You’ve seen the lush lawns on the glossy pages of garden magazines, and perhaps you feel this perfection is unattainable, but with the right advice and the best equipment, you can make these dream lawns a reality in your garden too.
With summer on our doorstep, now is the time to get out into the sunshine and embark on a summer lawn care regime.
READ: Do you need so much lawn? Smart ways to transform your garden
This is what the experts are doing to ensure a carpet of green this summer:
1. Keep pests and weeds under control
When getting your lawn ready for the summer ahead, be vigilant when it comes to pests and weeds. If you don't get these under control as quickly as possible, they will very soon establish a hold and be hard to get rid of. As soon as you see signs of weeds popping up, or brown/dying patches of lawn starting to appear, take immediate action.
Pop into your nearest garden centre, tell them what is happening to your lawn and they should be able to offer assistance. If in doubt, the internet makes it easy to go online and find solutions to so many problems in the garden.
SEE: 4 easy DIY musts to get your lawn looking great
Step 1: Loosen dead grass with your rake or scarifier. Tip: renting a scarifier is often the most efficient and most affordable solution.
Step 2: Cut your lawn using the lowest height setting lawnmower.
Step 3: Remove the clippings using your rake and add to your compost heap.
2. Breathe life into your lawn
Aeration allows air to get to the grassroots, which aids in drainage, making available all the minerals and nutrients needed for lush growth. It also reduces soil compression and increases the water holding capacity of the soil.
Step 1: Aerate your lawn using your spike roller. Tip: If your ground is firm, water generously before using your spike roller to ensure proper aeration.
3. Apply lawn dressing
This is a mixture of garden soil and a soil enricher, such as compost. Usually applied in spring and early summer, it improves the quality of your soil, levels out uneven bits and stimulates the grass to produce new shoots. Depending on your lawn type, the general recommendation is a 1.5cm layer of lawn dressing. Note that buffalo grass, LM and all cool-season lawns do not tolerate lawn dressing.
Step 1: Place small heaps of dressing on your lawn, and more in any small depressions.
Step 2: Spread the dressing evenly over your lawn, creating a level surface. You can use a smooth roller if your lawn is very uneven but don’t overdo it so you don’t compact the soil underneath.
4. Keep it fed
Lawns love to eat and drink – and require a good dose of TLC to look their best. A good general fertiliser for all lawn types is 5:1:5 (36). Apply this fertiliser during the growing season at a rate of 60g per square metre at least once every three months.
Alternatively, use a specialised fertiliser for established lawns available at your local garden centre. Repeat this process every four weeks throughout the season, or alternate with a high nitrogen fertiliser like LAN. Importantly, you must water after fertilising to avoid burning your lawn.
5. Make the cut
One of the best ways to get the best out of your lawn is by mowing it – properly!
We tend to cut our lawns short, increasing the time between mowing. However, cutting it too short can damage and weaken your grass and decrease its drought resistance.
Source: Rolux)
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