Tips to maintain your lawn always beautiful
1- Pick up all kinds of objects from the lawn,
such as: stones, roots, pieces of wood, glass or
bricks. These objects, besides damaging your
lawn mower and making your work difficult,
may also cause serious accidents, when
thrown in high speed by the cutting blade.
2- Try to eradicate all noxious weeds before
mowing the lawn, manually or with chemical
products under technical guidance. Avoid
cutting them with the lawn mower. Most of
these weeds regenerate easily and its
superficial cut will not eliminate them. In some
cases, mainly in their flowering time, this
procedure might even cause its dissemination.
3- Try to know the species of grass you have in
your lawn. Density, colour and regeneration
capacity are qualities that vary among the
several species. So, you may know if you are
taking good care of your lawn and in the
correct way. Following you will find some
characteristics of the main species of grass
used in Brazil.
Batatais
Also known as Forquilha (pitchfork) or Mato-
Grosso. It is very commonly used. Light-green,
strong and slightly piling leaves. It is resistant to
drought, high traffic, noxious weeds and diseases.
It helps avoiding erosion and filtering water. It is
deal for parks, soccer fields and swimming-pool
surroundings.
São Carlos
Also know as Curitibana or wide grass.
It has, smooth pilelless leaves. Dark green colour.
This grass is good for either sunny or half-
shadowed, humid or rocky grounds. It has a good
resistance to high traffic, noxious weeds, diseases
and frosts. It is ideal for public or home gardens.
St. Agostinho
Also known as English, Imperial or Coastal grass.
Its origin is the brazilian coastland.
Medium-sized width and length, smooth and
pileless, light green colour. It is resistant to
drought, frosts, noxious weeds and diseases.
It may be used either in sunny or half-shadowed
grounds. It is also suitable for salty and sandy
grounds. Ideal for home gardens, country or
seaside house gardens and industrial areas.
Silky Grass
Also known as Bermudas. It is highly resistant to
drought, and is indicated for banks and rocky
grounds. Rapid growth, blueish-green leaves.
Perfect for sunny places, but may be also used in
half-shadowed areas. Ideal for soccer and golf
fields, school yards, industrial areas, public
squares.
Zoysia
Also known Japanese or Korean grass.
Narrow and grey-green leaves. Grows slowly. It is
not too demanding for soil fertility. Resistant to
light traffic. Perfect for sunny places, but may be
also used in half-shadowed areas. Good for
seaside grounds. Ideal for home gardens,
swimming-pool surroundings and sun-bath areas,
and also among stones.
Italian Grass
Also known as black grass. It has fine and
darkgreen leaves. Although it is not a specific kind
of grass (belonging to the lilacea and not to the
grama grass family) it is much used as bedding in
half or totally shadowed areas, and also for flower-
bed borders and declivities.
Cut
4- A careful cut is essential. The first cut should
be done as soon as the grass is rooted, in order
to force its growth and horizontal expansion.
After that, cut it each time it surpasses 5 to 7
cm height. Anyway, in warmer seasons, the
higher the grass is, the stronger it will be, once
that it can better keep the soil humidity.
But do not exagerate, or it will loose its
uniformity and beauty.
5- Do not cut the grass when it is too wide,
avoiding gaps and burnt aspect. On the other
hand, frequent cuts tend to weaken the
nutritious reserves of the grass, being more
susceptible to noxious weeds and diseases.
6- Keep the cutting blades always sharp, avoiding
the grass to be thrashed and not cut.
Blunt blade cutting favours diseases attack,
sometimes of difficult control, leaving the grass
with an irregular and brown aspect.
ENGLISH
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