Forget A Lawn – Get A Bowling Green Instead

Crown Green Bowls might be for pensioners, but the old timers know how to maintain a lawn. A bowling green is like a carpet, and gardeners are often envious. “Why can’t I get my lawn like that?” jealous homeowners fire back. Grass grows everywhere, yet the patch at the back of your house is the hardest to curate. No matter what you try, it seems to be overgrown, patchy and discoloured in places.

An ideal garden has a lawn that is full and a vivid green shade. It’s a pipedream, or at least that’s what the average gardener thinks. After all, it takes too much hard work and skill, right? Creating a lawn that looks like a bowling green isn’t straightforward, yet it isn’t impossible either. These are the tips which you should keep in mind. If you can’t be bothered, you can always ask one of the bowlers to take a look!

Revolution Vs. Evolution

Normally, it’s better to try and save the lawn before ripping it up and starting anew. However, the grass is notoriously stubborn and it will only take if the conditions are immaculate. Considering there are still patches of soil, it’s safe to say the surroundings are not perfect. But, you can change that by tearing out the grass that exists and manicuring the earth. All you need is a spade, an afternoon off, and lots of elbow grease. Simply turn the lawn over and cut up the old grass with the shovel. Then, leave the garden to decompose for a while, still using the spade to get into the roots. When the conditions are right, add the lawn seeds of your choice and mix it with fertiliser. In the winter, there’s no need to add water unless there is an unexpected drought.

Slitting Machine

For the Darwinists among you, evolution is the way forward. The key is to kill the old grass and to use the roots to create new seedlings. Although it sounds difficult, it’s easy enough with a slitting machine. The device gets deep into the dirt and attacks the lawn at the roots. What happens next is Mother Nature at her finest. Because they are split, the new ones will grow out of the old grass which is dying. It’s amazing stuff, and miles easier than turning over and re-turfing a garden. For those of you without a slitter, all good home stores have them and some bad ones too. Or, you can use the edge of a spade to cut through the soil.

De-weed

Like all plants, grass needs food, water, and space to grow. When it has all three, it will flourish and flower in no time. The problem is other plants and flowers. Life is a competition to them, and they will take as many nutrients as they can get to survive. Think of it as the battle of the fittest. Should the grass roots and seeds lose out, they will die and the lawn will stay a soiled mess. Turning over the old lawn or slitting it gives you the perfect opportunity to tackle weeds. During both processes, it’s not hard to target the roots and pull them out whole. Or, use a rake to pick up the leftover moss, twigs, and stones. Another option is to add poison to the dirt and destroy the roots. Only do this if the weeds are not near the lawn. Otherwise, the pesticide could target the grass roots also.

Fertilise

Once there are no bare patches, you can add fertiliser to give the grass a bold, green colour. The trick is to find a perfect match because some batches are for a specific use only. Start by looking for a lawn fertiliser, preferably one that doesn’t contain harmful chemicals. If you have any trouble, opt for a brand which has an excellent reputation. As soon as you pay at the checkout, you can mix it with the soil to enhance the nutrients in the ground. Do be careful not to add too much. As a rule, go little and often and then add extra if the grass needs help. The green warriors among you might want to create a fertiliser with compost. It’s not difficult to break down leftover waste and to introduce sulphate of potash and iron with silver sand.

Watch Out

Finally, you have to keep an eye on the lawn for any unforeseen circumstances. Grass has a way of throwing up unpredictable situations which you will need to tackle ASAP.

Ultimately, a bowling green-like lawn needs lots of love and attention.