Lawn Care Calendar

December 27, 2009 By

Although lawn maintenance can vary greatly depending on the area you live in, it’s always nice to have general some ‘rules’ to go, just so we can an idea of what sort of things we should or shouldn’t be doing to our lawn. The lawn calendar really starts in March, that’s when your lawn will actively start to grow again. At some stage during March there is usually a day when the sun comes out and as you look out on to your garden it feels like everything is starting to wake up from its winter slumber and as you stand there with the sun beating down on you, you finally remember what summer feels like and although this weather probably won’t last at this time of year and it’ll still be cold out of the sun and what sun there is doesn’t last for long, you can just tell that winter is finally losing its grip over your garden. This is the time you need to get out there and start attending to your lawn

Spring

Now’s the time to give the lawn its first cut, don’t cut the lawn too short at this stage, just go over it to take the top off of the grass and to collect up any debris and leaves that has gathered on the lawn. At this stage have the blades set no shorter than about 2.5cm (1inch). To give your lawn a head start (weather permitting) now is the time to apply a weed and feed (always making sure to follow the directions supplied with the weed and feed). After a couple of weeks, you’ll notice the weeds have blackened so now’s the time to spike your lawn using your garden fork or with a hole punching machine (they are readily available at most hire shops) and to rake out the dead weeds, moss and thatch from your lawn with your spring rake. Both of these jobs help to improve aeration and drainage for your lawn. After that is complete spread your chosen grass seed at the instructed rate and then brush in a layer of top dressing to complete your spring lawn makeover. Towards the end of spring you can start cutting you grass weekly and start to lower the cutting blades to about 2cm (3/4 inch). When lowering the blades always test out what it looks like on the most out of the way part of the lawn first, to make sure that the grass can take being cut at that height and your not removing too much of the blade. I remember one time when I first started gardening, that I got the mower out, set the blades to what I guessed would be a good height and set off with a stripe down the centre of the lawn only to turn round to see how straight I’d gone and see what resembled the centre strip of a cricket pitch than a lawn (that took some explaining!)

Summer

By now the ground will of dried out well and you should be cutting your lawn once a week with the blades set at about 1cm (1/2 inch), as long as your lawn take it. At this time of year some like people like to add a summer weed and feed which is fine but if you already done so in the spring them just adding a liquid feed will keep your lawn looking on top form. If you find that weeds start to appear later in the summer, then apply a selective weed killer or spot weed by hand to keep the weeds n check. It may be tempting at this time of year to get the hose and sprinkler out and start watering the lawn, especially if we’ve had some really hot dry spells but I personally never do and I’d advice you not to. The fact that the grass browns during the hot periods may look a little unsightly but you can rest in the knowledge that as soon as the rain does come that your lawn will be the first thing to perk up, as being a short rooted plant grass will be the first thing to absorb the new rain water. I also think that the water you do have can be put to better use in other areas of the garden. During mid summer and extended spells of hot dry weather you can raise the blades of your mower to about 2.5cm (1 inch) and instead of collecting the cuttings leave them on the lawn which will help to shade the lawn and lock in the remaining moisture in the ground.

Autumn

As summer turns to autumn mowing frequency can be lowered to every to weeks with the mower blades set at about 2.5cm (1 inch). During mid autumn add a autumn weed and feed and once that has taken effect and the weeds have blackened, you once again need to reach for the garden fork and punch holes in the lawn and with your wire spring rake or scarifier go over the lawn and rake out the dead weeds, moss and thatch that has built up over the summer months. Doing this will help to aerate and increase drainage in your lawn. It’s normally at the end of the autumn that I’d tell you to give the lawn its final cut and take your mower to be serviced but with the climate the way it is and the growing season seemingly lengthening every year then its possible depending on what area you live in that your lawn may need cutting later in the year as well. Always make sure falling leaves are regularly raked up and blown off the lawn to prevent some of the grass dying off and the lawn becoming patchy and undoing all of the hard work you’ve done during the year.

Winter

Ah finally a little rest bite from lawn maintenance (at least that’s one positive to put on the fact that winter will of now well set in!) and although there isn’t half as much to do during the winter as there is in other months, there are still some things that need doing. If you notice areas that are water logged or wetter than others then spike the areas with you garden fork to increase drainage. Now’s the time to take the mower for servicing, to make sure you get it back in time for the first cut in spring. By now all leaves will be down so make sure to rake off all remaining leaves and debris with your plastic fan rake, only rake very lightly so to not damage the grass. Always try to keep off the lawn during frosty weather


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Feeding guide

December 27, 2009 By

Taking the time to feed your lawn will not only give it healthy green colour but it will also help it remain healthy which in turn goes a long way into keeping weeds and moss at bay.

Feeding your lawn doesn’t have to be that time consuming but it’s important to be aware of the correct times and the amounts to feed your lawn. Not feeding you lawn enough may produce a lack of nutrients, however even more harmful than under feeding is over feeding. Over feeding could cause your lawn to become scorched and all the grass to become burnt. It’s quite a shocking site to set eyes on your recently fed lawn only instead of seeing a lush green carpet, the thought runs through your mind that may have accidentally applied weed killer instead of the feed!

Grass needs only a certain level of nutrients and to much of them can be just as harmful as too little. If you’re using one of the commercially available weed and feeds you shouldn’t go far wrong just follow the directions included. It might be tempting to apply the feed by hand but I highly recommend getting yourself a spreader, doing so will make applying the feed at the recommended rate a lot easier and the even spread you get will give a far superior finish, even for the smallest of lawns there are small hand spreaders available.

Applying the feed the as early as you can in spring will give the grass a major head start as it is starting to actively grow again afters its winter slumber. I wouldn’t recommend adding fertiliser to newly laid turf allow the roots to become completely established before you think about feeding it.

Maintaining a regular feeding schedule on your lawn will mean it remains weed free and healthy all year round.

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Mowing Guide

December 27, 2009 By

A lot is made of mowing a lawn and lots of people worry too much about what they should be doing and how they should be doing it but for me there is no substitute for regular mowing (always at the right cutting height). Had I written this a few years ago then it would of read a lot different but there is no doubt that growing conditions have and still are changing and so we must change with it.

Like many things in gardening the more you mow a lawn the better at you will become. It will start to feel more natural and you’ll just know the right height to set the mower blades to achieve the right cutting height for the time of year but until then there are some ‘rules’ to help you get a really great looking lawn.

There are many different types of mowers you can use but the main ones being: Rotary blade mowers, Cylinder mowers, electric hover mowers, for smaller lawns and for larger lawns, Ride on mowers. The most versatile and there for most commonly used is the rotary blade mower, if you want a dramatic stripy lawn (which I’m sure you do) then make sure you have on with a roller at the back and not the four wheeled version. A petrol mower will cost more to run but will have much more power than their electric alternative, plus you won’t have to worry about the trailing cable getting in the way whilst your mowing.

When cutting you never want to cut you lawn too short, a good tip is to never cut more that a third off the grass at one time. Doing so could allow moss and weeds to take hold. If you’ve inherited or have neglected your lawn (which happens to us all) then returning it back to your desired height is going to be a gradual process by cutting regularly and lowering the height you cut each time.

Always try and mow you’re your lawn when the grass is dry, its collects so much easier and just makes for a more pleasurable experience. However sometimes mowing when the lawn is wet  is unavoidable, just be prepared for it to take you a little longer to get it done, empty the box more regularly  and just take your time. I wouldn’t advice lowering the blade height when cutting wet grass, just try to keep it maintained till you have a dry day.

One tip though and this only really counts if your already cutting at your desired height and aren’t really taking to much off the height of the lawn, is to cut the grass in the morning while the grass is still damp. The Stripes you achieve will be much more dramatic and exaggerated, giving some stunning results.

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Lawn Care Tools

December 26, 2009 By

Like most things, having the correct tools will make things much easier but you need to make sure you have the right tools for your situation. If you have a large garden and lawn then an electric hover mower would make keeping the lawn properly maintained a daunting prospect, just as a ride on mower would prove very clumsy on a small lawn and probably wouldn’t give as nice a finish as say a small rotary mower with a roller. So it’s important to have the right tools for our own personal needs. There may be other tools you need but these are the tools I consider essential for your regular lawn care.

Mowers

With such a wide variety of mowers available it could be quite confusing to know which one you need. There are only really five types of mower you need to consider and they are:

And becoming popular recently

Strimmer

For me a lawn never looks finished until the edges have been trimmed and a strimmer is the perfect tool for the job. Ideally a petrol strimmer or for smaller lawns an electric version will do the job just fine. If you don’t have or can’t get a strimmer then for small gardens long handled lawn sheers will give the same effect as a strimmer would, it may just take you a little longer (there’s no hurry though, gardening should be relaxing after all)

Rakes

For regular lawn care there’s only really two rakes you’ll ever need the first is a wire spring rake for removing moss in the spring and autumn and the second is a plastic fan rake for collecting leaves off of the lawn in the autumn. The fan rakes soft make up means you can rake the lawn without worry of damaging the grass

Garden Fork

A garden fork is one of the most versatile and essentials tools you can have in your garden. Used for punching holes into the lawn to aerate the ground before brushing in a top dressing

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Lawn Moss – Causes and Removal

December 26, 2009 By

To have a moss free lawn first we have to understand what causes moss in the first place. There are a few main reasons why moss will appear on a lawn or maybe you have inherited a moss ridden lawn with a house you have just moved into. Moss will appear on you lawn when the grass is weak or the lawn is patchy, so regular mowing and feeding will go along way in keeping your lawn moss free. We will be looking at how to remove moss but first let’s looks at the causes of moss on a lawn

Causes of moss on a lawn
Shade - If your lawn is in a shady location moss will continue to return. Letting as much light on to the lawn as possible will make your job a lot easier. Try and keep all surrounding hedges pruned and remove as many overhanging branches as is sensibly possible. If buildings are shading your lawn obviously there’s not much we can about this but the idea is to do as much as possible to get the conditions right and working in our favour

Cutting grass too short -This is one of most common reasons why I see moss on people’s lawns. Cutting your lawn as short as you can, might seem like a great idea and with regular weed and feeding and mowing it will be more than possible to have a moss free lawn but trying to cut the grass too short too cutting will weaken it and let moss take advantage and establish itself

Poor drainage – Hard compacted ground or a lawn laid on heavy clay where water remains for prolonged periods are two common causes for moss to appear on your lawn and we all know how moss just loves to grow in damp and wet conditions. Just raking out the existing moss wont get rid of it for very long, you need to do as much as you can to remove the cause by improving the drainage

Drought – I’ve never really been a fan of watering lawns. I personally think the water you do have is best used else where in the garden. Grass is only a short rooted plant and will usually be the first thing in your garden to suffer the prolonged dry period but (and it’s a big but) The good news is it will quickly pick up again when the rain does return. A quick weed and feed will soon remove the moss that has taken advantage of the weakened grass and your lawn will be as good as new

How to remove Moss from a lawn
When it comes to moss, prevention is better than the cure and using the guidelines above you should be able to keep your lawn moss free but sometimes things happen or you inherit a lawn and you find yourself facing the task of having to remove established moss.

Regular cutting (at the right level) and feeding will strengthen the grass and keep it growing well. Remove existing moss by scarifying in spring and autumn. Aerate the lawn by punching holes with a fork or hire a powered hole puncher for bigger lawns (concentrating on the compacted and poorly drained areas we talked about earlier). Then brush in a mixture of compost, agricultural grit and grass seed.

If you’re not adverse to using a chemical based weed and feed then apply your chosen weed and feed as directed on the packet, wait for the moss to blacken before carrying out the scarifying and top dressing process

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