Having a lovely, fresh lawn is one of the things that makes your home complete. Now that summer is here, it’s the perfect excuse to enjoy your lawn in the best possible way - underneath that glorious sunshine.
Keeping on top of your lawn doesn’t have to be a struggle, and a lot of the time it isn’t how often you put work into your lawn. Rather it’s about when and how you do it. With this in mind, we have devised a list of top tips we guarantee will help you achieve and maintain a healthy looking lawn in no time.
Tools you will need:
● Lawnmower (with cutting height adjustment)
● A lawn sprinkler
● Blade sharpening tools
● Gas-powered aerator
● Fertilisers
● Weed killers
1. Adjust your cutting height to suit the time of year
The type of blade you use is determined by seasonal changes. For cool-climate grasses, use a 1-½ inch cutting height for the first mowing of the year. This will remove dead grass and allow sunlight to reach the crowns of the grass plants. In the summertime, raise your blade 2 or more inches and following on from this, drop back down to 1-½ inch for the final cutting of the year.
It’s worth noting that when adjusting your blade height, make sure you measure from a hard surface to the bottom of the mower deck, then add ¼ inches. In addition, you will need to use a sharp blade in order to reap the full benefits. A dull one tears grass rather than cutting it clearly, which won’t help to keep it fresh and clean. Damaged grass turns yellow, requires more water and nutrients to recover, and is more susceptible to diseases. Sharpening and balancing a blade three times a year is usually enough to maintain a good cutting edge.
2. Water your lawn
When it comes to providing your lawn with hydration, deep watering helps to develop roots that tap into substance water supplies. On the other hand, light sprinklings only wet the grass and surface of the soil. As a general rule, lawns require 1-2 inches of water per week, applied at 3 or 4 day intervals. This does, however, vary depending on the temperature, type of grass and soil conditions. Lawns in sandy soils may need twice as much water, as they drain quickly, so it’s best to check what type of grass you have before you begin to take care of it.
When your lawn wilts or loses its bounce - exposing the dull green bottoms of the blades - it needs water. It’s best to water your lawn early in the morning because water pressure is high, less water is lost to evaporation and your lawn has plenty of time to dry out before nightfall.
3. Mow only the top one-third of the grass blade
This area of a blade of grass is thin and ‘leafy’, decomposes quickly when cut and can contribute up to one third of the nitrogen your lawn needs. The bottom two thirds of a blade of grass is tough, ‘stemmy’ and slow to decompose. It contributes to thatch, which when thick enough, prevents sunlight, air, water and nutrients from reaching the soil. If you cut more than the top third, it can shock the grass and exposes stems, which tend to burn in direct sunlight.
To obtain maximum results, mow your lawn when the grass is dry and avoid mowing when the sun is at its highest. This will only cause the grass, and yourself, stress.
4. Consider the time when it comes to fertilisers and weed killers.
When it comes to using fertilisers and weed killers, there are certain factors that need to be considered. These include, geographic location, grass type, weed type and soil conditions. Here are a few general guidelines to get you well on your way to a healthier, well-kept lawn.
- A thick and healthy lawn is the best defense when it comes to combatting weeds.
- Attack weeds in the early spring and summer before they have a chance to develop deep root systems or reproduce.
- Different chemicals need to be used according to what type of weeds you are dealing with. Broadleaf weeds need to be addressed whilst they are young and during active growth. Spraying the leaves of individual plants is the most effective way to go about this.
- Fertilise in early spring to jump-start root development. Autumn feedings help to repair any damage from the summer and spurs the root growth that goes on for several weeks - even after the growth that stops. This helps the grass to survive during winter. To maintain a healthy growth, it is wise to apply light feedings in between.
- Make sure you read the package. Some chemicals work only in the presence of moisture, others are useless when it comes to water, so familiarising yourself with the safety instructions are vital at this stage.
5. Help your lawn to breathe
As much as water and nutrients are crucial factors in achieving a fresh lawn, it also needs oxygen in order to reach its full potential. Aerating - which is the process of removing small plugs of soil - produces multiple benefits. It improves the interaction of air to soil and allows water and fertilisers to penetrate the soil deeper and easier. It also opens space to allow for roots to grow at a healthy rate.
Again, timing is important when it comes to aeration. During the springtime is best, but during Autumn, when children are through with walking over the grass and there are fewer weed seeds to set up home in the open spaces, is a much better time to do this. Do this first and then apply weed killers so the open holes are always protected.
Now you have found out everything you need to know about getting a fresh and healthy lawn, why not visit Nemasys for a selection of productsdesigned to help you keep your lawn in the best condition possible.
This post was written by Amy Leach on behalf of Nemasys
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