Do you want the most beautiful grass in the neighborhood? Follow our turf preparation and maintenance tips to get the lawn of your dreams. You will become an expert to maintain this beautiful green carpet. Perfect landscaping solutions for you now.

After cleaning and aerating your lawn, the time has come to maintain this beautiful green carpet. To make it the most beautiful in the neighborhood, here are tips to maintain it to perfection.

Analyze the pH of your soil

Ideal time: spring, summer or fall. The important thing is that the ground is not frozen.

For a green and healthy lawn, the pH of your soil must be neutral between 6.5 and 7. Several garden centers or big box stores offer different kits to analyze it. The Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) also offer 3 in-house tests to determine the pH of your soil. In all cases, take soil about 30 cm deep.

With litmus paper

In a clean container, mix the earth with deionized water and dip a piece of litmus paper. If the paper turns red, your soil is acidic. If it turns blue, your soil is alkaline.

With baking soda and vinegar

Separate your soil into 2 samples. Mix the first with water before sprinkling with baking soda. If you see small bubbles, your soil is acidic. Mix the second soil sample with the vinegar. If bubbles appear, your soil is alkaline.

With red cabbage

Chop the red cabbage and boil it in a pan of water. Then pour the earth into the water. If the water does not change color, the pH of your soil is neutral. If the water turns pink, your soil is acidic. If it turns blue or green, your soil is alkaline. Acid soil interferes with grass growth and promotes mushroom growth while an alkaline soil will be more difficult to work with and will take longer to thaw in the spring.

Lime for acidic soil

If the soil is too acidic pH lower than 7, you can correct it by spreading lime using a fertilizer spreader. Lime takes a long time to work. Apply it in spring for results before fall or fall to see changes the following spring.

Organic matter for an alkaline soil

It can be difficult to restore the pH of an alkaline soil pH higher than 7. The best solution is to add organic matter compost, plant waste, dead leaves, etc. to your soil.

Repair the damaged lawn

If your lawn is damaged, the top dressing can resolve many concerns. To make the repair:

• Air the ground.
• Spread a layer of 1 cm or less of potting soil (compost, garden soil or peat moss) on the lawn.
• Rake the potting soil down to the base of the lawn stems.
• Plant with lawn seeds suitable for the sunshine in the damaged area.
• Bury the seeds in the ground by tamping with your feet or with a lawn roller.
• If the grass does not exist in places, you may need to install sod:
• Remove 2 cm of soil depth from the damaged section.
• Add some fertilizer and soil to the area to be repaired.
• Install the peat rolls.

For large areas to be covered, you will need to pass a lawn roller over it to adhere to the peat to the ground and make the surface homogeneous. In both cases, water the repaired area and keep it moist for about 2 weeks.