Lawn care

A typical lawn is usually in need of renovation, moss, weeds, thin and bare patches.

To obtain any sort of reasonable quality looking lawn, regular maintenance work is required. There is no quick fix with this process, usually between one to three years.

A number of processes are required to obtain a quality lawn which are explained below.

Aeration.

What is aeration? Air and water can penetrate the surface when the layers of compaction just below the surface is broken when holes or slits are created in the ground.

Why aerate?

There are a number of reasons for carrying out aeration on a lawn.

1. To allow air, oxygen carbon dioxide exchange around the roots.

2. Relieve compaction.

3. Improve drainage

4. Aid the application of top-dressing, fertilisers etc.

5. Helps the breakdown of thatch.

6. Reduces potential for diseases to take hold.

7. Aids overall health, growth, rooting & aesthetics

There are a number of tools you can use to aerateturf with

Solid Tine

Garden fork is a perfect example. This makes a hole in the turf.

Hollow Tine

This piece of equipment removes a solid core of soil.

Blade Tine

This appliance makes a slit in the soil.

Although solid and blade tines aid the turf with their holes / slits they tend to push and compact the soil to actually create these holes/ slits.

However the hollow tine actually removes solid cones of soil which makes the application of top dressing etc and the whole process far more thorough.

Edging

During the growing season your lawn will become untidy on the edges and will slowly encroach into the border.

Where the lawn meets the borders hand shears or a strimmer don't get the same neat finish as a half moon edger.

Unlike a digging spade a half moon has a straight blade which gives the clean cut finish.

Fertilising

Research into chemicals / weedkillers / selective weedkillers has allowed gardeners to help keep weeds at bay.

From moss treatment, feed and weed to autumn care manufacturers package all these lawn treatments for you and distributors sell them at the correct time of year making your choice very easy.

Mowing

Generally the lawn growing season in Britain is between March and October, but with the unusual weather we have been receiving in the past few years this is altering from year to year. I recently received an article that forecast our cutting season would change from March to October to October to March due to drought conditions in the usual mowing season and the wetter weather returning October - March allowing the turf to grow. Time will tell!

Cylinder mowers give a far better cut than rotary mowers. If you have a luxury lawn this is the type of mower you need. Disadvantages include the cost to buy and they struggle to cut long grass with a satisfactory finish.

Rotary mowers don't tend to give the same finish as cylinder but they are cheap to buy, light to handle and allow difficult areas to be cut i.e slops, uneven turf etc.

The height of cut during the season is important, at the beginning start on a higher cut and as March - April progress, gradually reduce the height.

If you take the cut too low this can encourage moss and other problems.

The ideal length of turf you are looking to cut to is between 12.5mm (1/2 inch) - 25mm (1 inch) but this depends on the quality of lawn you have in your garden.

Scarification

Scarification is carried out for a number of reasons.

Removes & controls thatch.

Controls weeds, moss, clover etc

Improves water penetration

Improves airflow around the grass reducing risk of diseases.

Improves incorporation of fertilisers, top-dressing etc.

Equipment that can be used for the scarification process range from a spring-tine rake, electric scarifier or petrol scarifier for larger lawns.

Water

Very often I lay a new lawn and the customer forgets to water the turf.

Maybe considered as common sense regular watering throughout dry periods is needed.

There are a wide variety of sprinklers on the market. I usually recommend an oscillating sprinkler for customers to use.