Easy Ways to Improve Your Lawn

It’s safe to say that you don’t need to be an expert
horticulturist to have a great looking lawn. What you do need is to spend a
little bit of time checking and maintaining your yard, front and back, to
ensure a great, consistent result. We have given a few tips below on the most
regular problems that gardeners face when trying to get their lawn into shape.

Mow Regularly

By trimming your grass regularly, you will give it
consistency along with helping the lawn to gain the correct amount of sunlight
and water it needs to grow. As the grass roots tend to go into the soil about
two inches deep, you want to try to keep your lawn at a similar height. In
times of drought, when the grass is getting little water, you should increase
the height to around three inches as this will shade the grass and help to
prevent weeds from forming, which can be harmful to your lawn. Prevent issues
when mowing by getting a better understanding of the various types of mowers. Different varieties
of grass may require different cutting heights, so check the best practices of
mowing for your lawn (and region) before starting.

Aerate Your Lawn

We aerate our lawns to ensure that the soil does not
become compacted. If you have compacted soil, your lawn will suffer from a lack
of water, nutrients, and the roots will not penetrate deep down into the soil,
which is essential for a healthy lawn. The obvious signs of a compacted
lawn
are having lots of weeds, and areas where there is dead grass. An easy method
to check is to try and push a garden fork into the soil. If it doesn’t go down,
then there is a good chance you need to aerate your lawn. You can buy a
specific tool for the job or try watering the lawn and using a garden fork to
punch holes into the soil while loosening it a little each time. To prevent
having compacted soil, you should try to keep traffic across the lawn to a
minimum when it has been raining, when the soil is soft, as this gradually
compresses it until it dries and starts to get as hard as concrete.

The Stopcock Location Check

Before anything, you should know the location of the stopcock. In addition to that, every house member should know where the stopcock is in the house. In case a severe leak or rupture takes place, you should immediately turn to the stopcock. Keep in mind that it only takes a few minutes to turn a little error into severe damage. So don’t waste a moment and rush towards the stopcock and shut off the water supply. Get rid of extra water with a Submersible pump.

Watering the Lawn

Many gardeners tend to water their lawns daily, usually in
the evening for a short period of time. It is usually better to water less
often but leave the water running for longer, and this allows the water to get
deep down into the soil which in turn will encourage the roots of the grass to
grow further which leads to a better-looking lawn that will have fewer problems
in droughts and be less susceptible to weeds. You can still make this a daily
activity with a reduction in water, but make sure that every few days, you
leave the water running longer to ensure it soaks deeper into the soil.

Use Natural Fertilizers

There are a range of fertilizers on the market to help
grass grow, but natural fertilizers are the best for lawns according to
research. It has been found that by using natural fertilizers, your lawn will
be greener and healthier than if you use synthetic alternatives. Chemical fertilizers
are harmful to the environment when they enter the water table, and this affects
rivers and streams. Natural fertilizers are not just better for your garden but
also better for the family and the environment at the same time.

Cycle Grass Clippings

Most gardeners have a grass clipping collector already
attached to their lawnmower and then put the clippings into a compost heap to
decompose. A better suggestion is to
take off your collection bin and let the clippings decompose naturally on the
lawn. By allowing your clippings to decay back into your lawn, you are
providing the grass with the nutrients it needs, and this has been found to be
one of the best natural fertilizers to help grass flourish. Not only does
leaving the clippings maintain the lawn, but it also saves you from continually
emptying grass into your compost heap, which will speed up the mowing procedure
dramatically.

Eliminate Thatching

Thatching is a layer of dead grass and roots that forms
above the soil. The layer of thatch will prevent your lawn roots from
penetrating the ground. Thatching will make your lawn less tolerant of droughts
and weeds, and it may also lead to dead spots that make the lawn look untidy.
You can attend to this issue by using a dethatching rake or a leaf rake to
lift it from the top. You may want to leave a very thin layer in place as it
can be useful when it is not thick. A sure sign of thatching is a spongy
feeling when you walk across the lawn, and you may need to push the grass
blades aside to see the layer of thatch and determine whether it is too thick
for your lawn and if it needs removing.

By following the advice above you will already be well on
your way to making sure you and your family can enjoy a lush, green lawn as
soon as the sun is out. Follow the suggestions on your grass seed packaging
and, if in any doubt, ask your local garden center or lawn experts to get
in-depth knowledge for your grass type and your location. Remember, as with
anything, once you’ve put in place some solid maintenance practices and a good
work ethic, your job of up keeping will be that much easier.