Tips for a Healthy Lawn
Soil is the key to a lush, healthy lawn. One of the most important aspects is getting your lawns PH balance right, ideally the lawn’s pH needs to be between 6 1/2 and 7. This is slightly on the acidic side. However if your lawn is too acidic, you will need to give it a slight coating of like and to gain acidity you will have to use sulphur. All of these remedies are completely natural and you are not harming the environment.
If you are not sure of the pH balance of your lawn, then you can buy a pH tester from any reasonable garden centre. Or if you like many people have their lawns tested professionally.
Other important lawn care tips include aerating your lawn before you add any fertiliser. This is simple to do with an ordinary garden fork, ensure that the holes are around 10cms deep. This will help greatly with drainage and prevent compacting, it also helps maintain your lawns pH level.
Funnily enough another important check you should make is regarding the grass. Is the type of grass best suited to your area? Locally adapted grass will be much more suited to the climate you live in. Using imported or non-local grass may be an expensive mistake and the results could be much worse if the grass does not adapt to local conditions. It really doesn’t help the environment either by shipping in or buying grass from outside your local area.
Mowing is obviously another very important part of lawncare, it’s generally best done frequently. Around once a week is usually about right during the strong growing summer months. For a natural lawn care don’t mow too short, as this can dry out the soil and leave the roots exposed.
Most grass is happiest and healthiest when between about 3 inches tall. Many of use are used to cutting much shorter and the first time that you are trying to look after your lawn naturally, it may be a shock to have it quite so long, but remember, you are doing your lawn and your environment a favour.
Watering is best done infrequently, but deeply. By drenching your lawn in this manner, you will help to develop stronger roots, making the grass much tougher and able to withstand droughts.
When wondering if it is time to re water, look at the grass. If it is duller and footprints stay compressed for a short while, then you can water once more. You should also aim to give your grass around one inch of water each time you are re-hydrating the grass.
As with any lawn care, the best time to water is first thing in the morning or last thing at night. This helps prevent evaporation.
If you follow these tips, you will have no need to add pesticides to your lawn that can kill many beautiful insects that actually help your garden to thrive, and to top it off your lawn will be lush, green and the envy of your neighbours.