CARING FOR YOUR LAWN Caring for your lawn As your lawn matures, it requires a little upkeep, but not too much. Try these tips to ensure your grass looks great in every season. Don’t cut your grass too short; unless your gardens is seeded with a specific golf green seed mix, the lawn sward should be cut no shorter than 25mm or 1 inch. But preferably leave it a little longer, as shorter grass is more susceptible to drying out and being colonised by mosses and weeds. In the autumn, leave the grass a little higher as at this time of year, grass species are storing sugars in their root system for the following year. To get an even cut on your lawn, mow it twice in two directions; for example, cut your lawn in an anti-clockwise direction and then repeat the mowing in a clock wise direction; or even better mow at 90° degrees on the second cut. If time does not allow for two cuts on a larger garden, changing the direction you mow each time will help. If your lawn is intensely used then compaction is inevitable; if you start to see any worn patches, it is time to act. Using a garden fork, drive the prongs of the fork into the ground to a depth of c. 100mm at regular intervals every 100-200mm; you can also gently push down on the fork to loosen further. Known as hollow tining, this allows the soil to breathe, which is essential as plants absorb oxygen through their roots. If the grass is a pale to yellow colour, consider applying a fertiliser, preferably an organic fertiliser with a mix of quick and slow release nutrients. If you are looking for the putting green look then you will need to reseed your garden with dwarf grass species such as Creeping Bent, or lay as lawn sod. You will also need a cylinder type of mower where the multiple blades are rotating on a roller. Aside from frequent cutting, a manicured lawn also requires more frequent fertiliser application. Failure to maintain a high level of nutrients in the soil will allow other coarser grasses, mosses and weed species to colonise and compete with grasses over time.
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