?The Care of Lawns

The tropics, particularly the wetter parts, do not provide the best conditions for producing the perfect lawn. It does seem to be asking rather a lot to expect grass to remain green during high rainfall and semi-drought, on land that is often very, very acid, using varieties of grass, too, which would make gardeners in temperate countries shudder at their coarseness. And yet, lawns are established and maintained, and some of them develop a very good sward.

Lawns which have been established for several years often deteriorate quite rapidly. There are various reasons for this deterioration: the soil may gradually have become increasingly acid until the point has been reached where mosses and lichens grow more easily than the grass; the grass may be in competition with some of the smaller-leaved trifoliums; or the soil may have become so compacted with hard usage that it becomes difficult for any plant life to live, other than the deeper rooted weeds. Let us consider how these problems can be overcome.

Continuous dressings of nitrogenous fertilizer will for some time promote the necessary green growth, but gradually the soil will become unbalanced chemically and decidedly more acid. This condition can be put right by the application of a liberal dressing of lime, and the chemical balance can be further improved by applying superphosphate at 2 oz. per square yard. All patches of moss should be removed, together with the soil under them to a depth of 2 inches; fill with new soil the holes thus made and plant fresh grass.

Creeping and trailing weeds can be a real nuisance, but an application of lawn sand will help; those runners which survive can be picked out later and the trouble should be overcome. Lawn sand can be made up as follows:

35 parts sulphate of ammonia, 15 parts calcined sulphate of iron and

50 parts clean lime-free sand, all by weight. Use at the rate of 3-4

ounces per square yard, sprinkled evenly over the affected parts.

It is easy to see where soil has become compacted, as rain water tends to lie about in a pool and does not soak away evenly. This condition can be improved by forcing a strong garden fork in at frequent intervals to a depth of 3 to 4 inches, moving it about slightly while in the ground. This will help to break up the soil under the surface. The holes will soon fill in after the next rain.

Unfortunately, all the ingredients for a complete lawn fertilizer are not often available in the tropics, as it should include bone meal and dried blood. However, a reasonable mixture can be made from 3o parts sulphate of ammonia, 65 parts superphosphate and 5 parts sulphate of potash (muriate of potash can be used but it is not as good).

A NEW LAWN: In making a new lawn, it is essential to cultivate the land to a good depth first, before incorporating riddled compost. Then grass cuttings can be dibbled on in lines 6 inches apart across the surface. The closer the cuttings are planted in the lines, the sooner the land will be

covered. Pea:

Spreading grasses are best and, as most of these root readily from the Cdarl, alnodes, individual pieces can be used. An excellent grass is the well known `Carpet grass’, Axonopus compressus, but there are many others which can be used with success.

Lawn cutting with local knives is not a good practice and a lawn mower is well worth the money spent on it as a tremendous improvement will be seen in one season. There are many types to choose from, but the heavier models with a roller are to be preferred.

Grass cuttings should not be left on the lawn, except during the first season after planting, but should be used in the compost heap. If left, they will build up a mat which will later produce a condition which helps the spread of weeds. When the new lawn is established, it may only need an application of fertilizer once a year at the onset of the rains; 2 or. per square yard will be sufficient.