Is a new lawn in danger of coming to nothing because the soil is too poor for a green carpet? Then create a dry lawn. Read here how to plant and care for the colorful mixture of herbs and perennials.
How do I create a dry lawn and care for it properly?
To create and maintain a dry lawn, you should choose a full sun to sunny location with sandy, well-drained soil. Use regional grasses, herbs and perennials and avoid fertilizers. Only water during summer droughts and mow one to six times per season depending on the growth height.
Important site conditions at a glance
If there are lean, sandy conditions in a garden, the area is ideal for creating dry grass. Not only do you create a decorative appearance, but you also create a valuable small biotope. In order for a lean lawn to grow well and thrive, the location should be like this:
- Full sun to sunny location
- Sandy, well-drained soil
- With little humus and minimal nutrient content
South-facing slopes or pronounced limestone soil offer dry grass excellent growing conditions. In addition, lean grass is very suitable for areas with sandy soil.
Soil preparation and use – how to do it right
Where the ideal living conditions for dry grass are not naturally present, you can help a little by preparing the soil. Follow these steps:
- Dig the intended lawn area 40-50 centimeters deep
- Fill the small pit with a 35-34 centimeter high layer of gravel and chippings
- Apply a 5-10 centimeter thin layer of sand and topsoil on top
- Work the substrate until it is finely crumbly before sowing and smooth it out with a rake
Spread the favorite seed mixture evenly with the spreader or hand spreader (€23.00 at Amazon) and work it lightly into the substrate with the rake. Finally, water the seedbed with the lawn sprinkler and the finest water jet.
These plants thrive in dry grassland
So that a lean lawn can establish itself over many years, we recommend sowing regional grasses, herbs and perennials. The following overview presents some typical candidates for dry grass:
- Grasses: sweet grass, quaking grass, clump red fescue, golden oats, meadow foxtail
- Herbs: yarrow, meadow bellflower, sage, ribwort plantain, rough dandelion
- Perennials: snow heather, mountain sand bell, heather carnation
How to care for poor lawns with expertise
The type of dry grass sown determines in detail what care is important. If you choose a low-growing mixture of herbs and grasses for an alkaline substrate, the care will be different than for lean lawns for alkaline soil with a growth height of 60 to 100 centimeters. The following premises apply to the cultivation of dry grass in general:
- Do not fertilize poor lawns
- Only water once a week during summer droughts
- As soon as it rains again, stop the irrigation
Tall dry grass is mowed once or twice per season, in July and September. If you create a small, lean lawn, it will be cut four to six times per season. Since a conventional lawn mower is not designed for mowing, experienced gardeners use a scythe.
Tips & Tricks
The perfect care of dry grass will no longer be a headache if your garden is suitable for keeping sheep and goats. When these animals graze on a poor grassland, all the requirements for regular mowing and nutrient supply are naturally met.
