Organic material content. In normal soils, the organic material is humus and its content is deep 20 cm varies within 0,6-6%. This corresponds to the weight content 18-180 t / ha, that is 1,8-18 kg/m². In soils prepared for the lawn, a containing small amounts of humus, it must be increased by adding peat compost or peat, Peat is often added to heavy soils as a loosening material. However, it is more appropriate to add large amounts of sand to such soils. Use on very loose soils, sandy, peat instead of clay is also a mistake. By adding organic material, the mechanical composition of the soil for lawn cultivation cannot be improved, which is often not properly understood. Content in soil 2-4% caries, that is indicative 6-12 kg / m² of moderately moist peat compost ensures, above all, proper sorption of nutrients supplied in the form of mineral fertilizers and helps to maintain the proper pH of the soil.
The content of nutrients in soil may vary and depends on the way it is used so far. Cultivated arable soils generally have sufficient amounts of essential nutrients, sufficient for plants at least in the first year after setting up the lawn. However, lawns are very often established on damaged soils, unstructured and insufficiently rich in nutrients. Such soils must be treated with mineral organic fertilizers or appropriately enriched peat composts. The basis for determining the fertilization needs should be soil analysis in terms of the content of basic nutrients.
Soil pH. Grass plants require a slightly acidic reaction, kept within the pH limits 5,6-6,5.
Soil pH is not a constant property and fluctuates. These fluctuations depend on the type of fertilizers used, the rate of nutrient uptake by plants, the amount of rainfall or watering intensity and many other factors. The phenomenon of leaching of alkaline components is observed in most soils under sudden climatic conditions, which causes soil acidification.
The pH of the soil can be regulated by the use of appropriate fertilizers, e.g.. physiologically acidic, increasing acidity, or physiologically alkaline, reducing acidification. Excessive acidity can also be reduced by adding appropriate amounts of lime to the soil. Soil pH measurements need to be made not only before setting up a lawn, but also at least once a year after its establishment.