For a lot of people having a great lawn is a mystery. Whilst there is no single “Magic Bullet” that will save the day there are some really good tips that will make some major differences in your lawn.
Water is key
The first thing we have to do before anything else is to get water on to the lawn. It is unfortunately common for people to neglect their reticulation system when trying to get a beautiful lawn/garden. This is either because they haven’t understood it’s importance, or they find fixing and setting a retic system daunting or confusing.
If you find yourself in this boat this article should help. Also don’t be afraid to hire a professional reticulation service. Whilst it will cost money a functioning reticulation system is so important to your lawn success that it will be worth it.
If you are confident with you DIY skills you will need to check for three things. Run your sprinklers and check for any:
- Broken pipes or broken/aging sprinklers (it’s always best to replace old sprinklers before they break)
- Flush the pipes and nozzles of any sand.
- Make sure your sprinkler run time is set to get 10mm of water per station (If you don’t know how to do that this article and video will help)
Getting to the roots
WA has a huge sandy soil issue. Our sandy soils are hydrophobic and often heavily compacted. These issues cause the water we put on our lawn to pool on the surface instead of soaking down to the root level where it is needed. A lot of water and nutrients can be wasted this way causing lawns to struggle, especially in the hotter months.
The two big solutions for sandy soils are wetting agents and core aeration. Wetting agents will temporarily fix the hydrophobic nature of the sandy soil, helping water to get down to the roots. Core aeration will relieve soil compaction making it much easier for water, air and nutrients to get down to the root layer. Doing both together will make a huge difference to the colour, growth and stress tolerance of your lawn.
Making your lawn thick, green and healthy
Sandy soils, on top of being hydrophobic, also lack the nutrients needed to keep lawns lush and healthy. As a result, it is essential to supplement your lawn’s diet with a high quality, balanced fertiliser. These fertilisers give your lawn the nutrients is needs to not only grow lush and thick but also have the beautiful deep green colour that we are all looking for. In addition, a complete fertiliser will promote root growth which over time will help your lawn to thrive in the hot summer months.
Mowing that makes a difference
Perhaps you have never thought of this before but the reality is that every time your lawn is mowed it is being damaged. Too much damage from mowing can halt your lawns progress from desert to oasis. The key to beneficial mowing is to cut as frequently as possible to remove as little as possible with every mow. This regular mowing practice will 1) Reduce the stress your lawn is under after each mow 2) Train the lawn to grow thicker rather than taller and 3) Reduce weed growth and seed production.
Consistency is key
Lawns are a living organism so just like one or two visits to the gym per year does not make a healthy human, one or two fertilisations per year will not make a healthy lawn. Correct watering, frequent mowing, regular fertiliser/wetting agent applications and occasional aeration are the wise gardener’s foundation to a healthy, vibrant lawn. Great changes will happen but not in one week. Consistency is the key.
What to do if it is all too hard
Information is great but action is what causes transformation. If our tips for a beautiful lawn feel confusing, daunting or the work required too much for your busy schedule, there is still hope. Silverstone Gardening provides all these services and more to get the amazing results we have shown here.
If you are looking for a budget service done yesterday then this may not be the service for you. But if you want a reliable, high quality service done by experienced gardeners, backed up by an organised, friendly admin team, then we are here to help.
Contact us today to get beautiful lawns at your house without the hassle.
