Lawn Aeration Article bywww.lawn-care-tips.co.uk/ lawn-maintenance/  Like every living thing, grass needs air and water to grow and thrive. Simple lawn maintenance can make all the difference.
During the summer months in particular, lawns suffer from continual use - be that children, sports, or BBQs - these all combine to cause surface compaction. Lawn maintenance is crucial to prevent damage. This compaction impedes drainage and it is harder for air, water and fertiliser to penetrate into the roots As such, lawn aeration during the Spring and Autumn, helps allow the soil temperature to rise more quickly and the surface to literally 'breathe'. Good lawn maintenance requires very simple aeration by driving a fork into the lawn at regular intervals. For a small lawn this can be done simply by hand, or there are many implements for sale in garden centres that can do the job for you on larger areas. WateringSounds obvious, but lawns really do need watering, particularly during the dry summer months. Prolonged dry spells will slow up grass growth if the lawn maintenance programme does not include proper watering. Deeper-rooted weeds will survive and outgrow grass struggling in drought conditions.
- The new SO-GREEN lawn seed will remain green even during drought - a valuable asset when all around is fading! However, it will still need watering to keep the grass healthy. Try the 'footprint test'. If the grass fails to spring back after standing on it, you should water it.
Controlling Worm Casts- Dormant weed seeds buried deep in the soil are brought to the surface in these tiny mounds of soil which need sorting as soon as they are detected.
- When they appear scatter them with a brush before mowing and remove the clippings by using a grass box.
- If necessary, your lawn maintenance programme should include the use of a worm killer. Apply this in a warm, showery period in autumn, just after the lawn has been cut.
Trimming the Edges- As far as possible, make sure your mower can reach right to the edges so that manual trimming is a quick and final task.
- Investing in a good sharp pair of long-handled edge trimmers will make light work of the task.
- Trimming round the edges of your lawn after mowing is the final flourish and will give you a neat, attractive finish.
Scarification or Raking- Scarifying or raking in your lawn maintenance programme should be done in Spring and has several benefits - preventing the build up of thatch and getting rid of surface debris.
- A second rake in Autumn is essential to remove all the fallen leaves, ageing grass plants and debris. The lawn is then ready for re-seeding.
Top Dressing- This lawn maintenance technique is really for the perfectionist gardener, top dressing is usually the preserve of the professional greenkeeper.
- Top dressing is the application of a mixture made up of peat, loam and sand that literally fills in all the minor hollows that develop on lawns naturally.
- Top dressing is best applied in early autumn and results in denser grass growth, a flatter surface and improved drainage.
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Lawn Care