Grow Grass Between Pavers
Stone or concrete pavers provide an excellent way to construct a durable, low-maintenance landscaping finish. Pavers can be spaced closely and applied over a large area, or spaced further apart to create paths of "stepping stones." In the second case, you will want to grow grass or other vegetation between the pavers to maintain a polished look and prevent erosion. You will only need a few items to grow grass between pavers.
Steps
- Excavate the area where the pavers will be installed. Use a spade to dig a hole underneath where the pavers will lie. This hole should be about 5 inches (12 cm) deep, but can be shallower. Place the excavated soil aside in a convenient location. If your topsoil layer is shallower than the hole you dug, keep the excavated topsoil and subsoil separate. You will need the topsoil later for backfilling.
- Fill the excavated area with gravel. Use a shovel to apply a layer of gravel into the excavated hole. The gravel layer should ideally be about 4 inches (10 cm) deep, but will be still be effective at only an inch or so of depth. Smooth the gravel with your shovel after applying it.
- The gravel dramatically improves drainage underneath the pavers. This will keep them from becoming flooded or being pushed up by the saturated soil underneath. It will also prevent the growth of unwanted plants.
- If you want your pavers to sit flush with the surrounding ground, don't fill the hole all the way up with gravel. Leave enough space for the pavers to rest on top.
- Lay the pavers into place. Seat the pavers onto the gravel base in their desired locations. You can tap the pavers down firmly using a rubber mallet. Alternatively, you can add a shallow layer of sand on top of the gravel into which to seat the pavers.
- Backfill the remaining space with topsoil. After the pavers are positioned correctly, use topsoil to fill in the remaining space between them. The topsoil excavated at the beginning of the process will be more than enough to fill in the gaps.
- Spread grass seed over the topsoil. You can scatter the grass seed with your hand. Make sure to achieve full coverage over all of the areas between the pavers. After spreading the grass seed, you can either work the seeds into the soil with your hands or spread an additional thin layer of topsoil over them.
- Water the grass until it is established. Initially, the topsoil should be watered until damp. Water it in both the morning and evening just enough until it is slightly moist. After the grass germinates and begins to grow, reduce watering to once a day. Once established, it can be watered on the same schedule as the rest of your lawn.
Tips
- As an alternative to growing grass between pavers, you can use what are called grass pavers. These pavers have holes in them designed for the growth of grass, and when placed next to each other create a grassy surface that needs significantly less water and maintenance than a full lawn.
- Plant a drought-tolerant variety of grass when using this method. The gravel underneath the topsoil will undermine its ability to retain water.
- Mosses and creeping plants (such as creeping thyme) are good alternatives to grass for growing in between pavers.
Things You'll Need
- Spade
- Shovel
- Gravel
- Sand (optional)
- Pavers
- Rubber mallet
- Grass seed
- Hose
- Water
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