How To Achieve A Killer Lawn In 6 Easy Steps

Ruthanne’s neat, clean and green lawn in Seattle, Washington. Photo Courtesy: Ruthanne Reid

Are you fed up of seeing that old cliché about the ‘always being greener’ applying to your neighbor’s lawn? He doesn’t seem to do anything special but the grass always looks far healthier than your sorry old patch of turf. You can take some respite in the fact that he is retired and you do not really have the time to spend in your garden, but there are a few tips that just might make your lawn stand up and be counted again.

1. Begin With The Mower!

It is a fairly obvious place to start, but are you really mowing your lawn the best way possible? You need to ensure that your blades are really sharp; if they are not, you can buy a sharpening stone at your local gardening centre for a few bucks. Blunt blades will tear at the grass and leave it looking uneven and possibly open to disease. Cut your lawn frequently and this will allow it to grow back, thick and healthy.

Whoopee Sticker Image Courtesy: Enokson

2. Length Does Matter!

Remember not to cut the grass too short when you restart your mowing regime. It is true that short grass will grow faster, but this is not a speed competition. If the lawn is cut too short it will require far more herbicide and water. This means you will have to spend more time on ensuring your lawn does not go haywire.  The best rule of thumb is to never cut more than a third of the grass’s current height.

3. Wet Grass

You should avoid cutting the lawn if it is moist as this will cause many issues. The soil will become compacted and your roots will not be able to breathe properly. Your lawn will start to die and you will be left with some nasty bald patches.

4. Give Your Lawn a Drink!

Unless you live in an area with plentiful rainfall, you will be required to offer some water to your thirsty lawn. If you water too heavily, you will risk building up a nasty thatch condition. But you should check to see if your lawn actually needs water before turning on the taps. Here are three ways to see if it needs some liquid lunch:

• If you cannot push a screwdriver into the ground easily – Your lawn is thirsty
• Footprints remain indented in the grass
• The grass retains a slightly blue tinge

5. Watering Time

However tranquil it may seem, do not water the grass in the evening. This can lead to serious grass diseases as the water will not dry out correctly. Try to get up a bit earlier and feed your grass before you head off to work in the morning.

6. Correct Type of Herbicide

It is important to select the appropriate type of herbicide for your lawn’s current condition. Here are the two varieties:

• Pre-emergent herbicide – This will stop grass seeds from germinating and should be applied annually.
• Post-emergent herbicide – This will kill most grass related weeds and will help your lawn to stay healthy

Jason Drent is the owner of www.thebigmower.com.au. His firm supplies Garden edging products & equipment. He loves doing his gardening and has over the years devised cheap and effective ways for maintaining the lawn. Besides his work, he often writes articles on various blogs.