Maintaining a Good Lawn
Maintaining a Good Lawn.
How do I keep my lawn looking great?
To keep a top quality lawn all season you need to manage weeds, fertility, mowing frequency and height of cut. Here is a maintenance programme with some helpful hints.
Mowing
During the spring / early summer growth period mowing frequency and height of cut is very important - cut it too short and exposed soil invites weed invasion, too long and it will shade the roots inhibiting growth.
- Mow frequently cutting it no shorter than 50 mm at each mowing to encourage a thicker grass sward (grass blade).
Insect Pests
Pests such as grass grub and argentine stem weevil can damage you lawn very quickly - these are more visible in summer as brown patches of lawn.
- Apply GTi Pyrifos G for grass grub and argentine stem weevil.
Spring
- Fertilise with Turfmaster Gold – very important to ensure the nutrients are available to the plans at all times.
- Spray weeds with a broad range weed killer such to control broadleaf weeds.
- De-thatch if necessary and oversow bare or weak areas with the appropriate GTi Prolawn seed blend and fertilise with Turfmaster Starter.
- Fertilise again with Turfmaster Gold at the end of November
Summer - Watering and Dry Patch
Deep, less frequent, watering assists in maintaining a beautiful green lawn and reduces invasion from shallow rooting grass weeds. Watering alone is often not enough to maintain moisture in the soil, particularly in high drainage areas (thatch or sandy soils). Even with regular watering dry areas known as 'dry patch' affect growth as the water drains easily away. An early application (before hot conditions set in) of GTi Aquaturf G wetting agent granules significantly reduces the issue and recovers areas that have already dried out.
- Apply GTi Aquaturf G in November/December
- Can be used in all garden areas including pots and tubs where difficulty in re-wetting exists.
Autumn
Carry out one of these two:
- Fertilise with Turfmaster Gold – as important as in spring OR
- De-thatch if necessary and overseed bare or weak areas with the appropriate GTi Prolawn seed blend and fertilise with Turfmaster Starter.
Winter
Winter is a time for reduced maintenance with mowing and fertilising being the main tasks.
- Apply GTi Pyrifos G for grass grub and porina.