Gardening: The secret of a good lawn

Now is the time to get your lawn in shape. Photo / Supplied

It is well recognised that a nicely presented tidy lawn really sets up the look and impression of the house and garden it belongs to. The secret of a good lawn is, firstly, preparation before it is planted and, secondly, maintenance when it is established.

A great looking lawn does not have to be a lot of work but doing maintenance in the spring and autumn will ensure a lawn has a pretty reasonable look year-round. Now is the time to do a check of your lawn and see what maintenance is required.

To keep a lawn looking good as well as feeling great to walk on (without prickles), follow these simple tasks. A spray in spring and autumn with Yates Turfix. An application of fertiliser in the spring and autumn such as Tui Lawn Force and Tui Moss Control if necessary. These practices, along with regular mowing, will give a good result.

Best spray options for weeds
There are a few sprays on the market that will kill the broadleaf weeds in your lawn without affecting the grass. A spray once a year (more frequently if needed) will keep your weeds under control and prevent the grass from being gradually taken over by weeds.

Yates Turfix is effective against most broadleaf weeds including daisies, clovers, onehunga weed, catsear, chickweed, chamomiles, docks, thistles and dandelion. If there are some hard to kill weeds, such as cape daisy, hydrocotyle, creeping oxalis and clover, then Yates Hydrocotyle Killer is a better choice. The third choice of spray is Yates Woody Weedkiller. This is effective on onehunga (prickle) weed, clovers, convolvulus, docks, sorrel, cape ivy, thistles and buttercups.

If prickles in the kids' feet are the biggest problem in your lawns then use Gro Safe Prickle Weed Killer. This controls onehunga (prickle) weed and other lawn weeds including thistles, plantains, daisies, cape daisy and pennycress.

Prickles
Although mentioned above in the list of sprays, any child or grown-up who loves the feeling of grass under their bare feet really wants the issue of prickles in the lawn addressed.

The secret is all in the timing. For the most effective control of prickle weed (onehunga), the spray must be applied before the plants are flowering. This means spraying in September or October when the lawn and weeds are actively growing and before they start to flower in November. The spray should be applied to the lawn in warm conditions when it has been recently mown. It is important to apply the correct amount of prickle weedkiller to the area stated, and do not apply if rain is expected within one day of treatment as effectiveness will be reduced.

Grass weeds
Grass weeds, such as paspalum, can be a troublesome in a fine turf owing to their coarse growth. Along with other unwanted grass species, they can be controlled by spot applications of Roundup during fine calm weather. When the weeds have died and shrivelled up it is necessary to sow the bare patches with grass seed.

Mowing
The biggest thing to ensure the long-term health of your lawn is the mowing technique. This may sound strange but topping your lawn regularly and not mowing too short will keep your lawn more weed-free. Having the grass taller makes it more difficult for shorter broadleaf weeds to establish themselves. Scalping the lawn (mowing too short) also makes the grass less resilient during dry weather and more prone to damage if crushed when frost is on it during the winter.

Grass health and fertiliser
Like all plants, regular feeding will keep grass in good health and the turf thick and more resistant to the invasion of weeds. Fertilising in spring and autumn with a specific lawn fertiliser such as Tui Lawn Force will ensure grass remains strong and healthy. In heavier soils, it is beneficial to also fertilise with garden lime once a year. Garden lime should be applied in August or September, two to three weeks prior to the application of lawn fertiliser. Garden lime increases the pH of the soil which makes more nutrients in the soil available to the lawn to use. It also has the benefit of adding calcium to the soil which plays a major role in the physiology of the plant, strengthening its physical structure, increasing nutrient uptake and protecting it from disease.

What about moss in the lawn?
Moss often develops because the grass is weak and lacks nutrients, conditions which often occur under trees or in moist places. This is often amplified during the winter months when cooler temperatures lock up soil nutrients and reduced sunlight hours weaken growth.

An important part of moss control should be to stimulate the grass once the moss has been eradicated. A fertiliser and moss combination lawn treatment with iron sulphate, such as Yates Fertiliser & Mosskiller, is very effective. Or apply straight moss control products such as Tui Moss Control or Yates Surrender.

Now is the time to treat your lawn, applying treatment in fine, calm conditions onto a damp lawn. Either moisten the lawn before applying or apply on a dewy morning. Best results are obtained when the lawn is mown two to three days before treatment. The moss will blacken as it dies. The lawn may also appear blackened at first but will recover to a dark green colour after several days. After two weeks the dead moss can be raked out.

Sowing a new lawn
The best way to ensure a good lawn is all in the preparation. If you are considering sowing a new lawn then pick up a Lawn Guide brochure available in the garden centre or ask for advice.

So make that patch of green around the house the envy of the street. It's as easy as following the simple practices talked about above.

Happy mowing.

Gareth Carter is general manager of Springvale Garden Centre