Lawn Care: Tips for Looking After Your Lawn
Lawn Care for Existing lawns
Lawn Fertilisers
In brief, lawns require various minerals to be healthy, strong, and resilient. Each spring and autumn, dress the lawn with a fertiliser containing nitrogen, phosphorous and potash to give it a boost. In this way you will give your lawn a boost before a stretch of potentially testing weather (drought, frost and snow).
Lawn fertilisers are available from any good garden supply shop, and come in a variety of types and sizes. Go to the shop armed with the dimensions of your lawn, and the staff should be able to advise you on what type & quantity to purchase.
Safety Issues with Chemicals
You should be aware of the safety of the product you are buying, especially if you have children or pets. Many commercial products contain chemicals which may cause harm. Please ensure you ask about any safety risks with chemical products.
Organic Alternatives to Chemical Fertilisers
Alternatives to the standard chemical products are available from many suppliers. Ask for organic treatments if you are worried about using chemicals for safety or environmental reasons. You may want to look at the following site for more information on organic gardening http://www.hdra.org.uk/.
General Lawn Care Tips
- Gardens containing a lawn can be more or less transformed visually, simply by cutting the lawn and shaping up the beds.
- In periods of hot weather, leaving a thin layer of grass clippings on the lawn will not only help replace lost soil nutrients, but also be a shelter for the grass from the sun!
- Shade, sloping ground and poor air circulation can harm the performance of different grass varieties. Be aware of these conditions, and match turf varieties to your conditions to reduce problems.
- If you suffer patches of standing water due to drainage problems, simply spiking the turf with a garden fork can provide local drainage. Spreading washed sharp sand into the holes will help them remain open over time.