July 17, 2010

Lawn Care Advice for Beginner Gardeners

The key to getting a lovely, lush lawn is the soil. You need to ensure that your lawns pH balance is right . The ideal range of the pH value is between 6 and 7. This is slightly acidic. If you find out that your lawn is too acidic then use a slight coating of lime and if you need more acidity to balance a lawns pH then you should use sulphur. All these solutions are natural so you are not causing any environmental impact by using them. To find out the exact pH of your lawn eithr hire a professional to do it or you can get testing kits from any large garden center.

Before you add any fertilizers to your lawn make sure you aerate it first . Using an ordinary garden fork and ensuring that the holes are around ten centimetres deep will help prevent compacting and also with the drainage, helping to maintain your lawn’s pH level.
Also ensure you are using the correct grass for your area, this is important. Locally adapted grass will be much more able to withstand the type of climate you live in . Using different types of grass, regardless of how much greener they are or thicker, will not benefit your lawn or the environment.

Mow your lawn as frequently as possible. Around once a week should be right throughout the summer. For natural lawn care however, don’t mow too short. If you do mow too close to the ground, the soil can become dried out and the roots exposed, damaging all the hard work you have put into your lawn. Most grass is happiest and healthiest when between 2.5 and 3.5 inches tall. When you are choosing the best lawn mower make sure it has the facility to modify the cutting length. Now if you are used to cutting shorter and this is 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.
With the majority of lawns it is best to water either first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening. This helps reduce the evaporation you’ll get otherwise.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.

If you’re looking for a good value, electric lawnmower which is perfect for most average sized gardens – can I suggest the Bosch Rotak 40, it’s a great little mower.