Top Tips for the Perfect Lawn
Published 31 January 2022
Keeping grass green and lush is hard work, especially in the warmer months of summer. A lawn that is usually well kept can start to look parched, with brown and bare patches.
There are some simple tips that will keep your lawn in good condition. Very often it is the straightforward approach that keeps a lawn thriving.
The number one tip is regular maintenance. A lawn is much harder to bring back if it grows too long or gets taken over by weeds.
Improve aeration
If your soil is hard and compacted, there may not be enough room for water to get down to the roots.
Aerating makes small pockets in the lawn so water can flow to the roots. You can do it with an ordinary garden fork or an aerator, making small holes to loosen the ground.
Once the holes are made, water little and often, so the roots take it up gradually and do not get waterlogged.
Do not overwater
Summer often brings long dry spells. Your grass may look a little dry, but that does not always mean it needs more water. The soil underneath can still be holding plenty of moisture.
When temperatures climb, water heavily but less often than usual. A light sprinkle only wets the top layer of soil, while a larger amount of water reaches the roots.
The right time to mow
In summer, mow once every one to two weeks, as grass grows more slowly when it is warm. Cutting the grass too short can cause problems, including less photosynthesis (the process plants use to make food from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide).
Rake up the clippings
Rake up the grass left behind after mowing. Clippings left on the lawn can slow down or stop new growth.
Lawn edging
Edging can be the difference between a good lawn and a great one.
A half moon edger or garden shears will do the job, and even a pair of large kitchen scissors will work at a push. As edging takes time, a proper edging tool is worth having.
Trim back any grass hanging over flower beds and paths as well.
Feeding
Feeding your grass at the right times helps it grow strongly.
The ground should ideally be around 13 degrees C (55 degrees F), and March to April is the best time to fertilise. It also helps if the lawn has been watered a few days before, by rain or a sprinkler. A liquid feed or a granular fertiliser mixed with a little topsoil both work well, and a lawn levelling rake spreads the mix evenly with little effort.