Keeping your New Lawn Healthy
Having a healthy green lawn not only enhances your garden but provides a beautiful environment for you and the family to relax and enjoy the outdoors, without leaving the comfort of your own home. Grass is extremely resilient (after all it grows nearly anywhere), but to get the best from your lawn and keep it healthy it is important to give it regular maintenance. In this post we will share with you what you need to do to keep your lawn at its best.
Mowing: Proper lawn mowing techniques are important to help keep your lawn health.
- Set the height of your mower to a level appropriate for your grass variety. Cutting the grass too short can stress the lawn which can lead to diseases and makes it easier for weeds to take hold. Turf for use in a domestic setting is not the same as the varieties used on bowling or putting greens. As a result, they cannot be mown as short.
- The blades of your lawnmower will become blunt over time. This results in the mower tearing the blade rather than cutting them. It is worth scheduling in a sharpening or replacement on an annual basis.
- Try to avoid mowing your lawn when it is when. Cutting grass when wet will cause the clippings to clump making the mowing less effective.
Watering: Correct watering is important to your lawn’s health especially during hot spells.
- During periods of low rainfall and high temperatures, water deeply and infrequently to encourage deeper root growth. This helps the grass become more resilient to drought conditions.
- Water in the early morning to minimise water loss due to evaporation and allow the blades of grass to dry before the evening which helps reduce the risk of disease. You want the soil to be moist for extended periods, not the blades of grass.
- Use a rain gage to see how much water your lawn is getting from the environment and if you need to add more artificially. Most lawns need 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. Look for a change of colour indicating your lawn is getting too little moisture.
Lawn Feeds: Fertilisers provide the nutrients your lawn needs for healthy growth - but need to be used with care.
- It is very easy to overfeed your lawn which will burn the grass, so use fertiliser sparingly. Too much is far worse than too little. You can have too much of a good thing in this case!
- Generally fertilisers designed for lawns are high in nitrogen, this is what ‘greens’ up the lawn.
- Freshly supplied turf will have been fertilised in the field before it left the farm so you should avoid adding more until the lawn is well established.
- Choose a high quality, slow release product to ensure a steady feed over time.
Weed Control: Keeping your lawn weed free enhances its appearance and enables the grasses to thrive.
- Weekly remove weeds by hand or use appropriate tools to prevent them from spreading and competing with your lawn for nutrients.
- Apply pre-emergent herbicides in early spring to prevent weed seeds from germinating. Follow the instructions carefully to avoid damage to your lawn.
- Spot-treat persistent weeds with a post-emergent herbicide, targeting the specific weed species while minimising harm to the lawn.
By following these simple steps for mowing, watering, feeding and weed control you can maintain a healthy and vibrant lawn throughout the year. Remember, consistency and proper timing are key to achieving long-term success in lawn care. With proper care, your lawn will become a beautiful and enjoyable space for you and your family to enjoy.
