Lawn Maintenance

The following mini articles will help you to keep your lawn well maintained.

Aeration

Grass needs air and water to grow to ensure it will grow and be healthy. Simple lawn care can make all the difference. During the summer months lawns suffer from wear and tear, this can be as a result of children, sports, or BBQs - these all combine to cause surface compaction and other damage.

Compaction will cause problems with drainage and it is harder for air, water and fertiliser to penetrate into the roots.Lawn aeration during the Spring and Autumn, helps allow the soil temperature to rise more quickly and the surface to breathe.

Very simple aeration of the lawn can be achieved by driving a fork into the lawn at regular intervals.

Watering

Lawns do need watering, particularly during the dry summer months, but over watering should be avoided, as this will cause the grass roots to grow at a shallow level, and in the long run this will increase the negative effect of droughts. Prolonged dry spells will slow any growth of the lawn if it does not include proper watering. Deep-rooted weeds will tend to survive and outgrow grass struggling in drought conditions, be aware of this and prevent problems developing.

An easy test to check if the lawn should be watered is to use the 'footprint test'. If the grass fails to spring back after standing on it, you should water it.

Scarification or Raking

Scarification removes the accumulation of dead and decaying organic matter at the base of the living roots and leaves. Scarifying or raking your lawn during the Spring and has several benefits - preventing the build up of matter and getting rid of surface debris.

A second rake in Autumn is essential to remove all the fallen leaves, ageing grass plants and other debris. The lawn is then ready for re-seeding if required.

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