10 Lawn Habits to Break Now!
As far as things NOT to do go, you may be surprised! Here are 10 simple things to cut out now to ensure a healthy, thriving lawn.
1) Watering Your Lawn Every Day
You don’t need to water your lawn every day! It can actually become a bit dependent and needy if you water it for short periods every day!
Instead of watering every day for 10 minutes, water once a week for an hour instead. This will water it deeply, encouraging deeper root growth which helps to make it more drought tolerant.
2) Only Watering in the Evening
Watering in the morning is actually better! If you water in the evening, water can stick to the blades and form fungus.
Water between 4am and 10am, so the water has time to penetrate before the heat of the sun simply evaporates it!
3) Skipping Aerating
Over time, lawn mowers, pets and games of backyard footy compact the soil, making it difficult for air, water and vital nutrients to penetrate to the roots of your lawn.
Aerate in the warmer ‘growing’ months to restore healthy soil conditions that nurture your lawn.
4) Mowing With Blunt Mower Blades
Blunt mower blades tear at the tip of the grass leaf, leaving it rough-ended and brown, affecting the overall appearance of your lawn.
The rule of thumb is that mower blades should be sharpened around every 25 hours of use.
Sharpening or replacing your mower blades won’t only stop your grass leaves from being ripped and bruised, but can also decrease your fuel consumption by up to 25%.
Read our easy to follow guide on how to replace your mower blades here!
5) Waiting too Long Between Mowing
If you came back from the Summer holidays to lawn up to your ears, don’t try and mow it down in one day.
Cut off some of the length and then wait a couple days, and mow again. This will cause less stress on the grass.
6) Cutting Wet Grass
Mowing wet grass can cause the mower wheels to leave ruts in your yard, and you could leave behind giant clumps of clippings that could smother the grass beneath.
Wet grass will also cover the underside of your mower deck with a thick mass that’s a pain to clean!
7) Mowing in the Same Direction Every Time
Instead, mow in a different direction every time. For example, front to back, back to front, or diagonal.
Repeatedly mowing the exact same directions will cause the grass blades to grow at an angle, and you could then develop permanent tracks in your lawn from the mower wheels.
8) Cutting Your Lawn too Short
Every grass type has an optimal cutting height, and you’re better off on the high side of that height. Here are a few reasons:
The grass blade is the food factory of the plant. Short blades just can’t generate as much food as long blades.
Long blades also shade and cool the soil, which means weed seeds are less likely to sprout, and you won’t have to water as often because water won’t evaporate as fast.
9) Fertilising Shady Areas More
People tend to over apply fertiliser to shady areas because the grass appears to be struggling. But – that just kills it faster!
There will be parts of your lawn that get full sun for most of the day, and then there will be parts that are predominantly shaded and may get only two to four hours of direct sun. The water and fertiliser needs for each of these areas are different.
Grass in shady areas needs less water because less evaporates, and it also needs less fertiliser because with less sun it doesn’t grow as quickly.
10) Removing All of the Leaves on Your Lawn
A heavy layer can smother your lawn, yes. But, a moderate to light layer of leaves can actually be mulched back into the lawn as you mow, providing nutrients for your grass!
Your lawn will thank you for stopping these habits! For more expert advice, please call our friendly team on (02) 4651 0000.
