Are you unwittingly committing crimes against your defenceless lawn?
Below we've listed the top eight crimes against lawns that you might not be aware your are committing and how to best avoid them.
Hands up if you might be guilty of the following crimes against your lawn:
1. Watering your grass at night
If you water your lawn at night, it can cause fungal issues - the best time to water your lawn is in the morning and early evening.
2. Overwatering, watering too often and not for long enough
Watering your lawn for longer time periods, less frequently is the best way to train your lawn to be more drought tolerant. Regular watering is only required during the warmer months or when establishing a new lawn.
3. Scalping and mowing too short
Mowing your lawn too short will put it under extreme stress and can leave brown or bare patches. It can also seriously deplete your lawn’s energy reserves and will cause weeds to invade and seed.
4. Not mowing regularly
Avoid long periods between mows, but also understand that your mowing routine will change with the seasons.
5. Mowing with blunt blades
Blunt mower blades will tear and not cut your grass, and the damage caused will leave your lawn looking poorly, discoloured and susceptible to disease.
6. Not allowing your lawn time to recover if compacted
Soil compaction limits the amount of nutrients and water to penetrate the roots of your lawn and you’ll need to keep off your patch if you want it to recover. You can also try raking the grass lightly to encourage the blades to stand up again and also aerating will help the roots to grow deeply and produce a stronger, more vigorous lawn.
7. Not pruning trees back
Shade prevents the quick evaporation of dew or surface water and ongoing dampness invites disease that can inhabit the growth of your lawn. Manage shade areas appropriately, including pruning trees, bushes and other foliage to allow as much sunlight as possible onto your lawn.
8. Under or over feeding your lawn
Fertiliser is food for your lawn; too little and it starves, too much and you won’t see it at its peak either. Get some sound advice around fertilising your patch and stick to a regular routine of every 6 weeks.
For more intel on lawn care visit our website at www.coolturf.com.au and don't stress, we're all guilty of crimes against our lawns every now and then. But once you know better, you'll do better when it comes to loving your lawn!
Or... if you're second guessing yourself and need another set of eyes to help diagnose a lawn trouble spot, contact our in-house Coolabah Lawn Doctor and we’ll help point you in the right direction.
The beauty of owning a Coolabah lawn is that there is rarely a problem without a lawn care solution. Call our friendly team on 1800 055 515.
Images thanks to istockphoto and datixinc.com
