Looking after your lawn, for the most part, is simple. But I know many of us have been guilty from time to time of neglect and poor lawn care practices. We need to stop neglecting our lawns and provide the grass with the love and nurture that it deserves!
Here’s what not to do!
Water your grass at night
You don’t want to water at night, as this can cause fungal issues in your lawn. The best time to water your lawn is in the morning and in the early evening. Try to avoid watering your lawn during the heat of the day, as this will be much less effective.
Overwatering, watering too often and not for long enough
You need to water your lawn for longer time periods, less frequently. Watering your lawn 2-3 times a week for an hour each time during the warmer months is much better than watering your lawn 6 times a week for only 15 minutes. You want to train your lawn to be more drought tolerant. Frequent short watering’s will only cause your lawn to become thirstier and less drought tolerant. Regular watering will only be required during the warmer months and when you are establishing a new lawn.
Scalping and mowing too short
Don’t mow your lawn too short, as this can put your lawn under extreme stress. It can leave brown or bare looking patches on your lawn, and if cut too short regularly, can seriously deplete the lawn’s energy reserves and is an open invitation for weeds to invade and seed.
Not mowing regularly
Avoid long periods between mows – regular mowing is best. Keep in mind that your mowing routine may also need to change with the seasons.
Mowing with blunt blades
It is important to check your mower blades are nice and sharp. You want to cut your grass rather than tear it. Blunt mower blades will damage the grass leaving it poor in appearance, and cause discolouration and susceptibility to disease.
Not allowing your lawn time to recover
Regular foot traffic or driving your car on your lawn, will cause significant soil compaction. Soil compaction limits the amount of nutrients and water to penetrate the roots of your lawn. The simplest way to nurture your lawn back to full health is to give it time to recover. If the lawn is flattened from excessive traffic, try raking the grass lightly to encourage the blades to stand up again.
Aerating your lawn will help the roots to grow deeply and produce a stronger, more vigorous lawn.
Not pruning trees back
Managing shade can also be a priority and may require routine pruning of trees, bushes and other foliage to allow as much sunlight as possible onto your lawn. Once again, avoid over-watering in shaded areas, as shade prevents the quick evaporation of dew or surface water and continued dampness encourages diseases that inhabit growing grass.
Under or Over feeding your lawn
Fertiliser is food to your lawn; too little and it starves, too much and you won’t see it at its peak either. If you’re keen on looking after your lawn, then getting a handle on fertilising is important. Get into a regular routine with fertilising and stick to no more than one application for every 6 weeks.
Check out the Lawn Solutions Australia lawn care page for more helpful tips here.
