Content
- Lawn or meadow? How to create a thriving oasis in your garden
- Species-rich meadow attracts many pest controllers
- Small blooming oasis in the middle of a lawn
- How to turn your lawn into a meadow
- Tips & Tricks
Lawn or meadow? How to create a thriving oasis in your garden
Many people prefer a carpet of grass in their garden, which, however, is rather maintenance-intensive. Lawns want to be regularly mowed, fertilized and watered. In addition, lawn owners must take care that the green area is not mowed or overgrown by weeds. If you do not want to do this job, you prefer a more easy-care, natural flower meadow.
Species-rich meadow attracts many pest controllers
If you choose a lawn instead of a lawn, you will kill several birds with one stone - literally. Because meadows with many different types of flowering flowers and herbs attract numerous insects and small animals, which kill the pests in your garden in a very natural and non-chemical way. Meadows are a home for bees, bumblebees, butterflies, hedgehogs, birds etc. and therefore necessary for the conservation of biodiversity. Not to mention that such a sea of flowers is wonderful to look at in summer and you do not have much work with it.
Small blooming oasis in the middle of a lawn
Nonetheless, a meadow naturally has its drawbacks, because on the one hand, it can not be mowed like a lawn with a conventional lawnmower, and on the other, it also accommodates small animals that the gardener does not really like: Mice, moles & Co. feel the same well. But you do not have to transform the entire lawn into a meadow, but instead it can be enough to only rework a small part - ergo as a thriving highlight in the midst of a green sea of turf.
How to turn your lawn into a meadow
A lawn can be transformed into a flower meadow with little effort. Keep in mind, however, that meadows have a rather meager soil (the leaner the soil, the better herbs and flowers thrive - on rich soils, dandelions, stinging nettles and the like) and a sunlit location. When converting, proceed as follows:
For further care of the meadow, do not use fertilizer. The more you fertilize the meadow, the more competitive plants will prevail and biodiversity will suffer. Only intensively used meadow areas (eg for hay production or grazing) should be fertilized from time to time. In the first year after sowing is not mowed, in the following year, the mowing should finally take place in the second half of June.
Tips & Tricks
Pay attention to the quality of the seeds: Most commercial meadow flower mixtures contain only a few, one-year-old flowers that will quickly disappear from the scene. Instead, buy better individual seed packets of your choice and put together a mix of your own.