THE KEY IS THE RIGHT SEED

1) NORTH OR SOUTH ITALY, THE KEY IS THE RIGHT SEED
It sounds easy, but it’s not enough to just randomly choose a lawn mix box with a nice photo on it: reading what it contains, you immediately understand if it’s the right one.

The most suitable seed composition is decided based on the geographical location of the garden. If the lawn is located in northern Italy, the species that offers guarantees for heat and cold is the Festuca (Festuca arundinacea), which must be present in the mixture up to at least 70% and more. The remaining 30% can be composed of: Poa pratensis + Perennial ryegrass if the lawn is in the sun, by Festuca rubra if it is in dim light. From Rome down, however, it is better to opt for Gramigna (Cynodon dactylon) and Paspalum.

So when should the lawn be sown?
Password: right period and correct amount of seed.
– 40gr / sqm for the Festuca mixture, to be sown from mid-August to mid-October in the Northern regions
– 10-15gr / sqm for the Gramigna, to be sown from May to July in the southern regions
After sowing, it is essential to irrigate very, very well: for the first 2 weeks very lightly 4 times a day, keeping the soil always moist (not soaked or dry).

2) WET THE LAWN: ABSOLUTELY NEVER EVERY DAY
Water for a lawn must be abundant and infrequent, Daniela, just like when it rains. Never ever give water every day! Too much water leaves the leaf wet for a long time, creating an ideal environment for the development of diseases and fungi, which love that humidity. It also pushes the roots to remain superficial, exposing them to burns and injuries. Proper irrigation, on the other hand, strengthens the lawn and reduces the risk of disease.

So, when and how should you get wet?
Lawns exposed to the sun should be wet every other day at dawn (4/8 in the morning) and NEVER in the evening: at the end of the day, the lawn releases heat that evaporates a lot of the water you give. In the height of summer in Northern Italy, a lawn needs 30 liters per square meter per week, but bear in mind that even at half the speed, the lawn remains alive, even if a little thin. What must be understood is that giving less water is good for the lawn, not the other way around!

3) CUTTING THE GRASS: THE HOME LAWN IS NOT SAN SIRO
In Italy we tend to mow the lawn every week at a height of 3/4 cm, as if all our lawns were San Siro … So, unless there is a skilled Maradona at home, you can easily mow your home lawn every 2 weeks and have it nice and green using a high cut. The lower the lawn, the more it costs! Just get to 5 / 7cm in height: this solution allows the Festuca to strengthen and fortify itself. Thanks to the 2cm more leaf, the grass does more photosynthesis, so it nourishes and grows better and the roots deepen.

And there is no need to collect the grass: the one that is cut, redistributed in the lawn (the operation is called Mulching: many lawnmowers, even robots, already do it), is precious because, instead of turning into waste for the landfill, restores fertility and water, nourishing our green lawn.