People often like to include a beautiful green space in the house landscape. The home lawn is one of the opportunities to achieve that. To create a healthy and lush lawn, you have to choose the right type of grass that suits your climate and soil. Also, you need to water and take proper lawn care.
Read today’s blog to understand the Indian lawn.
What is Home Lawn?
A home lawn is a special area where you will grow grass similar to a green carpet to improve the landscape. Research has shown that landscape architecture designed with natural elements like lawns can help build stronger and more sustainable communities. Natural grass in lawns helps create a healthy environment by improving air quality and reducing carbon footprint. The lawn can enhance the beauty of your home garden, irrespective of its size.
Understanding Indian Weather and Its Impact on Lawns
India is the seventh-largest country with four different seasons. Its weather changes from time to time.
Summers: From March to June, we observe hot summer weather. During this season, the temperature will increase up to 40°C or higher in certain areas. This high temperature causes scorching heat that causes dehydration of lawn grass.
Monsoon Rains: The monsoon season, from July to September, brings heavy rainfall, which can cause waterlogging. Waterlogged conditions can support the fungal growth, leading to diseases that can weaken or destroy grass.
Winters: From January to February, temperatures drop a lot, especially in northern India. Cold weather can be good for lawns but may also slow down grass growth or make some types of grass inactive.
To keep your lawn healthy, choose the right grass type based on your local weather conditions. Proper lawn care practices can adapt to these varying climatic conditions throughout the year.
Choosing the Right Grass for Lawn
You need to choose a suitable grass type for your lawn. The grass should be capable of withstanding varying weather conditions.
Buffalo Grass: This grass type has excellent drought resistance and can withstand hot climates. This grass works well for dry-weather regions.
Bermuda Grass: This grass grows fast and repairs itself quickly. Thus, you can use this grass for lawns where people walk or play often. It grows well in sunny regions.
Zoysia Grass: It has an outstanding capacity to tolerate heat and cold. Thus, you can choose this type if your local climate conditions are unpredictable.
Doob Grass (Durva): This is one of the traditional choices in India. This grass grows well in summer and hot weather with lower water requirements but often requires sunlight.
Turf Grass: Turf grasses are grasses or narrow-leaved plants that can provide uniform coverage and tolerate low mowing and traffic. They can include various species of grass and vary in their characteristics, site adaptations, and management requirements. The speciality of this transportable grass is that different grass seed mixtures are added to customise the grass to handle specific problems such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, shade or heavy foot traffic. There are three types of turf grass based on India’s weather conditions: cool-season grass, transition zone grass, and warm-season grass.
Artificial Grass: If you don’t have enough time and money for lawn care, you can choose lifeless artificial grass. It doesn’t ask for watering and cuts maintenance money; therefore, it is suitable for areas with water scarcity.
How to Choose Grass for an Indian Lawn?
To maintain a healthy environment in your garden with a lawn, you should always carefully choose your grass. You can choose the grass based on:
Local Climate: Check your local weather conditions and choose the grass type that can grow well in your region.
Soil Type: Grass grows well in good soil. You can test your soil to find out if it has the right nutrients. You can add organic compost to improve the soil. Based on the soil type, you can choose the best grass for it.
Maintenance Requirements: Lawn maintenance requirements can differ from one type of grass to another. Consider your time, strength and money. Some grasses need more time, effort, and money to maintain. For example, Doob grass, which is common in Indian lawns, needs regular cutting and watering. Other grasses, like Bermuda grass, can survive with less care and are good for people who want an easy-to-maintain lawn.
Essential Home Lawn Care Tips for Indian Weather
To do proper lawn maintenance, you must understand the unique challenges caused by different local weather. The following are some lawn maintenance tips:
Watering Lawn
You need to use a proper lawn irrigation system to maintain the lawn grass.
During the summer season, you can water your lawn with a lawn sprinkler early in the morning or late in the evening. This will help prevent excess evaporation from sunny weather and heat. Always water deeply; this will support the grass’s root growth. Depending on the grass type and soil, you can water every two to three days.
In the monsoon season, overwatering can cause waterlogged lawns, so make sure to improve the drainage system; this will help control fungal diseases. In winter, you don’t have to water frequently. Generally, grass will be dormant during this season. Thus, it requires less moisture. Before watering, you must regularly check the soil moisture levels to determine when to water.
Trimming and Mowing the Lawn
For lawn treatment, you need to mow the lawn regularly. Proper mowing supports the growth of a thicker and healthier grass structure. Different types of grass need different mowing heights. Keep the mower blades high in the summer to protect the soil from the sun and keep moisture in. During the monsoon season, you may need to cut the grass more often to control weeds. In the winter season, trim less.
Fertilising Lawn
To maintain the lawn’s health and growth, you need to add suitable fertilisers. You can add balanced organic and inorganic fertilisers. However, organic fertilisers will be an eco-friendly option. Always use fertilisers with balanced N-P-K ratios (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium). Use fertilisers during the growing season, usually in early spring and mid-summer. Do not fertilise during winter.
Weed and Pest Control in Lawns
Weeds and pests in the lawn will considerably restrain the growth of grass. Weeds like crabgrass and dandelions grow quickly due to minimal competition from healthy grass. You can control weeds by adding mulch, using natural weed killers, or applying chemical treatments.
Pests like grubs and chinchbugs can also harm your lawn. Check your grass regularly for these pests. You can use natural pest control methods like neem oil or choose chemical pesticides if the problem is serious.
Common Lawn Problems and Solutions
Lawns can undergo different problems that can spoil the health and appearance of lawn grass. The following are common problems with solutions:
Thin Grass: This will be caused by insufficient sunlight, poor soil conditions, or improper aeration. To solve this, make sure the grass gets sufficient daylight. Use gypsum to improve the quality of clayey soil, and aerate regularly to avoid compaction.
Dead Spots: Pests are the main cause of dead spots. Insufficient watering also may cause this. Make sure the lawn irrigation system is working well. Recognise and treat pests immediately. If required, replace lawn sprinkler components.
Your house landscape planning with a green lawn adds magic to it. This magic revives the structure’s life, exuding warmth, personality, and a sense of harmonious connection between the structure and nature. To keep your lawn healthy, choose the right type of grass and care for it according to seasonal needs. If needed, you can consult a landscape architect or a construction company to design and maintain your lawn.
Mithali Konety