Lawn Maintenance Plan Leads To Perfection

Tools you will need

• Lawn mower
• Fertilizer spreader (if required)
• Garden hose and fittings
• Sprinklers
• Hand aerator
• Digging fork
• Soil pH test kit
• Metal garden rake
• Wheelbarrow
• Secateurs
• Tree branch loppers
• Pruning saw

There are few things worse than a thin, patchy lawn. It detracts from the general appearance of your home and won’t stand up to the wear and tear often demanded of it. But a healthy, well-maintained lawn is a real pleasure and a source of pride, adding real value to your property by providing an attractive setting for your house, trees, shrubs and flowering plants. A beautiful, lush lawn also helps to keep your home cooler during the hot summer months by reflecting heat away from it. And it is a wonderful playground for the whole family, creating a green “oasis” for sports, barbecues, and other outdoor recreational activities.

Step 1: regular feeding
The most important factor in achieving a lush, green lawn is to give it a regular feed. This is because lawn grasses have shallow roots, and quickly deplete the soil of nutrients. So a systematic fertilizing program is essential to improve the vigor, density and appearance of your lawn. This will also help to reduce weeds.

Step 2: what to feed
Healthy lawn growth requires nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. Of the three, nitrogen is the element needed most. Inorganic fertilizers such as Sulphate of Ammonia, Urea and Calcium Ammonium Nitrate are all rich in nitrogen. Organic fertilizers such as Blood and Bone also contain nitrogen, but their continued use can encourage weeds and fungal disease. An ideal food is one you mix up yourself using; two parts Sulphate of Ammonia and one part Sulphate of Potash
Apply to your lawn surface at a rate of 20-30 grams per square yard. There is also an excellent range of complete lawn fertilizer brands available.

Step 3: when to feed
Apply fertilizers little and often, at approximately every 6-8 weeks during the growing season. Warm season grasses, such as Bermude Couch, Speedy Couch, Queensland Blue Couch, Buffalo Grass, Kikuyu Grass and Carpet Grass should be fed from Spring right through to Autumn. Feed Cool Season Grasses, including Bent Grass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Chewing Fescue and Perennial Ryegrass from late winter to early summer and again late summer to autumn. In tropical and subtropical areas with relatively mild winters, fertilizing in cooler months is not necessary.

Step 4: how to feed
Lawn foods can be purchased either as a liquid or a solid, in granular or powder form. Liquid solutions are available in diffusers which are fitted to the end of a garden hose and applied as a spray, providing even, uniform distribution without burning the grasses. Solid or granular fertilizers are spread by hand or by hiring a spreader. Apply in a north / south direction, then east / west to give an even distribution. Then water in well to totally dissolve the fertilizer, or you could end up with burnt brown patches or, worse, kill the grass completely.

Step 5: aeration
Aerating simply means punching holes into the soil surface to improve water, air and fertilizer penetration down to the grass roots to stimulate growth. Use a hollow tined lawn aerator (Fig. 1) to remove small cores of soil or jab the tines of a garden fork into the soil as far as they will go (Fig. 2), moving the fork back and forth a couple of times. For truly large lawn areas, a power aerator can be hired to save you a great deal of time and effort.

Step 6: watering
Frequency depends on the type of lawn grass, soil type and weather conditions. Cool season grasses, referred to in Step 1, require more watering than tougher drought tolerant grasses such as couch and other summer grasses, especially during hot weather. Heavier soils also hold moisture well and a reasonably heavy soaking once a week in summer should be all that's needed. However, sandy or lighter soils may require watering every two days during summer months. Generally, a deep, uniform soaking at intervals is better than frequent light sprinklings which can cause grasses to become soft and sappy and make them more prone to disease.

Light sprinklings also encourages surface roots that will become badly stresses during hot weather.
To check how moisture is penetrating to the grass roots, simply remove a square or round plug of lawn (Fig. 3) which you can then neatly replace without damaging the lawns appearance. If you haven't done so already, consider installing a permanent pop-up sprinkler system. They save time, effort and money by conserving water.

Drainage is also vital. Lawn grasses will not thrive in wet, soggy conditions and good drainage ensures better moisture penetration and air to the grass roots. So next time you're watering, or after it rains, check to see if there is any excessive water lying about. If drainage is poor, install some Agi Pipe or Nylex Strip Drain (Fig. 4). Refer to Step 3 for details. Or, it may be that water is retained only in surface hollows. In this case, top dress and level these areas with a loam soil to give an even surface (Fig. 5).

 

Step 7: mowing the lawn
Established lawns should be mown frequently and consistently, removing only one third of the height of the grass at any cut. Generally, aim for a height of about 2cm during spring and autumn and 3cm during summer (Fig. 6). Cutting too short causes shallow root formation which then encourages weeds. After mowing in Summer, leaving grass clippings on the lawn provides it with a valuable organic mulch that helps retain moisture and save water. But in winter or weather, it's best to remove clippings - they tend to collect in damp masses that may damage areas of the lawn as they decay. But don't waste them - add them to your compost heap.

Step 8: weed control
Weeds shouldn't be a problem in a vigorous growing, well drained and maintained lawn. They can only gain a foothold where grass is too thin or too weak to suppress them (Fig. 7). So if they do become a problem, look first at your maintenance practices - are you following all the required steps for strong, healthy growth? Most weeds in established lawns can be controlled with a selective weed killer such as Weed 'n Feed (which also fertilizes at the same time), Broadleaf Lawn Weeder or hormone weed killers like Zero or Round Up (be sure to read the instructions carefully before use).

Step 9: pest control
There aren't many lawn pests (Fig. 8) but they can cause considerable damage in some regions of Australia. The adult Black Beetle burrows in the soil, while its white Curl Grub feeds on the roots and causes the grass to yellow and die, mainly in Spring and Autumn. During Summer, Field and Mole Crickets can spoil the lawn surface with their tunneling and burrowing, and may even eat the grass. Both beetles and crickets can be treated with Chlorban or Lawn Beetle Killer. But be sure to fully follow the rate instructions and safety precautions printed on the label.

Step 10: tree management
Attractive gardens usually have shrubs and trees. And it's difficult to maintain a healthy lawn under them, especially if they are shallow rooted. Shade tolerant grasses such as Chewing Fescue, Creeping Red Fescue or Dichondra seed are available. But your lawn will also need extra help in these areas:

• Fertilize frequently and aerate
• Check soil acidity with a pH Test Kit or take a sample to your lawn and garden store. If pH reading is 6.0 or below, apply garden lime.
• Remove low lying branches to allow more sunlight through
• Regularly remove fallen leaves and other debris
• Surface rooted trees compete with grasses for moisture and nutrients. These can often by pruned without harming the tree.