Get a healthy lawn in an instant

A turf lawn can be laid out at any time of the year, and is economical too


One may plant plenty of flowers and trees in the garden, but the real beauty and pleasure of a garden lies in having a lush green lawn. A well-manicured lawn is a soothing sight, a relaxing place to sit in, great for children and pets and a showcase of your gardening skills.

The type of grass you put in the lawn depends on how much it will be trampledon, the quality of waterand how much sun the area gets.

Maintenance

Be prepared to spend some time and energy in maintenance of the lawn and keep in mind that lawns require plenty of water.

A lawn can be established from seeds, individual grass piecesknown asstollens,or plugs that are small sections of established grass.

Depending on the time of year planting occurs, these methods may take from two to fourmonthsof care, plenty of watering and no trampling for the lawn to become established. However, it is also possible to have a luxurious, healthy lawn in an instant — by using turf.

This is mature grass with roots set in good soil, sold as strips. It is possible to buy rolls of turf from nurseries, but it is best to contract the job to a professional turf company.

"We will visit your garden, assess your needs and select the variety that is most suitable," says Darren Allan, turf farm manager, Hydroturf International.

Installation of the turf is simple. The ground is levelled, some fertiliser applied and the pre-grown strips are laid out to cover the area required. And the lawn is ready. Maintenance of the lawn can be included in the contract. A turf lawn needs heavy watering for the first week. After about seven days, the grass puts down roots. After two weeks it is ready for mowing.

"A turf lawn can be laid out at any time of the year. It is economical because it requires less water and time than it does to establish a lawn using other methods," says Darren, who obtained his training in turf management in Australia and has managed turf at various golf courses in Australia and other countries. He now manages the Hydroturf farmsin Ras Al Khaimah.

Variety

"We have an area of 25 hectares and we grow a variety of warm weather grasses, includingvarietiesthat can toleraterecycled, high salinityand evenocean water," says Darren. "However when using high saline or oceanwater, specific management practices are required," he cautions.

At the Hydroturf farm, the grass is grown under expert supervision. When the growth becomes dense and well-knit, a turf cutter is used to cut it into 18 inches by 1.5 metre strips that include a layer of soil. The price of the turf ranges from Dh10 to Dh20 per square metre depending on the type of grass and the services required by the customer.

Tips on lawn management

• The soil should be well drained. When using potable water use sandy soil well blended with organic matter such as peat as this will help hold the fertiliser. If using saline water, use free draining sandy soil without organic matter.

• It is better to irrigate for longer time, but less frequently; about 20minutes of watering every alternate day is recommended.

• Preferably water at night or early morning during summer and early morning in winter.

• Lawns are big nitrogen users and must be fed regularly. Fertilise once a month with a mix of organic and chemical fertilisers; low concentrations but frequent application should be the rule here.

• Don't let grass grow too tall. Regular mowing encourages growth. Overgrown grass is an invitation to lawn disease.

• Ensure that the mower blades are sharpened or they will tear the grass instead of cutting it.

• Adjust water pressure so that it is properly absorbed into the soil. Excessive pressure can cause water to run off leaving lower layers of soil dry. This causes roots to remain close to the surface.

• Pull weeds out consistently to prevent them gaining a foothold or use herbicides in areas of concentrated growth. The most effective weed deterrent is a healthy, dense lawn that is well fertilised, watered and has plenty of air circulation and sunshine.

• Common lawn pests include fungi, ants, grubs andbirds digging for food. Use organic pesticides when necessary and use them sparingly

• If you notice any changes in colour, thinning of growth or dying out, consult a turf management expert.


What kind of grasses are suitable for the UAE?

The following warm weather grasses are suitable for the UAE:

Bermuda Grass
Has fine leaves and creeping lateral growth habit. It is deep green in colour, dense and tight in appearance and feels soft underfoot. Bermuda grass can grow in partial shade but will not do well in fully shaded areas. It should be irrigated with potable municipal water or well water with low level of salinity.

Durban — Paspalum vaginatum
The leaves are more coarse and harder than Bermuda grass. It also has a creeping lateral growth habit, but takes longer to tighten and become dense when not planted from turf. The colour is lighter than Bermuda grass. It grows well in full sun,andhas a higher shade tolerance than Bermuda grass. It can tolerate quite high levels of salinity in the irrigation water.

SeaIsle — Paspalum vaginatum
This grass evolved on the sand dunes of South Africa. It has a combination of the good properties of Bermuda grass and Durban variety. The leaves are dark green and glistening and growth is more aggressive than Durban. It grows well in full sun or partial shade. It is drought tolerant and copes with infrequent irrigation by developing deep roots; but can also tolerate water logging.

Its best attribute is that it can be watered with potable, recycled or salt water, though certain management practices have to be put in place before using salt water regularly for irrigation. Hydroturf are the sole distributors in the UAEof this turf grass specially bred for desert areas.

- Information courtesy: Darren Allan