A great lawn rarely happens by chance. It is the product of careful planning, choosing the right lawn grass, having good soil underneath, careful mowing to the right height, fertilising and of course, watering at the right times. Many Australian lawns don’t get this kind of care and it is not long before they develop bare patches which Mother Nature soon fills in with weeds – often prickly ones.
Good Reticulation Saves Water
As property sizes decrease, lawn sizes shrink with them, but that doesn’t mean you have to neglect your grass. It simply means it is easier to take care of and you will have time to play golf. Another way to have plenty of time for golf is to install an automatic watering system. The correct system for your lawn will not only transform it into a verdant carpet the kids will loving playing on; it will save water.
Modern technology has caught up with things like pumps and sensors, so you can have an automatic reticulation system hidden away under that green carpet and know that it will not automatically water your lawn even though it has recently rained. Sensors will switch it off even if it is just about to rain. And you can add specially shaped nozzles that will avoid watering your driveway or the neighbour’s yard.
The Importance of Mowing Techniques
Mowing techniques are important too, to keep your lawn looking good. If you allow it to get too long and then mow it short on a very hot day, there will be numerous brown patches – sunburn due to the soft stems being exposed. Sometimes this will even kill large patches of grass. On the other hand, if you mow constantly at near ground level, the grass will become weaker and soon there will be weeds growing through it.
Mowing regularly about 40mm from the ground will allow your grass to grow those leaf blades that are soft and green, yet strong enough provide a good ground cover that will keep out weeds and shade the soil. It is also important to keep the mower blades really sharp, otherwise the grass will go white in patches due to tearing damage.
Fertiliser
The right fertiliser at the right time will keep that lawn growing well so it is healthy and strong. Lawn fertiliser should be applied at the beginning of the growing season. If you have had drenching rains for some time, fertiliser can leach out of the soil, so fertilising again is a good idea. Lawn fertiliser is readily available.
What to do with Shady Patches
Grass will not grow in areas that don’t get much sun. Shade tolerant grass species actually prefer sun, so will gradually encroach on your main lawn grass and the two together will not give a good look. But rather than put up with bare dirt, you can grow Dichondra, a ground hugging plant with tiny leaves that will not grow tall, but will stick to the shade. Treat it just as you would the lawn and it will be happy. So will you as you see how attractive it is. It can be walked on and mown without any problems.
