and shears. Yikes.

Alrighty, that’s the end of the history lesson, time to come on back to 2021, where nearly everyone still wants a nice-looking lawn. A lot goes into keeping those lush, green expanses in tip-top shape. Although our zest for a nice lawn hasn’t changed over time, thankfully technology has, and drastically. We now have countless machines, practices, treatments, and more to help install and maintain our lawns. We’re going to dive into a handful of the practices that we can use to rehabilitate your lawn, why they work, and what our machines do.

What are some things to consider when restoring a tired lawn?

What type of soil do you have? Is it sandy or mostly clay? Do you plan on using weed control? Is the grade pitched correctly? Do you have areas where water lingers? What is the pH? Have you had a soil test recently? How much shade/sun is present most of the time? Is the lawn predominately wet or dry most of the year? Do you have irrigation?

If your head is spinning, we get it. This list is a doozy. We won’t go into each consideration in-depth because, well, we’re not interested in writing a book -- there’s plenty of ‘em out there already! The answers to all of those questions are important to sort out if you’re looking for the best approach to achieving the cushy, green lawn you’ve been dreaming of. In this article, we’ll break it down into the basics: who, what, when, where, and how of the treatments, materials, and practices that contribute to a healthy lawn.

Let’s dig in! (yes, we went there..)

Who Will Be Involved?

YOU, YOURSELF, AND SITE STRUCTURES LANDSCAPE.

It’s your space. The process will be easier if you have an idea of what you want. Do some research, if you can, and see what you like. Come to us with these ideas. If you can’t do the research, we’ll help you navigate the process and sort out what needs to be done and schedule visits to do the work, or collaborate on the process with you. If you’re not in the Seacoast area, consult your local professional.

What Are The Most Important Ingredients?

Ken Trulock, Jr., who was featured in our Meet Our Staff Segment using the compost top-dresser to amend a client’s lawn.

SOIL: WHAT CAN I DO IF MY SOIL IS NOT IDEAL?

Soil holds nutrients that plants need to survive. Some soils hold just enough nutrients for grass to survive, but need amending to boost that “survive” up to a “thrive”. Sandy soils struggle to hold nutrients and drain water too quickly, leaving the grass thirsty and dry. Clay soils are so dense that water, air, and grass roots cannot get through the soil. This weakens the grass, leaving it more susceptible diseases and rot.

Soil type is hard to change. What the glaciers deposited on your property is what you are blessed (or cursed, depending on how you look at it!) with. However, poor soil does not have to be a death wish for your lawn. You may find that one of the following treatments could give your yard the jump-start it needs towards a turf-friendly habitat.

SEED CHOICE: WHICH IS BEST FOR NEW ENGLAND?

Choose your mix based on the seed species included and if it is a sun, sun/part shade, or shade mix. Usually, a mix will include Kentucky bluegrass and fescue as the mix. Planting a mix will improve the odds of an even lawn throughout sunny and shady areas. High shade areas will need a specialized mix of varieties that are more shade-tolerant.

When Do We Get Started?

Determining the best time to seed comes down to timing and competition.

Spring:

Common sense would figure sowing grass seed has got to happen in the spring, right? That’s when all the other plants are growing, so it stands to reason that the grass should be sown then too. This is partly true. Yes, the seed will germinate and you’ll see a lawn develop as the weather gets warmer, but spring isn’t the BEST time to seed your lawn. Because everything else will be germinating in the spring, your new grass seed will be competing against various weeds that are floating in from surrounding areas. You’ll have to get out there regularly to scour the surface for weeds and yank them out so your grass will win the battle. Timing relates directly to a healthy habitat for your new grass babies. Spring in New England is notorious for unpredictable weather. One minute it’ll be 60F and sunny, and the next you’ll glance out the window and find low visibility with a whirlwind snow squall moving through. (Ahem, who else experienced this a few weeks ago?!) If we have a generally cooler spring, germination will be slow.

Fall: The temperatures are consistently warm enough in September and early October. Ideally, we aim to apply seed between mid-September and mid-October. The seeds need a month to germinate and establish themselves before the frost comes. After this, the grass will grow dormant through the winter and pop up with more vigor in the spring. As for the competition, well, there is not much in the fall. Most plants are through with their growth cycle and are too busy storing their nutrients to prepare to go dormant for the winter.

How Does The Process Go?

Once we figure out what is going on with your struggling lawn, we’ll develop a program that outlines how we will treat your lawn, then schedule a time to start. Here’s a quick outline of some various services your lawn may need either in single applications or built into a maintenance schedule.

FERTILIZING

Getting a soil test is the best way to know what your lawn needs. You can hire a professional to take the sample for you and get it tested or you can send your own samples to a lab that will break down the nutrient profile for you in a report and even make recommendations for what your lawn needs and how much fertilizer to apply. A great resource for this is the University of New Hampshire’s Cooperative Extension. Learn more about their services here.

Typically, a yearly fertilization program is encouraged if you are looking for a full lawn with even color. We recommend talking with a professional to develop a program that works for you. If you’re in the Seacoast area, give us a call or email Brian.

IRRIGATION

If you want a green lawn throughout the season, the answer is yes. We have had extreme droughts in recent years and unfortunately, this seems to be a growing trend. Water is essential for all plant growth including lawns. With an irrigation system, you can dial in exactly how much watering you want to do, and when. If you have a small lawn and have the ability to dedicate the time, you may be able to handle the watering with a basic hose and sprinkler on a schedule. We recommend watering at dawn or dusk, sunlight will steal the water from your grass and plants through evaporation!

DETHATCHING

Thatch is a layer between the grass and the soil made up of interwoven accumulated dead and living grass shoots, stems, crowns, and roots. A thin layer of thatch creates a barrier between the soil and the living grass and helps protect against heat extremes and moisture fluctuations. If that layer gets too thick it will block water, air, and fertilizer, from getting to the roots and creates a breeding ground for lawn diseases and insect pests. If you have built up thatch, your lawn will definitely benefit from being dethatched.

CORE AERATION

Core Aeration is a way to “till” your lawn’s soil without disturbing the living grass. This is done with a machine that penetrates the soil and removes cores of soil (approximately 5/8 inch in diameter and 1-3 inches long and, to the untrained eye, may look like goose droppings!). The displaced soil cores will break down to regular soil form, mixing with grass clippings and other organic matter to top-dress the lawn surface and open up space for oxygen and nutrients to reach the roots.

Why should I aerate my lawn?

Soil compacts over time, it can’t help it. Natural events (rainfall, gravity, snowmelt) and human use (footfall, vehicle use, mowing) contribute to compaction. When soil becomes compacted, even slight root growth is restricted, resulting in weak turf. When we aerate, we give the roots an avenue to receive the nutrients they need to grow strong. The action of the cutting and pulling or soil cores also helps propagate the surrounding grass. Just like pruning a tree or shrub encourages growth, disrupting the roots of the grass encourages growth and proliferation.

In short, aerating will encourage a strong, healthy lawn without turf that will grow inconsistently (or not at all) or have trouble staying rooted into the soil.

SEEDING METHODS: OVERSEEDING VS. SLICE SEEDING

Overseeding

Overseeding as you would imagine it: spreading grass seed over the top of the lawn surface. It’s best to spread seed after core aeration for maximum seed to soil contact. Adding amendments such as carbon or Milorganite can balance out the nutrients in the soil to prime the soil for successful seed germination.

How is slice seeding different?

Slice seeding is a more involved process that involves a machine with vertical discs that ‘slice’ the soil. Each cut creates a furrow that the machine drops seed into as it moves. This machine is more efficient than spreading seed by hand or with a drop or broadcast spreader. It also allows seeds to come in direct contact with the soil. The slicing action of the machine, similar to the core aeration machine, will propagate the grass roots by, promoting growth from the cuts.

One of our crew members loading compost into the spreader.

Site Structures can help you restore your lawn!

Here is a recent lawn restoration project we did. First, the problem areas in the lawn were identified, and obstacles and irrigation were marked to avoid damaging them in the processes we were to undertake. Those areas were then dethatched and the core aerator was used to pull cores out of the ground. In this case, the seed was broadcast onto the treated areas (overseeded). By dethatching and aerating, the seed was able to come into contact with the soil which is necessary for successful germination. The areas were then topdressed with Gromax super compost and raked into a consistent finish. A bit more seed is added to the compost spreader in the final topdressing. See our compost spreader below with our lawn restoration team loading it up for the top-dressing stage.

If you are interested in a consultation email Brian Mcgrenaghan at bmcgrenaghan@sitestructureslandscape.com or call 207 438 9995