Weather conditions in Australia can be harsh, from the cool tablelands to the dry west and the tropical north. The summer months in particular can be relentless on your lawn, resulting in dry, dead patches of lifeless turf.
To ensure the overall health and appearance of your lawn, there are steps you can take both before and during the summertime months. Below are our top 10 tips for summer lawn care.
Summer Lawn Care Tips
1. Longer Lawns
Shorter lawns need more watering as the soil is more exposed. Raise your lawn height to at least 30mm for couch lawns and let it breathe a little. This will help to keep your lawn in much better shape.
2. Pull Weeds
Pulling up weeds by hand from the root will remove the entire plant as opposed to mowing over them and just clipping off the heads.
3. Mow Less
Never mow more than 1/3 of the leaf tip off in any single mowing. Your lawn won’t like it and will go into stress. It will then seed and become thin and patchy.
4. Sharper Blades
If your lawn looks ‘white’ after mowing, the blades of your mower are likely blunt. This means they tend to ‘tear’ the grass blades rather than cut them. Sharper blades help stave off diseases.
5. Fertilise
Applying fertiliser early in summer is recommended to boost your lawn through the warmer weather. Applying a good granular, slow release fertiliser is good for both growth and colour. Try a nitrogen-rich option, such as the Lawntastic Premium Lawn Fertiliser.
6. Nutrient Feed
Periods of high rainfall can remove nutrients from your soil. If your lawn needs a boost, apply fertiliser at the recommended rate, but in a patch of roughly 1 sq. m, apply twice the amount.
7. Light Watering
Watering your lawn once a week for at least 1 hour should be sufficient for even the hottest summer’s day. By watering deeply and infrequently you encourage stronger root growth, which will increase the drought tolerance of your lawn.
8. Wetting Products
For watering to be more efficient, apply a wetting agent. This will increase your soil’s water absorbency and ensure that your soil isn’t repelling water.
9. Weed Control
Over summer, ideally your lawn will be growing in a tight thick mat which will mean those pesky weeds just won’t be able to compete. However, giving them a hit of Bin-Die will mean their days are numbered.
10. De-thatching
If your lawn has dead grass that has accumulated in thickness, it may need de-thatching or raking to remove the debris. This will allow air and sunlight to reach down into your grass and help to promote healthy growth stimulation for a fuller, luscious lawn.
A long, hot summer doesn’t have to be torture on your grass. Follow these tips for lush green grass that’s the perfect backdrop for your barbecues and outdoor activities this summer!