Lawn care tips for beginners, the best way to maintain a fresh and healthy lawn this Summer on the Central Coast, NSW Australia
Basic lawn care tips can help to nurture a healthy lawn and there are many benefits of a well-maintained lawn. These include providing a safe outdoor space for children, a great area for pets to play and the perfect place to entertain family and friends during the Aussie Summer.
Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly cut grass in the afternoon, or the beauty of a perfectly manicured lawn glistening in the early morning sunshine. You may look at your neighbour’s patch of green with envy asking yourself, ‘how do they do it?,’ but trust me – it’s easier than you think to remove the weeds, thicken up your lawn and bring jealousy to your neighbourhood.
The steps taken to achieve a fresh and flourishing lawn are actually quite simple, you don’t need to become an avid grass specialist or even invest a lot of time to create an inspiring lawn. In fact, basic DIY products from your local nursery or Bunnings coupled with a bit of love and care, will have you staring in awe at your own lawn in no time.
Overtime, lawns become damaged by weeds, being constantly squashed, which causes soil to compact, from too much, or not enough water and weather that’s too hot or too cold. If your lawn has taken a beating through the winter months don’t worry, Spring is the perfect time of the year to rejuvenate your lawn.
Simply follow the steps below and you’ll have your lawn looking picture perfect:
Equipment needed:
Weeding tool, gloves, garden fork, rake, topsoil, grass seeds, fertiliser, watering can or garden hose and lawn mower.
Preparation:
Most parts of Australia, including the Central Coast, it is suitable to grow buffalo style lawn all year round. If you have a mixture of different types of species of grass and weeds, start by selecting the grass you want to grow and treat and remove any unwanted species – the best way to do this is by hand. You can also use a weeding tool, but make sure to pull out the whole weed or unwanted grass, including its roots from the soil. You can also use a specialised lawn feeder that includes a weed killer and herbicide to effectively nourish your lawn and kill off unwanted species of weeds and other grass types. Just make sure you select the correct version of weed and feed for your lawn as there are products that will kill buffalo lawns if used.
For individual weeds, use a direct weed killer spray. These direct sprays work especially well for areas around the edge of your lawn – but be careful not to spray these on your grass as they will kill your lawn as well as the weeds. When using any of these products, always carefully follow instructions on the label.
Aeration:
Aerating your lawn is key to thickening your turf, keeping it green, luscious and healthy and it’s not something many of us do properly. As mentioned earlier, soil is compacted by people or pets walking on grass, heavy objects sitting on lawns as well as a lot of rain where areas are already slightly compacted. When soil becomes compacted, the grass blades are unable to grow through the tough soil and you’ll see bare patches throughout your lawn.
To start aerating, use a rake to scrape up and detangle your grass. This also rids your lawn of any dead grass that will hinder new growth. Collect the waste from raking and dispose of in your green bin (you can also pop into your garden compost if you have one). After raking, use a garden fork to open up the soil by prying down into the soil and lifting up. This will let oxygen and nutrients into the soil and allows it to breathe. Focus on particular areas including bare and dry patches, this will allow water and nutrients to fill holes and allow for potential grass root regrowth.
Rejuvenation:
If you have a particularly patchy lawn, then it is best to add a layer of topsoil and rake it throughout the bare areas. Spread roughly 1cm thick as a top layer across the patch you are looking to fix. This will allow for a new coating of nutrients that will flourish throughout the new soil. Add grass seedlings to the area (taking care to use the same variety as your lawn e.g. buffalo), by sprinkling the seedlings out evenly all over the new topsoil. You can then re-apply more existing topsoil to protect it from birds. Make sure to water this thoroughly to start to promote seedling germination and make sure to keep people and pets off these areas while they establish.
Fertilisation:
The perfect time to start fertilising is the start of Spring. You can either use a dry solution granular or liquid fertiliser depending on the type of grass you have. Always apply according to label instructions on the product. Make sure to cover the entire lawn, this will encourage growth and protect it through the Summer months. With correct fertilisation, you will see a huge change in health and colour of your lawn overtime. As mentioned earlier, some liquid fertiliser varieties also come with built in weed killer – just choose the right type based on your type of turf. We recommend using Yates 2.4L buffalo Weed N’ Feed hose on weed killer, as it has a dual action of watering and fertilisation, but please consider product’s label instructions for suitability to your own lawn.
Watering:
After applying topsoil or dry fertiliser it is best to soak the entire lawn with water. Rule of thumb is not to water after using liquid or spray on fertiliser unless directed otherwise via the product’s label instructions. Watering should be done at least one or twice a day, depending on rainfall as well as weather conditions such as unseasonably warm days. Use a watering can or garden hose depending on the size of your lawn to evenly distribute the water across the lawn, we recommend a deep soak of your lawn rather than light. Sprinkler systems can be also used to provide a lawn with enough water that can help to put nutrients back into the soil. At the time of writing this blog, there are no water restrictions on the Central Coast, NSW, but please take note of any changes in the future, or check out your local council’s or authority’s website. We can’t stress enough, watering is the most important part of reviving your lawn.
Mowing:
This one can be controversial, but we stand by it and you’ll see the proof if you follow our advice – mow your lawn as high as possible! It can take a few months for your lawn to adjust – especially if you’ve been mowing it super low, but mowing higher will thicken your lawn which helps to catch moisture and create a thicker grass canopy stopping many weeds from being able to grow.
To mow higher, find your height adjustment lever on your lawn mower and increase the height setting. As you mow each time, you’ll notice that your lawn will thicken and you’ll definitely see the mower cutting more obviously at this same height as the lawn thickens and your grass height increases. Cutting at a higher level setting will also allow for grass roots to grow more easily, rather than chipping into the soil, this will in-turn allow the leaf surface to have better exposure to the sun. In general, during Spring and Summer, we recommend mowing should be completed once a week. In some locations with limited sunshine or after prolonged dry periods less mowing will be needed. Another general piece of advice is to make sure to keep up your lawn mower maintenance. Dull or blunt blades should be replaced as poor blades can rip into your grass rather than cleanly cut it. Don’t forget to use new petrol and make sure you change your oil if you have a 4 stroke mower. After using our mower, we like to give it a quick hose down to remove any clumps of grass or dirt before storing away for the following weeks.
Following these tips and tricks, and by spending a bit of love and care on your lawn this Spring will help set you up for Summer. Remember, you can always head to your local DIY hardware shop garden section or ask a nursery team member for help in getting your lawn to flourish to the best of its ability. With your new knowledge, you’ll be the talk of the neighbourhood, with your prized lawn surrounding your humble abode. A thriving and well maintained lawn helps to create oxygen, adds value to your home and also becomes part of creating an enjoyable outdoor experience for family and friends. Remember, once your lawn has been regenerated, always keep an eye on it, especially for those nasty weeds trying to sneak their way in!
After you’ve finished prepping your lawn for the warmer months, make sure you visit us at The Greenkeepers Shed at The Entrance. We’ve got plenty of great food, great beer and great times. Get your mates together and compare lawn pictures over a drink or two and chat with our greenkeepers for any extra lawn maintenance related advice.
We look forward to seeing you soon! Click here to find our location