Get your lawn off to a great start this Spring – start with treating it right!
What you need to do:
1. Scarify the lawn.
Cut the lawn as low as possible with a lawnmower – this is called scarifying. There are scarifying machines available for hire but a lawnmower on the lowest cutting setting will do the job. Cut the lawn almost to the roots (except in subtropical areas and for grasses like Kukuyu as this may kill the lawn). If you don’t use a grass box on your lawnmower, the bits of grass left on the lawn will eventually compact and become thatch. Scarifying will help get rid of thatch build up.
2. Use a garden fork to poke holes into the lawn.
This aerates the soil, allowing air to penetrate the area – a fundamental growing need for plants.[ux_image id=”3288″]
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3. Fertilize the area.
Use a 2:3:4 fertilizer to give it a good kick-start and encourage strong roots. Using a fertilizer distributor will feed the area evenly.
4. Top dress the lawn using commercially formulated lawn dressing.
Using other soil like topsoil from the side of the road may bring all the weeds from the area onto your lawn so don’t do that! Spread a light load onto the lawn and then, using a plastic rake, spread the lawn dressing over the area. The lawn dressing should be a thin layer – avoid covering the plants completely.
5. Water it!
Water in the fertilizer and lawn dressing well and sit back and watch your lawn thrive.[ux_image id=”3289″]