There are several tricks if you plan for a lush green lawn devoid of weeds and moss for your home garden. One of the easiest and most effective methods is to use lawn sand.
Though this is the traditional method, it is best to understand that this is the technique used in golf courses to make the grass healthy and look impeccably green.
This article is a comprehensive guide that helps you understand the benefits of using lawn sand to make your lawn the best in your locality.
Table of Contents
- What is Lawn Sand?
- How Does Lawn Sand Work?
- When to Use Lawn Sand To Kill Moss and Weed Effectively ?
- How to Apply Lawn Sand – Step By Step Process
- Tips for Top Dressing The Lawn
What is Lawn Sand?
Lawn sand is a dry, fine granular substance made up of three vital ingredients.
They are :
- Sand
- Ferrous Sulphate
- Ammonium Sulphate
Sand, though it has a minimal benefit compared to the other two, it is the one that transmits the nutrition to the soil and the grass.
Ferrous sulphate is a chemical that kills moss.
Any moss infestation can be removed with this. Ammonium Sulphate is the required nutrition for both soil and grass. It is packed with nitrogen and helps the grass grow healthy.
The lawn sand is a practical top dressing for your grass that helps kill weeds and moss while the grass grows healthy and green.
Why is Lawn Sand Used?
It is pretty clear from the previous column as to why we must use Lawn Sand. Firstly, the ferrous sulphate kills the moss and weed effectively.
The ammonium sulphate adds nutrients to the grass and soil, enabling it to grow healthy and dense. That means to say, you can create a golf course type of lawn in your home garden.
How Does Lawn Sand Work?
Let us come back to the same ingredient part to understand the same. The ferrous sulphate kills the moss and makes the grass highly resistant to diseases as well.
The chemical compound lies on the weed that grows outwardly while the grass leaves grow vertical. That means to say, it does not stay on the grass leaf but the moss and weeds.
Ferrous sulphate scorches the weed and makes it look black. This will help you identify the weed, and you can remove them as you mow the lawn. At the same time, ferrous sulphate makes the grass look green as well.
The ammonium sulphate is rich in its nutrients. Therefore, it helps the grass grow healthy and prevents the formation of thatches too. As such, the chemical substance will break down the thatches too.
The sand mixed with these compounds will fertilise the soil over time and allow the grass to grow incredibly well.
The Lawn Sand is dry and refined, and it does not stay on the grass leaves.
Further, it reaches the soil and the moss or weed as it needs a place to stay. Moreover, the dryness of the lawn will not allow it to stick to the grass leaves.
– Also Read –
Comprehensive Guide on Money Maker Tomatoes – How To Grow and Care for the Plant For High Yield
With varieties of tomatoes available, the most popular among the home gardeners in the Tomato Money Maker. Interestingly, the name closely matches … Read more
When to Use Lawn Sand To Kill Moss and Weed Effectively ?
The ideal time for top dressing the lawn is during spring. When the winter is over and not so warm weather is well suited and gives the best results.
It is advised to top-dress your lawn during March and April. However, you can apply it, keeping the weather in mind.
Once the spring starts, you will find new grass leaves shooting. This will be a suitable period for top dressing. Also, one must keep this in mind; the lawn sand is a weed killer and nourishes the grass.
So, if you top-dress the lawn in cold weather, the nitrogen and other nutrients may not reach the soil appropriately.
Do not apply the top dressing during hot and drought conditions. The chemical compound might scorch the grass as well. Instead, use it in the morning times to avoid too much breeze.
How to Apply Lawn Sand – Step By Step Process
Ideally, there are two ways to top dressing your lawn.
1. Hand
2. Spreader
The steps for both the methods are the same, just that you are reducing the manual effort in the second case.
Step 1: Prepare the Yard for Topdressing
Mow your lawn at least 3 days before top dressing. This will help you expose the moss and weeds for the sand to settle.
Step 2: Check the Conditions
Check if it is windy. The substance is dry and fine. However, it might enter your eyes and may not settle appropriately on the weeds and moss.
At the same time, check if the conditions are warmer than usual. Do not apply top dressing if it is too warm as you might harm the grass instead of helping them grow healthy.
Step 3: Check for Instructions in the Package
Get to know the amount of lawn sand to be spread in a square foot of your lawn. The under application will never give you the results. Further, being generous can also scorch the grass.
Step 4: Divide the Lawn Sand
Split the amount of lawn sand into equal amounts.
Step 5: Spread the Lawn Sand
Add one part of the lawn divided between a spreader or a basket (depends on what method you use to spread the sand). Walk back and forth in the area as you do while you mow the lawn.
This will help you spread the lawn sand equally. This time you will walk vertically through the lawn.
Step 6: Spread the Sand Again
Now, walk through the lawn horizontally and spread the sand by moving back and forth the yard.
Step 7: Water the Lawn
Ensure to water the lawn within 48 hours of application. This allows the sand and other nutrients to reach the soil effectively.
Tips for Top Dressing The Lawn
- Do not allow anyone to walk on the lawn till it is watered once the process is over.
- Sow the grass seeds once the lawn is top-dressed
- Avoid Windy weather conditions for top dressing
- Avoid rainy conditions for top dressing too