Lawn preparation for summer
With Spring around the corner, getting your lawn ready requires no more than attention to a few details.
Estelle Cotty, local nursery manager, gives essential stips:
n Start by removing the dead thatch that tends to build up in the lawn.
Thatch is the dead matted grass which prevents water and fertilisers from penetrating the soil.
It is also a breeding ground for pests and fungal diseases.
- Remove the dead grass with a lawnmower set to low.
- Rake with a metal rake or hand broom to remove any long shoots and excess grass.
- Mow again.
- Ventilate with a garden fork or a spike roller with an emphasis on the compacted areas that bear more traffic
- Level the grass with weed free soil.
Next up is the fertilising programme.
- Use with 8:1:5 (22) fertiliser and water well.
Estelle says watering is essential to the growth and nutrition of the lawn.
A lawn requires about 3cm of water per week.
Wind increases moisture evaporation, and the amount of water applied needs to be increased if it’s windy.
Continue fertilising every four to six weeks to ensure healthy new growth and to suppress weeds.
Summer is also the ideal time to control weeds, as the weeds absorb the weedkiller more readily while it is actively growing.
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