Basic Lawn Care - Mowing, Scarifiers, Aeration, and Watering Tips

The arrival of summer heralds a time of increased wear and tear for the average garden lawn. Children's yard games, barbecue parties, outdoor sports and generally more activity in the garden means your lawn is set to come in for something of a beating and without a little TLC is likely to start showing more than a little worse for wear. Stomp all over any living thing and it doesn't respond too kindly but with a little help, your lawn can remain looking great all through summer and beyond!

Fertiziler

For a lusher, healthier, faster-growing lawn you can't beat a bit of fertilizer. Test your soil type and choose a fertilizer to compliment this for best results. Most lawns will benefit from around three to four fertilizer applications through the year, with the first around a month before the start of the growinf season to give your grass a kickstart and then up to three more with approximately a two month gap in between applications can give good results. You can either spread the fertilizer by hand if you have a smaller lawn area to cover or use a specialist spreader tool for more even coverage, using a drop spreader for small lawns or a rotary/broadcase spreader for bigger areas.

After fertilizing it is generally a good idea to water-in the fertilizer or plan on adding fertilizer before an expected rainfall unless otherwise stated in the usage instructions. The important thing with fertiliser is to follow the manufacturer guidelines and not be tempted to over-do it. An excessive application of fertiliser is not a good thing and can lead to fungus, over-growth and weakness. Keep to the guidelines and you'll get that lush, thick green grass you wanted.

Watering

If you live in a hot climate or dry region, and particularly during the summer months then regular watering of your lawn is important. The best time to water a lawn is early in the morning or late in the afternoon to achieve the best results. Avoiding evening watering is advised as soaking grass over night can increase the risk of lawn diseases and mid-day watering when the sun is hottest increases evaporation and water wastage. Excessive watering is also something to avoid and ensure if you use a sprinkler you do actually get out there and move it around rather than allowing large puddles to form whilst other regions of the lawn area remain dry. Too much surface lying water can starve the roots of oxygen and lead to the same symptoms (leaf rolling) as lack of water.

It is important to know when to water rather than just watering because you think a lawn needs watering. There are a few basic tests you can do to know if your lawn needs irrigation. Look for leaf rolling and curling and the slightly blue/purple tinge which comes when grass is being starved of moisture. Also, try the foot print test. Stepping on a healthy lawn should see it spring back into position quickly but if your lawn is slow to react then it's time to add more water.

Lawn Mowing

The key thing to remember here is that the object of mowing a lawn is lawn "mowing" not lawn "scalping"! To take good care of your lawn you need to make sure you are mowing with sharp lawn mower blades so you cut rather than rip at the grass and ensure you do not set the blades at too low a level as you do not want to cut it back lower than is recommended for your particular species of grass. Cutting too low on a regular basis is the easiest way to do lasting damage to your lawn.

If your lawn has become too overgrown then do two or more passes with your mower rather than trying to take it right down to a desirable length straight away and never cut grass when it is wet. Grass clippings may be left or raked as you please if you do not have a lawn mower with a grass collector. Left clippings do not automatically lead to thatch, this is only occurs when there is too much dead organic matter to be broken down and a few clippings actually add nutrients back into the soil.

Edges are something lawn mowers can not handle but a simple pair of long handled shears will make short work of tidying them up. Strimmers are a simple solution for cutting around obstacles such as trees and immovable garden structures.

Aerating Your Lawn

Grass is a living thing and like all living things it flourishes better when it is able to breath easy and get easy access to food and water. Aeration of your lawn is important as it allows water, oxygen and fertilizer to penetrate more easily through to the roots and improves drainage. If your garden is being regularly used then the ground will begin to suffer from soil compaction. When this happens, drainage is reduced and it becomes more difficult for roots to dig down deeper into the soil. The natural activities of earthworms and other subterranean insects and wildlife help break up the soil but compacted earth can always do with a helping hand.

Basic lawn aeration is very simple to achieve with the help of a simple garden fork. Just drive the fork into the earth at regular intervals to do the job. For bigger garden areas or for more effective aeration you can buy or hire specialised lawn aeration tools which are basically spiked or bladed rollers either motorised or hand driven.

An aerator should be used in the autumn months to loosen compact soil after its summer beating.

Dethatching and Scarification

Scarifying or raking your lawn to remove dead and decaying matter which may choke and hinder water and nutrients reaching the soil is an essential part of a good spring and autumn lawn maintenance routine. Raking removes thatch, the accumulation of dead and decaying organic matter like leaves and old grass clippings from around the base of the grass stems. This scarification improves drainage and enables increased amounts of water and air to penetrate down to the roots as well as reducing the chances of lawn disease occuring. Before detatching a lawn you should ensure there is no moss growing there as this process will only help spread the moss around. Kill the moss first with a specialised moss killer found at good garden centers and then scarify the lawn. Scarifying a lawn may be performed manually by raking whilst for larger lawns it might be recommended to use a power lawn scarifier machine which can be hired or bought for the purpose.

Removing Worm Casts

Worms are the gardener's best friend...unless your lawn is your pride and joy. Worm casts are those unsightly piles of mud which appear on the surface of your lawn and left to their own devices may encourage moss and weed growth. Removal is simple during dry weather, just wait until they are dry and brush or rake them away but during prolonged wet periods you may just have to put up with them. Use of acidic fertilizers may discourage worms from coming to the surface but for most gardeners just consider worms are your friend, they help aerate the soil and drag organic matter from the soil surface into their burrows thus making the soil a richer growing environment.

Article copyright Mark Falco, webmaster of ukgardeningsupplies.co.uk where you can find lawn care and gardening equipment including lawn mowers, lawn scarifiers, garden tools and lawn care accessories available for UK delivery.

Reproduction of this article is permitted so long as this resource box is included, it remains unchanged and all links remain active and clickable.

---

Simple Lawnmower Maintenance

Do you have trouble starting your lawnmower up in the spring? Before deciding to take your lawnmower in for repair, try these few simple suggestions. After completing them most of the time your... Read More

Planting Roses in Pots

In years past, serious rosarians would never consider having a potted rose on their property unless it was just waiting for its home to be prepared in the garden.Times have changed and potted... Read More

Roses - Creating Beautiful Cut Roses

Many gardeners like to enjoy their roses twice - first in the garden, then indoors as cut flowers. By choosing the right roses, cutting them at the proper time of day, and conditioning... Read More

My Spring Bulbs Wont Bloom - Why?

You can hear the wailing from here. "Why aren't my bulbs blooming?" "There are a lot of leaves on them but not a single flower."The overall cause of a bulb not producing a... Read More

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond

Building a waterfall is easier than you think and will add a new dimension to your pool.When building a waterfall, as with any garden project, you must first consider the design and make... Read More

How to Grow Blueberries

Along with lip-smacking sweetness, flower and foliage are also worthy reasons to grow blueberries. White, bell-shaped blossoms make a lovely addition to a spring garden and fiery scarlet foliage adds drama to a... Read More

Build A Simple Planter Box

Love flowers, but don't have the space -- or the desire -- to plant a garden? You may want to try making your own flower box, which can be just about any size... Read More

Set Out a Feast for Your Feathered Friends

February is "Feed the Birds" month in much of North America. And what great timing! If you're going through a cold winter, you can help the wintering birds that are going through it... Read More

Iris Flowers Remind Me Of Mom!

Iris flowers always bring memories of mom to mind. Let me share with you three reasons why... Iris flowers are naturally beautiful Iris flowers posses the ability to survive in all kinds of... Read More

Gift Ideas for Bird Lovers

Some of the best gifts you can give to a bird lover are those that have to do with birds! :)Here are a few favorites of all bird lovers:* Bird HousesYou can find... Read More

Flowers Wilting? Tips for Making Your Flowers Last Longer

We all know one disadvantage of flowers is that they don't last very long. While they are here they bring happiness and warmth to any dull decorating space. If your flowers are dieing... Read More

Drying Roses

There are many reasons why you might want to dry your roses. Some people just want to keep a memento of a special moment. Perhaps they are a part of a wedding that... Read More

Bottle Gardening or Terrarium - Design and Maintenance

Women take pride in home decoration and gardening and want some unique and prized possessions that are not part of the neighboring dwellings. Gardening offers opening as there is no end to creativity,... Read More

Catch a Leprechaun in Your Garden

There is no mention to be found of female leprechauns in traditional Irish legend, so as to how they came to be .. your guess is as good as mine. These apparently... Read More

Rosemary: The Herb of Remembrance and Friendship

Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly called rosemary is an aromatic herb indigenous to the Mediterranean area. Rosemary is traditionally known as the herb of remembrance and friendship. Also known as Mary's mantle and compass weed,... Read More

Why are Adirondack Chairs & Adirondack Furniture a Cottage Favorite?

With summer right around the corner, it's time to sit back and enjoy a cool beverage in an Adirondack chair.Adirondack chair you say? What's that? The Adirondack chair is an outdoor armchair having... Read More

Gardening with Bamboo

Myths and facts A misconception about bamboo is that they spread like wildfire. This is not entirely true as only a some species of bamboo will be invasive. Spreading, however, can easily be... Read More

Tips On Caring For Your Cut Flowers

Imagine it's a special occasion and you've just received a glorious bunch of roses. You put them in your best vase and you stand back to admire them. You'd love to make them... Read More

The Ivy League

Parthenocissus tricuspidata is commonly known as Boston Ivy, Cottage Ivy, or Japanese Ivy. It covers the exterior walls of a number of prestigious northeastern universities and is probably responsible for the term "Ivy... Read More

Orchid Care - What The Root Tells Us

Orchid Care Part 4 Diseases of the RootsOur final part in orchid care part 4 is about the roots of the plant. This is the heart and soul of the plant. If these... Read More

Think Vintage for Your Garden

Container gardeners take note. Tired of clay pots? Think vintage, because when you do, there'll be lots to choose from. Most likely vintage items will be worn and chipped which will only add... Read More

Layer Your Plantings

Part three in a seriesIn our last article, we helped you layout your new landscape. In this article we'll explore which plants to put where and what makes an effective landscape.If you think... Read More

22 Fun Things To Do With Your Dozen Rose Gift

Your dozen rose gift doesn't only have to decorate your favorite room. Roses are about romance and enjoying the moment they are given and received. I've discovered some fun ways to use roses... Read More

Fall Garden Planning - Garden Plans for Next Spring and Ordering by Mail

It's August, the weather has cooled a bit here and the summer monsoons where I live in New Mexico have begun. The kids are starting back to school and I feel the onset... Read More

The Many Types of Palm Trees

There are thousands of species of Palm Trees. They are considered to be tropical in nature, but most people are not aware that cold hardy palms may be planted outside without any visible... Read More

y, Fun Garden Plants

I have a love for funky, fun and unique garden plants. Here's one to try. It's called Sea Holly, and it's actually in the thistle family.Sea Holly is a perennial garden plant, which... Read More

How to Build a Shed

The easiest way to build a shed in the backyard is to make a trip to the local Lowe's or other hardware shop to purchase a shed-building kit.Never choose one from a picture... Read More

The Rich History of Chrysanthemums

Did you know that those lush, colorful blooms called chrysanthemums are rooted in beliefs of human immortality and perfection? Today the "mum" graces gardens, cut flower arrangements and even salads (yes mums taste... Read More

Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners (Part 2) Plant Needs

THE BASICS OF HYDROPONICS.What Do Your Plants Need?All plants need the correct conditions in order to grow to their full potential. Plants grown using hydroponics systems are no exception to this basic rule.... Read More