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How to make a backyard footy field

Get the kids out playing in the backyard. - by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd
  • 03 Nov 2020

A little care for your lawn now means you can kick those backyard sessions up a notch with your little Lionel Messi, and brush up on those footy or soccer skills. 

WATCH: Charlie's low-maintenance and good-looking lawn alternative

With summer on the way, get the backyard ready for a little sport and keep up the skills training for the younger ones over the holidays with a small family game of sport on a lush green lawn. 

Giving your lawn a little helping hand now will help it thrive the extra wear and tear this season.

For those wanting to play sport, Alicia Lammond from Scotts Lawn Builder has put together her top tips for constructing the ultimate backyard pitch.

Backyard soccer
Getty

1. Choose your layout wisely

The layout is one of the most important aspects to consider when creating your very own soccer field. The bigger the area the better, but that doesn’t mean smaller yards have to miss out.

Families with less space should consider creating a half field or a penalty box, to practice those intense shootouts.

Don’t forget to give your neighbours some peace of mind by placing your goal against a fence, so you can avoid hitting any windows or nearby cars. 

2. Remove any nasties

The last thing you want to find while playing backyard sport is weeds and bindiis.

Using a specialised weed treatment now will help maximise the health of your lawn and ensure it doesn’t contain any nasties that could be harmful to your children or pets.

Make sure you use a product safe for all lawns too. You want to kill weeds, not lawns.

Backyard soccer
Getty

3. Care for your soccer pitch

To guarantee the health of your new football pitch, make sure to give your grass a quality, specialised feed. For optimum results, invest in a trigger hose liquid lawn fertiliser.

It goes to work immediately giving your lawn the perfect dose of nutrients, and as an added bonus, will give it a richer, greener colour in just a few days. Perfect for small to medium sized lawns and suitable for all lawn grasses.

4. Get mowing

Before putting in your goalposts and drawing your boundaries, remember to give your grass a mow.

As we move into the cooler months, it is important that you switch to catching rather than mulching because clippings left on the lawn may cause fungal problems.

Keep the lawn clear of fallen leaves and trim back overhanging branches that may be restricting light. This will allow for more sunlight and warmth to soak into your soil over Autumn and Winter. 

5. Put in your finishing touches

Whether your backyard has room for a full-sized pitch or just a penalty box, ensure that you mark out your goal posts at a size that is right for you.

A top tip for backyard soccer fields is to invest in a pair of pop up goals so that you can move them if needed. To maximise your soccer pitch and avoid any family disputes, draw in some boundary lines around your posts.

Just remember, this should be completed after you have set your goals in place.  

For more gardening information, visit lawnbuilder.com.au

You might also like:

How to keep your kids entertained this school holidays

How to set up the ultimate sleepover on a trampoline

Make this enchanted garden with kids

  • Garden
  • Better Life
  • Backyard Ideas
Rebecca Lowrey Boyd
Rebecca is the Digital Managing Editor of Better Homes and Gardens.

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