Over the past couple of weeks I have had numerous people phoning me regarding different types of grass, eradication of weeds, fertiliser applications and spring treatments. I would like to cover a couple of these points today and for some of you this might be helpful in planning and preparing your lawns and gardens for when the time is here.

1. Different Grass Types

C. Cynodon Dactylon (Kweek or Bermuda grass)
Below is a full explanation of how to establish some kweek grass

Although Cynodon dactylon (common Bermuda grass) originates from East Africa, there is evidence that it grew all over Africa before the division of the continents! It is therefore considered to be indigenous to South Africa. This grass has a creeping growth habit, but is far less invasive than kikuyu.

Bermuda grass remains one of the most heat and drought tolerant lawns, using less than half as much water as kikuyu at maturity.

Southern Star is an improved Bermuda grass bred for improved turf characteristics such as increased dwarfness and brighter green colour (standard Bermuda grass has a blue-green colour).

Southern Star is well suited to home lawns, sports fields, runways and fairways (although it should not be mown shorter than 12mm). It grows best in full sun, but will tolerate a little shade. In frosty areas the grass avoids cold damage by going dormant (brown) in winter.

Establishment

When?
Spring and summer in frosty areas. In frost free areas, all year round, other than the coldest times of the year.

Remove existing grass if the area is in full sun and other grasses were growing there before. It is important to get rid of them properly before establishing a new lawn. The underground runners of creeping grasses can be very persistent so you can simply dig it out.

It is best to spray the existing grass with a non-selective weed killer.

Soil Preparation
• If the soil is dry, water the area thoroughly a day or two before you begin soil preparation.
• Spread Super Phosphate at a rate of 50g per m² over the entire area (50 g is approx. one medium sized handful) this is a general recommendation, made in the absence of a soil test.
• Dig the area over incorporating the Super Phosphate to a depth of approximately 15 cm. At this point you could dig in some compost. This is not generally necessary and can cause problems if the compost contains weed seeds and is not well rotted. Never leave compost as a layer on top of the soil as it dries out far more easily than soil does, and will not allow the seed to stay moist enough during the critical germination period.
• Break down clods to create a fine seedbed.
• Spread a balanced fertiliser such as 5:1:5 or 3:1:5 at 30 g per m² and rake into the surface of the soil.

Sowing The Seed
• Ensure that you have the right amount of seed, i.e. 1 kg per 100 m².
• Broadcast the seed over the area as evenly as possible by hand, or by using a drop seeder (a fertiliser spreader will do, as long as you have checked that it does not crush the seed).
• To achieve an even spread, split the amount of seed in two, moving up and down with one half and across and back with the other.
• The seed is very small so you can mix it with sand to bulk it up.

Covering The Seed
Rake the area lightly (using a steel rake), so that most of the seed is covered by no more than 1 cm of soil. This seed needs light to germinate so don’t bury it too deeply. Also, don’t cover with a layer of compost as it dries out too easily and may prevent successful germination!

Compacting
It is essential to compact the area lightly. If you don’t have a roller, then use something like a drum on its side or simply trample lightly under foot. This step is very important, as it brings the seed into direct contact with moist soil, reduces wash-away and initiates capillary action (the movement of water upwards through the soil profile).

Watering
Keep the area moist at all times for the first two weeks. By then the seed will have germinated and watering frequency should be reduced. You may need to water more than once a day. Avoid puddles.

Maintenance

Mowing

Start
• When grass is 6 cm long. Set the mower at its highest setting (no less than 4 cm).

Height
• Sunny areas 2 to 5 cm (lower heights necessitate twice weekly mowing).
• 1/3 rd RULE - Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at a time.

Frequency
• Generally once a week (more if cut shorter than 4 cm).

Irrigating
This grass can be maintained without an irrigation system. A shortage of water will result in the grass going dormant (brown). If water remains unavailable for a protracted period the grass may die.

Although this is a relatively drought tolerant grass at maturity, it still needs regular watering during establishment. Irrigation can be reduced once the root system is established.

Fertilisation
50 g (approximately one handful) per m² of 5:1:5 or 3:1:5 three times a year.

Slow release formulations are recommended, as lawns do best when fertilised little and often.

Pests and Diseases
Take careful note of the symptoms, i.e. spots on leaves, size and location of patches etc. and speak to a specialist in this field. Remember that insects and fungal diseases know nothing about straight lines, so if you see straight lines look for a man-made problem!

Healthy, actively growing lawn is less susceptible to diseases and insects so don’t skimp on fertilising (you can’t avoid regular mowing!)

Good air flow reduces humidity and helps to avoid disease. Don’t over water or underwater both cause stress to all grasses.

Traffic
Where traffic is excessive the pressure can be reduced by setting paving stones or sleepers into the grass and just mow over the top. This is a creeping grass and possesses the ability to cover bare patches.

D. Perennial Rye Grass
Ryegrasses are the most widely grown cool-season grasses in the world. They have numerous desirable agronomic qualities. They establish rapidly, have a long growing season, are high yielding under favourable environments when supplied with adequate nutrients, posses high nutrient contents, and can be used for grazing, hay, or silage. Ryegrasses grows best on fertile, well-drained soils but can be grown on soils where it is too wet at certain times of the year for satisfactory growth of other grasses. Ryegrasses are heavy users of water and will perform less than optimum during a drought or periods of extended low or high temperatures. They are indigenous to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but are grown worldwide. The ryegrasses are considered to be high quality forage and their high digestibility makes them suitable for all types of ruminants. Ryegrasses have numerous desirable agronomic characteristics. They establish rapidly, have long growing seasons, are relatively high yielding in suitable environments, have high nutritive value, and can be used for grazing, hay, or silage. However, the lower persistence of perennial ryegrass relative to other cool-season grasses and the increased drying time of ryegrasses should be considered prior to their use. The use of ryegrass as a part of a forage production system should be carefully evaluated.

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