Whether you are wanting to keep your lawn looking tidy or wanting to make your lawn the best it can be, here’s some basics of lawn care to get you started.
5 Basics of Lawn Care
Mowing
One of the most simple and easy ways to help maintain a good-looking lawn with little hassle is to regularly mow your lawn. By mowing regularly, your house will not only look great from the street but will help your lawn stay healthy.
In summer, many lawn varieties will grow much faster, so more regular mowing will be required to stay on top of new growth. In winter less mowing will be required as your lawn will grow at a much slower rate as it will become dormant.
To ensure that your lawn is getting a clean-cut, sharp mower blades are a must. If your mower blades are blunt, you can either change the blade yourself or drop your mower off at a mower shop and leave it to the experts.
A general rule of thumb is to only remove a third of the leaf at one time to help reduce the stress of your lawn.
If you are feeling a bit flash, take a look at the Husqvarna Auto Mower range. These machines are great as they will regularly mow and return to its charger by its self, giving you a perfectly manicured lawn without the effort of using a push mower.
Fertilising
Fertilisers are a great way to give your lawn the essential nutrients it needs while encouraging growth.
Although there are many options to choose from when searching for fertilisers, a slow or controlled release fertiliser is a good option as it will release nutrients to your lawn over time, keeping it healthier for longer. We recommend using the slow release Lawn Solutions Premium Lawn Fertiliser.
When applying the fertiliser, it is best to spread the product out as evenly as possible. We recommend using a fertiliser spreader and applying fertiliser in an orderly fashion to achieve an even application. To avoid leaf burn, give the area a good water to ensure none of the product is on the leaf. By doing this it will also help stop curious pets from eating pellets.
With most lawn varieties we recommended that you fertilise your lawn 3-4 times a year.
Weeding
When your lawn is healthy and has strong lateral growth, most weeds can be prevented as the lawn can stop other plant material from growing. So, by focusing on encouraging your grass to become strong and healthy, fewer weeds should appear.
When hand removing weeds, it is important to remember to remove the entire root system, as the weed can make a comeback if roots are left behind. Using a weeding tool such as the Fiskars Weed Puller will help make removal easier.
For common weeds such as Bindii, Creeping Oxalis, Catsear, Clover and Cudweed a broad leaf herbicide such as Lawn Solutions All Purpose Weed Control and Amgrow Bin Die can be used as a treatment option.
When using a non-selective herbicide such as Round-Up (Glyphosate), extra care will be required upon application to ensure only the weed is treated. When applying a non-selective herbicide, we recommend using a weed wand or a small paintbrush to help ensure the product only goes onto the weed and not plant material that you are wanting to keep.
For more information on removing weeds click here.
Watering
When watering there is a few things to keep in mind to ensure your lawn is getting enough water when it needs it.
Water in the morning before the sun heats up. By watering in the morning your lawn will become less susceptible to diseases as the ground will not stay damp for a long period of time. More water will also be able to be absorbed into the soil profile as there will be less evaporation occurring.
Watering your lawn for longer periods of time less frequently will improve the drought tolerance of your lawn. With this type of watering’s your lawns roots are encouraged to grow further down into the profile of the soil and helping the grass to be able to withstand long time periods without water. So, 30-minute watering’s as needed is ideal.
Aeration
Aeration is a simple way to allow your lawn to grow a stronger and more established root system. By aerating your lawn, you will be able to help improve the lawn’s ability to better absorb water.
To aerate your lawn, you can use either a garden fork, lawn aerator sandals, or a tyne aerator. When using a garden fork, we recommend that you drive the fork around 100mm into the soil profile, then wiggle the fork back and forth to help break up the soil.
By staying consistent with your lawn care activities, mowing and watering regularly as required, giving your lawn a feed every now and again, you can ensure you will have a healthy and fantastic looking lawn.
For more lawn care information check out our other blogs here.
