A neat and beautiful lawn that does not require a haircut is the dream of many summer residents. For them, low-growing lawn grasses are now available for sale, which are cut only 1–4 times a year. Such plants are perfect for those who can not devote much time to them.

Varieties of undersized lawn grasses

For the preparation of undersized coverings of the sites, certain types and varieties of herbs are used. They do not grow tall and are great for a lazy lawn. In this case, the plants grow well, are perennials and reproduce seamlessly vegetatively. They can be used for various types of grass cover.

Polevosnaya shoot

This low-growing perennial grass is great for arranging a personal plot. It has a juicy green color that persists during the entire warm period and does not become yellow. During the summer, one bush can sprout and cover with its greenery a plot of more than 1 m². Polevosnaya shoot forms a soft natural coating, which is nice to walk barefoot. The bushes grow to 12 cm and do not need to be mowed.

Did you know? In 2014, the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation, there were 48 varieties of meadow bluegrass. Among them there are undersized options, for example, Dolphin.

Polevoshnaya is relatively resistant to trampling. Moreover, walking on such grass contributes to its growth, as the shoots are pressed to the ground and take root, but it is not particularly suitable for sports loads. It is often used for playgrounds and a decorative lawn around flower beds.

The polevole, when watering and the introduction of nutrients is adjusted, grows in length. Therefore, you may need a haircut. Since the culture grows in height rather slowly, the shortening procedure is carried out for the entire season no more than 4 times.

This plant culture is unpretentious to the place of planting - it grows on any soil, normally tolerates sunlight and shading. In order for the lawn to please with its juicy greens, it must be regularly watered in dry and hot weather, since drought is unacceptable. If water was missed in the heat and the grass withered, then good hydration will quickly return it to its former greens.

Bluegrass meadow

Meadowgrass meadow forms a soft lawn, on which it is pleasant to run for children and adults. This vegetation is resistant to cold and dry weather. It emerges in early spring, immediately after the snow melts and delights with its greenery until the end of autumn. Bluegrass meadow retains its green color even under snow cover. It is resistant to trampling. This plant can be safely used for sports grounds.

Meadowgrass meadow is prone to powdery mildew. Therefore, it does not need to be planted in the shade. Treatment with Bordeaux fluid in the spring to prevent the appearance of this fungal disease will also not be superfluous.

In the second year there is a need to have a haircut. Since the blades of grass grow slowly, this procedure is rarely performed. In places of active pastime, the plant is trampled into the ground and growth is not particularly noticeable.

During hot and dry weather, such a lawn “falls asleep”, but when watering or precipitation, it quickly restores its juicy greens. The site, planted with meadowgrass meadow, will delight more than one year, without requiring careful care. In the first year after planting, the grass has a length of not more than 10 cm, since in this period there is an active development of the roots.

Undersized clover

Clover is perhaps the least in need of mowing. This plant crop literally spreads on the ground without rising. The spherical buds that appear during flowering give the lawn an attractive appearance. Usually, white clover is chosen for planting. It will look beautiful as a background for bushes, flower beds and alpine hills. There are dwarf varieties of white clover, which do not need a scythe at all.

Did you know? Clover enriches the soil like legumes. There are nodules on its roots, on which bacteria absorb nitrogen from the air.

The plant has strong roots that inhibit the growth of weed grass nearby. Thanks to this, clover grows remarkably on the slopes. It grows rapidly in the designated area, creating a continuous coating. Clover undersized blooms 2 times in the warm season - at the end of the spring and early autumn. In plant care, the plant is unpretentious and does not require constant hydration, as well as fertilizing.

The plant has a high resistance to the appearance of various diseases and insect pests, attracts bees. It normally tolerates trampling and it is nice to walk barefoot on it. The downside is that dried buds absorb water after wetting, so this coating becomes slippery. Clover grows rapidly and can supplant vegetation growing close to it.

Fescue (simple and hairy)

This perennial cereal has strong, rapidly developing rhizomes, therefore it forms a continuous green cover. Thanks to this, the plant is often used to equip lawns. Fescue simple (red) grows slowly in the first season after planting and does not require mowing. In the second year, it forms a thick, uniform coating. Thin stems grow vertically and cover the entire area, giving it a resemblance to a fluffy carpet. This plant crop prefers light soils.

Such a lawn needs watering in dry weather. This grass grows normally in areas open to the sun and in the shade, well resistant to trampling. It stoically withstands drought and does not fade in extreme heat, tolerates temperature jumps.

Another type of this culture is hairy fescue. Its difference is elastic long and very thin stems. Hairy fescue grows well on any soil. It is planted along roads in the city, as this grass is resistant to various negative external influences (sprinkling with salt mixture during ice, trampling).

Popular grass-free mixtures

There are ready-made mixtures for various types of undersized lawns. Some of them are in special demand.

Did you know? The Slavs who came to Spain to the Arabs through the Crimea and Constantinople as slaves and servants influenced the appearance of the Moorish lawn. After some time, they were occupied by a wide layer of the population, therefore the Moorish lawn is very similar to the blossoming Russian forest-steppe.

The following grass mixtures are most popular:

1. "Moorish lawn". Consists of cereals and flowering herbs. In addition to the herbs considered above, thyme and anise, Corsican mint can be included in the undersized mixture for such a decorative grass coating. Any Moorish lawn, regardless of the height of the grass, mow 1-2 times a year. This is usually done in the fall, after all the herbs have bloomed. It is shortened, leaving 8-10 cm.
2. "Liliput." Consists of 4 undersized varieties of red fescue and meadow bluegrass. This is one of the most unpretentious lawns for family vacations, which can still rarely be mowed.
3. "Sports". Seed mixture of herbs, highly resistant to trampling, which includes: undersized varieties of fescue, meadowgrass meadow and English ryegrass. After germination, a sports lawn is formed, which can rarely be mowed. In places of the greatest load, for example, at the gates of a football field, twice as many seeds are sown as the recommended rate.
4. "Mini Grass". It is very similar in composition to Liliput, since it also consists of red fescue and bluegrass, but the proportion of the latter is higher. Therefore, this mixture tolerates drought better than others.

Landing rules

A low-growing lawn is sown in the same way as a regular lawn. It is necessary to choose the right time for sowing the lawn mixture and prepare a plot before this. Sowing time largely depends on the climatic features of the area. An important factor in the successful cultivation of such a lawn will be the right choice of seeds for it.

Important! Winter crops should be abandoned if there is a likelihood of heat return or in regions with frequent thaws, since grains can germinate during them. Immature sprouts after the return of frost will die.

Sowing dates

The most preferred periods for sowing are spring and autumn. They are characterized by heavy rainfall, which has a good effect on the emergence of seedlings and the growth of lawn grass. Sports and children's playgrounds are preferred to be planted in autumn, from September to October, so that by the next season they will already have a grass carpet. The main condition for autumn sowing is that it occurs 40 days before the arrival of stable frosts. This time the grass needs for good rooting, necessary for a successful wintering. If these deadlines are missed, then winter sowing can be carried out. It is done when freezing temperatures have already arrived. Seeds will germinate in the spring, after the snow melts and the onset of heat.

It is advisable to plant decorative lawns in the spring, in April - May, in order to have an already formed coating by the end of the season. Spring crops are also preferred for regions with early harsh winters. In some areas they manage to grow a lawn in the rainy season of June or August.

Site preparation and fertilizer

Even before sowing, the site is cleared, dug up and leveled. When digging, humus is introduced, weed roots and garbage are removed. At the same time, they try to get rid of weeds using herbicides (for example, Roundup, Ground) or other methods. Advocates of environmentally friendly methods can simply cut 2.5 cm of turf with a shovel. If necessary, sand or lime is added to the soil. In some cases, on dense soils, a drainage layer with a thickness of more than 5 cm is made of coarse sand or gravel.

Important! So that the lawn sprouts evenly, it is sown first along, and then across. For uniform distribution of seeds, they are mixed with sand, and the area is divided into squares. Then, the seed rate is measured and sown on each plot.

Aligning the earth under the lawn with a rake is not always enough, and the soil is leveled from above with a special roller or improvised means (gas cylinder, barrel). So that the soil settles after all these procedures, it is given time for about 1–1.5 months to stand under steam. Mineral fertilizers for the lawn are also applied before or during sowing, nitrogen-containing fertilizers in spring, and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers in autumn.

Seed selection

Seeds are selected based on the type of lawn.

1. Decorative. This may be a Moorish lawn or ground floor option, an English lawn. To create a uniform juicy greenery of a decorative background, on which they will not be often trampled, it is good to use a field-tree or mixtures with it. If you decide to grow a Moorish lawn, you should make sure that the mixture contains not only lawn grasses, but unpretentious grasses that bloom at different times.
2. Sports. It should be stunted grass resistant to trampling.
3. Playground. Various varieties of herbs are suitable for it, but mixtures with clover are considered one of the most popular. This plant creates a favorable microclimate and a lush pillow.

It is better to give preference to domestic seed material, as it is more adapted to our conditions and affordable.

You should also consider the location of the lawn in relation to the sun. Most lawn grasses do not tolerate shading. Normally growing in penumbra, the polegos and fescue. If the grass cover is made only for one year, then you can use the chaff for many years. It tolerates shading, mechanical stress and trampling, but will not tolerate temperatures below -18 ° C. Any lawn needs at least a few hours of sunlight per day.

Important! When melting snow, make sure that puddles do not accumulate on the lawn. The places of accumulation of water should be pierced with a pitchfork so that the liquid leaves. During this period, it is also undesirable to walk on the lawn, as this can cause rotting of the grass.

Care Features

The main feature of the undersized lawn is that it needs to be cut very rarely. This is done only 3-4 times per season, as it grows. The last haircut is carried out in the fall (in September or October). Like any lawn, it will need frequent watering, which can be skipped during the rainy season. In this case, dividers or a sprinkling method should be used. In hot, sunny weather, it is watered in the morning and evening. At first, young growth will have to weed, removing weeds. Further, the lawn grass itself will displace them. In bald spots it will be necessary to sow seeds.

It is best to buy specialized fertilizers for lawns.

To make the lawn thicker, it is recommended to use mineral fertilizers. In spring, nitrogen-containing substances are introduced, and at the end of summer or autumn, potassium-phosphorus substances are introduced. If the grass begins to lose its brightness, then you can do another fertilizing. At the same time, for undersized herbs, nitrogen must be strictly normalized and not abused, so as not to provoke rapid growth.

In the spring, you should clean the rake with debris and aerate the soil. To do this, pierce the ground with a pitchfork.

To grow a short lawn, you can use various herbs for certain types of sites. There are undersized varieties of lawn grasses. Care for them is almost the same as for standard vegetable mixes, only cutting is much less common. An interesting lazy option is the Moorish lawn, similar to a lawn of wildflowers, which can be mowed only once a year.