When it comes to gardening, many people put a lovely lawn at the top of their list. You will need to invest time and effort, but the results are going to be worth it. Many people are discouraged when they look at their lawn and see a brown and patch lawn.
But you should not give up!
Growing a lovely lawn is not that hard, provided you do things right. The seven steps below from House Method are easy and they will help you have a beautiful lawn without having to do much.
TIP 1 – RESEEDING
One thing with nature is that it always looks for growth, even more than you do. If you have a bare or patchy area on your lawn, it is going to attract weeds. If there is no grass growing on that patch, weeds are going to grow there.
If you have any bare patches on your lawn, make sure you fill them using your grass of choice so that weeds don’t grow there. If there are areas of the lawn that look a little thin, over-seed the areas. This will result in a thicker lawn.
TIP 2 – MOWING
You should try mowing the lawn once a week during summer and spring. This will leave your lawn looking fresh and encourages new growth. There are two golden rules you have to keep in mind when mowing, keep them sharp, and keep them long.
- The blades of the mower need to be sharp. If they are dull, it leaves ragged ends which turn brown. Service your mower every year to ensure it is in top condition. If it is a robotic lawnmower, have the blades replaced when you take them for service.
- With each move, just cut one-third of the grass' length. This is will allow the grass new growth while not stripping all nutrients from the lawn.
TIP 3 – MULCH CLIPPINGS
While still on the topic of mowing, grass clippings are great because they have a lot of nutrients. Experts (especially those working on playing fields and golf courses) know that grass clippings are some of the best fertilizer. When using robotic lawnmowers, you will notice they mulch the clippings. In simple terms, it means that the clippings get cut to very small pieces before being deposited back to the surface of the lawn. The clippings will then rot and release nutrients, which are going to help the grass become thick and healthy.
TIP 4 – AERATING
A good lawn is going to be used. Whether it is people walking on it or kids playing on it, maybe even rolling on it. All this gets the soil squished and it becomes hard and dense. When the soil is compacted, it is hard for oxygen, water, and nutrients to get to the roots of the grass. When you aerate the lawn, the soil loosens and creates enough space for oxygen, water, and nutrients to get in.
You should aerate your lawn once in the autumn and once in the spring, but it depends on how compacted the lawn is. You don’t have to spend much on aeration, a garden fork is good enough, you don’t have to get a commercial aerator.
- Start by mowing the lawn first then using a scarifier or rake to remove thatch
- Begin from one corner pushing the fork straight down the grass. Make sure the tines go all in.
- Repeat this every 4-6 inches until you are done with the lawn
- Sweeping over the sand soil so it fills the holes
TIP 5 – ALTERNATING THE MOWING DIRECTION
Many people love looking at a perfect striped lawn, but having a strict mowing pattern is not good for your lawn. When you mow the same direction every time, the turf is going to lay flat and it wouldn’t spring back. The wheels of the mower can cause ruts, although you might not notice that. When you use random patterns to mow your lawn, the grass will be evenly cut and your lawn will be healthy. Experts agree that a random pattern is the best, which is why robotic lawnmowers use it too.
TIP 6 – FERTILIZING
Your grass loses nutrients when you cut them, no matter how much you mulch. This is why you should be fertilizing the lawn every four to five weeks during the growing season. Fertilizing the lawn allows you to replace phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium that was lost during summer. Make sure you follow directions provided by the manufacturer. The tips below will ensure you get the most out of this process.
- Apply it after mowing the lawn, if possible
- Apply it before rains so that it can easily get to the roots of the grass
- If it is dry, wait until there are rains because fertilizer can scorch parched lawns
- For shady areas, apply a third less fertilizer
TIP 7 – WATER
There is such a thing as watering the lawn wrong. When you water your lawn later in the day like evening, it can result in rot (especially areas that don’t experience much sunshine). This happens because of water staying on the blades for long. The best time to water the lawn is early morning. The sun will dry the water on the blades while your grass gets the water it needs.
A beautiful lawn is not that hard, even if you are getting started. The above tips should help you have a beautiful lawn in no time.