Lawn Maintenance Guide

This lawn maintenance guide provides you with some excellent tips on how to care for your lawn. We tell you how to solve common lawn problems such as yellowing, moss, weeds and bald spots. Having lush green grass all year round that is weed and moss free does take some effort. Follow our lawn maintenance advice below to dramatically improve the condition of your lawn. You will be surprised how good your lawn can look!

Correct Mowing

Mowing can make a significant difference to the health of lawn. Regular mowing helps to encourage grass roots to spread, which help fight off weed and moss growth. Follow the mowing rules below:

• Ensure you remove no more then a 3rd of your grass height each time you mow.
• Do not cut your grass too short. Always make sure your grass is at least 5cm long. Longer grass helps to shade weeds and moss, starving them of sunlight. Keeping your grass slightly long will also help to keep it cooler during a heat wave, preventing it from becoming too dry.
• Cut your lawn once a week in the summer, and once every 2 weeks in the cooler months.

Typical Lawn Problems

Moss Growth

This is probably the most common issue with lawns.  A small patch of moss can quickly turn into a very large patch.  In general, moss is caused by a lawn that is too shady or under fertilised.

Reduce moss growth by doing the following:

• Decrease the amount of shade your grass receives.  For example, you could prune tree’s back to increase the amount of sunlight.
• Aerating your grass helps encourage grass to grow instead of moss.

Weed Growth

Weeds are an ugly sight in lawns.  There is always a competition going on between your grass and weeds.  However, there are some things you can do to ensure your grass always wins. 

Reduce weed growth by doing the following: 

• Mow regularly with sharp lawn mower blades.
• Use a lawn fertilizer.

Lawn Rusts

Lawn rusts are reddish-brown patches that are caused by fungal spores.  Rusts can spread and cause grass to become weak.

Reduce lawn rusts by doing the following:

• Aerate once a year.
• Fertilise often.
• Water your lawn every 3rd day during very hot weather.

Lawn Yellowing

If all or parts of your lawn is yellow, then it means it is lacking water or nutrients.

Reduce lawn yellowing by doing the following:

• Ensure your lawn receives a deep watering every 3rd day.

Lawn Bare or Bald Spots

Having bald patches in your grass is probably worse then having grass with weeds or moss in it.  This is because bald patches really do stand out.  Usually they are cause by disease or heavy foot traffic. 

Reduce lawn bald spots by doing the following:

• Dig up the bald spots to break up the soil.
• Adding a thin layer of top soil may help encourage growth.