It’s no secret that maintaining a luscious emerald-green lawn takes a large dose of dedication, time and hard work but if you follow a few simple gardening tips, you’ll be well on your way to getting a lawn of which you can be proud.
Maintaining a healthy lawn requires just a few steps but in truth, you don’t need to overthink it. A careful combination of ensuring you mow the lawn to the right height along with regular fertilising, repairing and maintaining will give a lawn the best possible chances of success.
Let’s take a look at these steps in a little more detail.
Low-mow action
Since taller grass tends to help to stop weed seeds in their tracks, we recommend that you set your mower blade to around three inches tall to achieve the right height once the lawn is mowed. If a lawn is cut too short, this can can put extra pressure on the grass, which will then mean it’s not robust enough to withstand extreme weather conditions in the warmer months, such as lasting droughts.
Another thing to remember when mowing is to wait until the grass is dry. Dry blades are more likely to stand up straight and will be less likely to band into clumps when cut.
A fertilising friend
There are many fertilisers available on the market and it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. Some come in granule form, others in synthetic or organic liquid blends but, on the whole, most fertilisers contain three main nutrients: potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.
Whether you choose granules or liquids, the main thing to bear in mind is that too much nitrogen can promote excess leaf growth and can change the colour so although the temptation will be to add more nitrogen into the mix for lush leafy goodness, it’s worth remembering that less is more, certainly in the long term.
A little extra love
It should go without saying but giving your lawn a little extra TLC will pay dividends over time. Common issues affecting lawn quality are dead patches of grass, or pesky weeds that can wreak havoc on a lawn. Dead patches of grass in particular can be a nuisance and can spoil the aesthetics of a lawn but you can repair these with sod, although it can be difficult to blend these patches in with the rest of the lawn. To avoid a patchwork appearance in the grass, you could sow grass seeds instead, which works a treat especially on smaller patches of grass that don’t get as much natural sunlight.
A little perseverance and time will go a long way in maintaining a healthy lawn, and these are just a few steps you can take to protect yours. If you’d like some more expert gardening tips on how to manage your lawn, get in touch. The Waterlillie Clark team works with clients in and around the Plymouth area and way beyond, providing help and assistance on a whole range of gardening projects.