Renovating tired lawns with gravel

Last week, in the Homes & Gardens of the Northwest section of The Oregonian, writer Kym Pokorny featured Joy Creek Nursery in the article Nursery Destinations: Joy Creek. In another article in the same issue, Advice for a Rock-Solid Lawn, Pokorny also highlighted the nursery's use of gravel on a lawn to open the soil and allow roots to grown deeper.

The recipe for doing so was included as a sidebar to the feature. Here it is:

BASIC RECIPE

Best done in April-May or September-October

1. Mow grass short.

2. Spread one inch of 1/4-10 crushed gravel (don't use anything smaller, as it compacts and turns into concrete) over the entire surface. Work into grass and level it out.

3. Spread 1 inch of compost mulch over entire surface, working into grass and leveling. Usually a fair amount of gravel will show through.

4. Top-seed lawn and rake into mulch.

5. Top-fertilize with an organic fertilizer.

6. Water. Repeat watering as needed to keep surface moist until grass seed sprouts.

7. Mow when needed in approximately two to four weeks.

NOTES

The basic recipe can be applied once or twice a year to correct the surface of the lawn.

The recipe can be changed to less than or more than an inch, depending on how rough the surface of the lawn.

The deeper the gravel and mulch, the more grass seed you'll need to replace existing grass that can't grow through the thicker gravel layers.

You can kill the lawn completely before the basic recipe is applied. This works especially well to kill off undesirable vegetation.

If you decide you need to kill, till 6-8 inches deep. Then add 2 inches 1/4-10 and 2 inches of compost. Rake out, roll lightly to compress air out of soil (this is the only time you'll need a roller). Seed and top-dress with chopped grass straw (available at Hobbs & Hopkins Ltd., 503-239-7518).

At Joy Creek, we use Pro-Time grass seed, also available at Hobbs & Hopkins.

Source: Joy Creek Nursery

Image: Article from The Oregonian

© 2007 Joy Creek Nursery