Is your lawn looking a bit sparse and you are constantly facing an uphill battle of weeds in your lawn? In this blog, we look at how you can achieve a thicker lawn that can naturally block out weeds from growing.
Skip to: mowing for a thicker lawn, fertilising for a thicker lawn, increasing sunlight for a thicker lawn, aerating for a thicker lawn
Why can a thicker lawn block out weeds?
A thicker lawn is better able to block out weeds as there is less space in the profile for the weed to grow. When your lawn is thick and healthy, there is also an increased competition for resources, including soil, nutrients, and sunlight. Without the weed having access to these resources, it becomes challenging for weeds to grow.
How can I help thicken up my lawn?
Now that we know thicker lawns are better at stopping weeds let’s look at how you can thicken your lawn.
How can mowing make my lawn thicker?
Mowing is an important factor to help keep your lawn thick. When incorrect mowing techniques are used your lawn will be more stressed and will become thin and sparce. So how should I be mowing my lawn?
Mowing regularly will help promote lateral growth. It is this lateral growth that helps your lawn become thicker. Mowing regularly at the same height will allow for consistent nutrients within the grass, keeping it healthy. We recommend mowing regularly enough so that only removing one-third of the leaf with each mow. When a lawn isn’t mown regularly, it causes the grass to go under stress as lots of the leaf blade is removed. This can cause your lawn to thin out, making it more susceptible to weeds.
Mowing your lawn in different directions will also help keep your lawn thick. If you always mow your lawn in the same direction, the grass tends to stay pointed in that direction. By mowing in different directions, you will help the leaf grow straight up, leaving more room for the blades to grow in next to it.
Will fertilising my lawn help it grow thicker?
Applying fertiliser will help give your lawn a boost in growth. By providing the lawn with the nutrients it needs, you will help with the overall health of the lawn. When it comes to using fertiliser, it is best to use a well-rounded fertiliser that contains all the nutrients your lawn needs. Something like our Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser or Exceed Liquid Fertiliser is ideal to help thicken your lawn to block out weeds.
Increasing sunlight to shaded areas
Is your lawn struggling to thicken up in highly shaded areas? Turf is like any other plant; it needs sunlight to photosynthesise and grow. Shade-tolerant turf types like buffalo, usually need a minimum of 3-4 hours of direct light. Other turf types like couch and kikuyu will usually require more sunlight, usually 5-6 hours minimum to thrive. If your lawn is struggling due to insufficient light, we recommend improving light to the area where possible by pruning back some of the surrounding trees and shrubs. Check out our blog for more information here.
Will aerating help thicken my lawn?
When soil is compacted and hard, it can be difficult for air, nutrients, and water to reach down to your lawn’s roots. By aerating your soil and decompacting the soil base, your lawn will be able to grow its roots deep into the soil to produce a stronger, more vigorous lawn. Aeration is also advantageous as it can help prevent many compaction-related problems including drainage issues, bare patches, fungal disease, dryness and more.
So, how do you aerate your lawn? You can aerate manually using a sturdy garden fork if you have a small area. Simply insert the fork into the lawn and wriggle it back and forth to fracture the soil profile. If you have a larger area, consider using a spiked roller or hiring out a motorised lawn aerator. For more information on aerating your lawn, check out our blog here.
We hope this blog has shared some insights on how you can thicken up your lawn to better block out weeds. For more lawn care tips and advice, make sure you check out our other lawn care blogs here.
