Keep Your Lawn Lush with These Handy Tips

There’s no feature more appealing in a garden than a well-tended, healthy, luxuriant lawn. But to achieve the look, you do need to spend some time taking care of your grass. One of the services we offer here at P A Lumber Fencing is lawn mowing. Here’s why this is a benefit, as well as other tips on keeping your lawn in tip-top condition.

Why Regular Mowing Is Important

Mowing your lawn frequently and at the right times of year will help ensure it stays looking healthy and lush. You should cut your lawn at least on a weekly basis during the summer, and every fortnight in spring and autumn. If the winter season is a mild one, it doesn’t do any harm to mow it every fortnight then too. While the grass may not look out of control between cutting, a regular mow will encourage the roots to spread below the ground. That can help prevent weeds and fill in any gaps in the grass that have developed due to erosion or where you’ve plucked weeds out.

If you raise the height of your mower in summer to leave the lawn somewhere between five and 10cm in height, then this will ensure it doesn’t dry out as much and go brown during warmer periods with no rain.

How and When to Water

If your lawn is well-established, there’s no need to worry if it goes brown during dry spells – the green will return when the rain falls. If you’ve only recently had the lawn laid or sown, water regularly, but don’t drown it, as this can stunt growth and development of the grass roots. Sprinklers are great for watering, unless you’re on a water meter or there’s a hosepipe ban! For preference, keep a water butt to collect rainfall and water your lawn with this. You can also use water from your washing up bowl or bath.

Removing Weeds

You may be tempted to use a chemical weed killer to get rid of dandelions, clover and other weeds that may infest your lawn, but that won’t necessarily help promote healthy grass growth. It’s better to remove any dandelions with a hand trowel or fork as soon as you spot them, as these spread and can prevent lawn growth beneath. Buttercups and clover can be discouraged by raking your lawn through before you mow, so they’re more likely to be captured by the mower’s blades.

Aerating Your Lawn

If the ground below your lawn becomes too compacted, this can prevent the grass from growing healthily, which may give you bald patches in summer and muddy spots in winter. Use a garden fork to open up the soil by pushing it in every 10cm or so to a depth of 10cm, and gently rock it backwards and forwards. This gives valuable air to the soil and promotes better root growth.

Feed and Edge Your Lawn

Applying fertiliser to your lawn before rainfall will ensure it’s washed well down into the roots. If there’s no rain due, you can water your lawn with a fertiliser solution. It takes about a week to see the results, but your lawn will look significantly greener afterwards. Finally, use long-handled shears or a strimmer to give your lawn a neat edge and prevent grass straying into your borders.

If you need a hand keeping your lawn healthy all year round, call P A Lumber Fencing.

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