Every hobby gardener who has sandy loam soil in the garden knows: regular sanding in spring keeps the lawn healthy and weed-free. The process is extremely simple and also brings other benefits for the lawn. Now in March is the right time for this.
This is why you need to sand your lawn in spring!
Thickened clay soil poses a major challenge when it comes to lawn care. On the one hand, because it is impermeable and promotes the formation of waterlogging. On the other hand, because it prevents the grass from taking root. At the same time, weeds are well adapted to clay soils and can quickly crowd out grasses.
Sanding can help significantly and has these positive effects:
- It improves oxygen supply.
- Sunlight can penetrate deeper into the ground
- The sand layer with added iron sulfate inhibits weed growth and prevents weeds from taking root.
- At the same time, it promotes the rooting of the grass.
- A layer of sand improves drainage - this means that rainwater is drained into the deep layers of the soil. There is no waterlogging and the roots are not at risk of rot.
- A layer of sand can also lower the pH of the soil. This acidification can prevent many grass diseases.
However, sanding is not a magical remedy that can combat weeds that are already rampant in the lawn and cure rotting roots. If you scatter sand once or twice a year, you can feel the positive effects after the first time. But they will really develop in the next two years. Little by little you will notice that the grass is growing thicker and greener and that fertilizing is better and fasterpromotes growth.
Sand against earthworms
For now: Earthworms are not harmful and do not need to be controlled. However, they can multiply quickly and leave unsightly piles on the lawn. To avoid this, sand the lawn in spring. The worms don't like sand at all and will avoid the grass area.
Also interesting:Fighting lawn pests: You can successfully identify and get rid of the most common species!
As an aid against moss and weeds
Sand can help prevent weed seeds from germinating. Even low-growing moss suffocates under the thick layer of sand. So if you want to keep your lawn free of weeds and moss, you should sand it twice - once in spring and once at the beginning of autumn. The sand layer should be thick enough to completely cover the wild plants, but the tips of the grass blades should definitely protrude from the sand.
This sand grain size is suitable for loamy soil!
Not all sand is the same. It is best to use washed sand for the lawn as it does not contain any chemicals and is less likely to clump together. It proves to be optimal if it has a high iron content. This way you can not only displace weeds, but also moss.
The right sand grain size makes the difference. The rule of thumb applies: the denser the soil, the finer the sand. In heavily clumped clay soil, a sand grain size of 0.3 to 0.5 mm is recommended. The application rate for the finest grain size is on average 4 kg per square meter. The effect lasts about a month and a half.
If the garden soil has a high clay content but is not clumped, then you can also use a grain size of between 0.5 mm and 1 cm. The application rate is 2 kg per square meter.
Exception case:If lawn is sown in spring, the application rate is 500 g per square meter.
Instructions and lawn care after sanding
Choose a frost-free spring day. The temperatures should be above 5° Celsius. Remove stones, leaves, branches and twigs that lie on the lawn. Mow and fertilize the lawn. Then sprinkle the sand as evenly as possible over the lawn care area. Water the lawn regularly over the next two weeks to allow the sand to seep away.
You can lay out the sand until mid-May, but from June onwards the sun's rays are too strong. The sand layer will heat up significantly and burn the blades of grass. To avoid this, you should sand as early as possible - March and April prove to be optimal. This allows the sand layer to gradually seep into the ground.
When sanding, always make sure that the tips of the grass blades remain visible. If you completely cover the lawn with sand, the plants will suffocate.
Avoid walking on the lawn for the next three weeks.Water regularly, preferably with rainwater.
If necessary, you can sand the lawn again a second time - this time in autumn. Make sure that the heat period is over. Otherwise the lawn will burn. As soon as the daytime temperatures are below 25°, you can sand the area in autumn. If it rains in the next few days, watering can also be omitted.
