Having a luscious lawn is something to take pride in. It looks great, brings your whole garden together, and is fun for the kids and pets to play on. If you want to take your lawn to the next level, here are some tips to help you.
Have the Right Equipment
The first thing you need is the right equipment. While this may seem obvious to some, it is still an important step to remember. You don’t need a whole garden shed packed with all the latest equipment and tools, but you do need a few things.
Electric lawnmowers, weed eaters, and trimmers are a few of the things you need, and they are there to not only make maintaining your lawn easier but also to maintain it properly.
Remove Thatch
Thatch is a layer of old roots, stems, clippings, etc., that builds up on top of the soil. The main problem with thatch is that it can suffocate what is growing in the soil and leave your garden with dead and dry patches.
A rake or power rake can be used to remove thatch. However, it is hard work to remove thatch, and therefore, it is best to take steps to avoid it in the first place. This can be done by not overwatering or over-fertilizing your grass.
Don’t Remove Grass Clippings
Back in the day, it was believed that you needed to remove grass clippings to ensure your lawn remains healthy and can grow. However, new research has shown that this is a mistake and that leaving them on your lawn can help it.
The clippings are packed with water and nitrogen, which are two things that make great compost. Therefore, leave the clippings on your lawn when you are done and let them degrade and feed your grass.
Keep Your Trees Trimmed
Too much shade is another grass killer in many gardens. Grass thrives off sunlight, and when it gets cut off from it for too long, it can begin to die, and you will be left with dry and dead patches on your lawn.
While there is no need to cut your trees and hedges down, keep them trimmed and ensure that they aren’t causing too much shade across your lawn.
Raise Your Mower Height
One mistake many people make is that they cut their lawns too short. Cutting your grass too short leaves more of the soil exposed, which leads to it drying out and needing more water, both of which can damage your lawn.
Instead, raise your mower height and leave at least 2 inches of grass, this will give your grass the little bit of extra cover it needs, and it will also retain moisture better, meaning you won’t have to water it as often.
Mow Regularly
While you shouldn’t cut your grass incredibly short, it is also bad to leave it to grow longer than usual. The longer the grass is, the more you cut off, and the more you “shake” the grass and its roots; this can lead to damage over time, and the grass will eventually die.
Instead, get into the habit of trimming your grass regularly. A quick mow once a week or once every two weeks depending on how fast your grass grows, is enough to keep it at the right length and not let it overgrow.
Reseed > Pesticides
Weeds are another common issue in gardens, but when you are working with grass, using pesticides to kill weeds may do the job of getting rid of the weeds, but can also cause damage to your grass that can kill it.
Instead, reseeding your grass yearly will keep the soil stable and strong, and will make it exceptionally difficult for weeds to grow.
Water Properly
Don’t make the mistake of watering your plants in the middle of the hot day, you will either over-water it and cause damage, or you won’t water it enough, and it will all simply evaporate and your grass will dry out.
Instead, water in the early morning or evening when the sun isn’t at its strongest. This means you don’t have to use as much water, and your grass will have enough time to absorb it all properly.
Don’t Keep Your Grass Covered
As mentioned before, too much shade can damage your grass, but also covering your grass with furniture or something similar can do the same. While being flattened won’t necessarily do much harm, doing this for prolonged periods of time can.
Therefore, if you put out garden furniture, create a play area for your kids, or something similar, remember to pack everything away again at the end of the day.
Avoid Creating Walking Paths
Finally, whether it be while you are gardening or having fun with the family, avoid walking the same paths over and over again. Grass can’t survive being treaded on again and again; if you want a path or two around your lawn, rather use outdoor tiles or stones to create one, as this will stop the other parts of the lawn from being trampled on.
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