5 Steps to a lawn your neighbours will envy

Having that lush, healthy, green lawn that all the neighbours will envy isn’t difficult. In fact, it can usually be achieved in five simple steps:

Regular mowing of your lawn is important because it thickens the grass. Taking off a little and often, is better than all in one go. Switch directions and patterns each time you mow, so that the grass stalks aren’t pushed in the same direction every time. Never remove more than one third of the grass leaf.

Mowing the lawn removes nutrients from the grass and they need to be replaced in order to achieve maximum growth. From the beginning of spring, you should fertilise the lawn every four or five weeks. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous (NKP) are necessary and mixes of special lawn fertilisers are easily available at your local nursery or hardware store. Read the directions for advice on the amount and how to apply.

If you want a lawn that is lush and green all year long, watering correctly is imperative. How often you need to water your lawn depends on temperature and humidity. When the grass needs water, it will begin to curl up or wilt and yellow. If you have installed a new lawn, you will usually need to water once a day so the new lawn can become established and a good solid root system can form. Watering of the lawn should also be deep but infrequent to encourage a strong root system.

With persistence and the right techniques the battle against weeds in your lawn can be won. Most weeds can be removed by hand when they first appear. If weeds have fully invaded then a herbicide might be warranted. Ensure you apply a herbicide that is suitable to both the weed that is present and the lawn variety you have. If the weeds have overcome the lawn, the re-structuring of the entire soil and covering it with new turf is the best solution. If this is the case just contact the team at Daleys Turf for expert advice.

The lawn’s roots need oxygen, water and nutrients in order to be able to breathe and grow. The soil of a lawn is often not sandy enough for the roots to get enough air and can result in stunted growth. With the help of a simple digging fork you can push holes into the lawn and fill them with coarse sand. This allows water from the surface to flow away and also provides the roots with oxygen. If the soil is compacted you can use this same process of pushing air holes into lawn with the digging fork in order to aerate the lawn and allow water, oxygen and nutrients to get to the root system where they are needed.

In order to clear away dead roots and other debris you might want to scarify/dethatch your lawn. By removing the lawn thatch you provide more breathing space for the lower parts of the grass and help the stems grow.

To learn more just contact the team at Daleys Turf today.