Lawn Care Tips and Tricks
Aussies taking pride in their lawns is a longstanding tradition that is going to be around for a long time. A thriving, green lawn not only looks great, it also shows just how much you care for your property.
There are a number of ways to keep your lawn healthy throughout the year. By combining these tips and tricks, you’re putting yourself in a good position to have the best looking lawn on your street.
How to keep your grass healthy
Keeping your grass healthy means providing ongoing care by maintaining it all year round. It’s important to make sure your grass gets the nutrients and water it needs to thrive. Using the right tools and products in addition to creating a regular care schedule is pivotal.
You will also need to make lawn care decisions depending on the type of grass on your property. Your grass type will determine how often and how much to water it, the most appropriate fertiliser, and how short it should be mowed. Understanding your grass species will put you in a better position to care for it in the long term.
Give your lawn enough water
One of the easiest ways to look after your lawn is by keeping up a regular watering schedule. Different types of grass will require different amounts of water, so having a good recollection of the grass seeds you used will help you ensure you’re watering your lawn in a way that’s best suited to its type.
As a general rule, it’s a good idea to give your grass a deep water twice a week, early in the morning. This gives your lawn enough time to soak up the water while minimising loss from evaporating.
Aerate the soil
Aerating the soil helps to ensure that your lawn can take up the fertiliser and water it requires. If your soil becomes too compact, air won’t be able to circulate and therefore your lawn will miss out on the necessary nutrients it needs to grow. Park Road Timber & Hardware stock a range of specialised tools you can use to aerate your soil, however using a garden fork will do just fine.
Fertilise consistently
Using lawn-specific fertilisers that are high in nitrogen during spring and high in potassium during winter will put your grass in a strong position for growth in the warmer months and toughness in the colder months.
Before you apply your fertiliser, it’s important to remove any weeds that may be growing through your lawn and ensure that the soil is loose and aerated. During the fertiliser application, pay attention to where you’ve fertilised as any double ups of fertiliser may burn your grass. If you’re not using a liquid fertiliser, give your grass a good water to help your lawn soak up the fertiliser’s nutrients.
Remove debris
Having debris, even natural debris such as leaves, weeds and dead grass, on your lawn can cause problems when it’s trying to grow. Commonly known as thatch, this type of debris needs to be removed to prevent any buildup that will make it difficult for nutrients and water to reach your lawn’s roots. You can effectively remove debris by giving your lawn a good rake or using a leaf blower whenever you notice any buildup.
Mow your grass
Mowing your grass correctly can help it thrive in both the warm and cool months. It’s important to refrain from cutting your grass too short or unevenly, as this will make it hard for your grass to grow in the long run. Selecting the right lawn mower will help make the mowing process quick and easy. At Park Road Timber & Hardware, we have a range of high quality lawn mowers, including cordless electric lawn mowers, that are designed to make mowing quicker and easier.
Similar to watering your grass, your lawn will have an optimal grass height that will help keep it at its healthiest. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to mow your lawn to a length of approximately 8 centimetres. Depending on the requirements of your grass, this should be enough length to ensure your lawn can retain moisture and minimise the likelihood of growing weeds. If you’ve chosen to feed your grass with organic fertiliser, you can use the clippings from your lawn as manure.
Monitor your lawn’s pH
It’s beneficial to check your lawn’s pH once a year to ensure it’s around the 6 to 6.5 mark. This is the optimal pH for grass growing in Australia, with anything above this level considered to be too alkaline and anything below this being too acidic. If your lawn’s pH isn’t at the correct level, there are a number of products you can use to return it to a 6-6.5 range.
Get the right lawn care tools
At Park Road Timber & Hardware, our experts are here to help you improve the health of your lawn and keep it looking great as the years go on. As outdoor and garden specialists, our job is to help you make your lawn the envy of the neighbourhood by stocking a range of fertilisers and garden tools such as the trusty whipper snipper and line snipper, plus leaf blowers, lawn mowers and more.
For expert advice on how to care for your lawn or to chat about the best gardening tools for your needs, give our friendly Park Road Timber & Hardware team a call at (03) 9909 5397, come in store or book a free consultation today.
