As you venture into your garden now that the darkest days of winter have passed, you’ll notice bare patches in your lawns where the sun didn’t shine. Worse still, those patches may now be home to opportunistic weeds. Plus, the soil may be water-logged after winter rains and will need a feed. Never fear – a bit of remedial work over a couple of weekends will revive your lawn and get it ready for a spring growth spurt. It’ll be ready for entertaining and strong enough to face the rigours of summer activities in no time.
Put the effort in now with these 5 simple steps, and you’ll be rewarded with flawless lawns to enjoy all spring and summer.
1. Weeding
Aim to remove weeds, including their roots, before they set seed. If you had an inundation of weeks during winter, the first line of attack is hand removal as your lawn needs to be healthy and growing if you opt for a herbicide. Make sure you get the roots or they’ll just come back! Bindii must be tackled now, otherwise, you’ll end up with feet that’ll feel like a pin cushion.
Large areas are best handled by using a spray-on selective herbicide, which kills the weeds but not the grass. If you have a buffalo lawn, make sure you select one designed for it, or you’ll kill more than just the weeds. If weeds in your lawn are an annual problem, use a pre-emergent herbicide in autumn that kills the weeds at their seed stage, or a post-emergent herbicide in spring.
2. Aerating
With regular use, especially in high-traffic areas, the soil under your grass gets compacted, making it harder to retain moisture and provide nutrients to your lawn. This allows water, nutrients and oxygen to get to the roots. To open up the soil, work your way around the lawn, plunging your garden fork into the soil every 10cm or so, and giving it a wiggle. Larger areas can be done using aerating shoes, which are spiked sandals that clip onto your shoes. You can get them from your local nursery. Aerate and exercise at the same time!
3. Patch it up
Even out your lawn by fixing any bare patches. First, remove the dead grass from the bare spot to expose the soil. Small spots can be seeded or sown with runners from a healthy area of the lawn. Larger areas are best done using new turf, which you just roll out like a carpet for instant effect.
4. Mow, dethatch and top-dress
Start by giving your lawn a trim with the mower. Not too much, you just want to even out the height of the grass. Make sure your mower blades are sharp so you don’t tear the leaves. Adjust the height of your mower in spring so you’re only cutting about a third of the grass height – any shorter and you’ll stress the roots. Then lift it slightly higher for summer mowing so the grass stays tall enough to shade the soil to keep it cool, and ensure the soil retains moisture.
Dethatch is a layer of organic material that is yet to break down. If it is more than 1.5cm thick, it can block the sun from reaching the grass and water from reaching the roots. Use a dethatching rake, then top-dress by spreading a quality top-dressing soil mix over the lawn and level with a rake. Aim for a depth of about 1 cm and still leave the tips of the grass exposed.
5. Give it a feed and water!
Fertilising your lawn now will give it the nutrients to start growing making it more robust for the hotter months ahead. Choose a fertiliser that’s been developed for the variety of lawn you have. Use a slow-release fertiliser if your lawn is in pretty good nick, or a rapid-release one if it’s looking a bit dire. A slow-release granular fertiliser will give it a gentle feed over 8 – 10 weeks. Spread the granules evenly over your lawn and water in. Liquid fertilisers can be applied if you want to give it a quick burst of growth.
As our weather becomes more unpredictable, water your lawn when you see it needs it. Infrequent but deep watering encourages deep, strong roots and is best done early in the day.
