Taking care of your lawn on a daily, weekly or monthly basis can be a real pain the grass, especially if your green fingers are out of practice.
However, you don’t need to have a lust for lawns that rivals Alan Titchmarsh to grow a lush green garden.
In fact, turning your pitiful patch into the perfect plot could be as simple as cutting out your bad habits.
Weed out your faults now with this handy list of common lawn care mistakes and turn your struggling yard into the king of the hill.
#1. Scalping Your Lawn
Mowing your lawn too short is one of the most common mistakes for amateur gardeners, often done as a means of prolonging the time between cuts.
While understandable and, to a degree, quite logical, it can be quite damaging to your lawn in practice.
Cutting the grass too short can put excess stress on the grass making it more susceptible to lawn disease and pests.
As a general rule, aim to cut your grass to a height of three inches to ensure it retains its top growth and remains strong enough to fend off whatever challenges Mother Nature throws its way.
#2. Using the Wrong Fertiliser
Fertilising your lawn is a great way to maintain healthy grass and nutrient-rich soil. That much is no secret; however, the importance of using the right fertiliser largely is.
Using the wrong fertiliser for the specific grass in your garden is vital in ensuring the health of your lawn. Incorrect products that aren’t matched to your grass can be largely pointless, if not damaging.
Similarly, using too much or too little of even the correct fertiliser can also be an important factor, with too much causing damage and too little being ineffective. Meanwhile, application at the wrong time of year can also make the whole job a futile process.
Be sure to check you have the right fertiliser for your lawn before you apply. If unsure, check with an expert or a local landscape gardener to help identify the grass local to your area.
#3. Blunt Blades
While it may not seem like an issue on the surface of things, dull blades can seriously damage your lawn when it comes to cutting time.
Think of it as cutting a thick sirloin with a blunt steak knife. Blunt blades simply won’t cut it…quite literally. Instead, the dull edge winds up tearing through the surface.
The same principle applies to lawn mowing. If you mow your lawn with blunt blades, you’ll wind up ripping the grass instead of cutting, damaging the grass in the process.
The result is jagged blades of grass that are more susceptible to disease. At the very least, they are more likely to turn brown in the aftermath.
Blades can quickly lose their edge if you mow carelessly, too close or come into contact with rocks. Aim to sharpen your blades twice a year to keep them looking sharp.
#4. Over Watering
Perhaps the most common mistake for amateur gardeners, over watering the lawn is a crime many of us will be guilty of from time to time.
Naturally, water is a vital ingredient for any healthy lawn and a key component in its weekly diet plan. However, like anything in life, too much of a good thing can cause harm.
Whether it’s carelessness, lack of knowledge or just being overzealous with a hose, applying too much water to your lawn can lead to waterlogging.
In addition to that, it can also stunt the development of the roots, negating the need for them to reach deep into the soil for moisture.
If the weather is damp and rainy, you may not need to water at all; however, if conditions are dry, aim to give your garden around an inch of water a week.
#5. Lack of Aeration
Neglecting to aerate your lawn is a common offence for many, if not most homeowners across the UK; however, the consequences of such can be significant and, at times, devastating.
Aerating your garden soil lets water permeate through the surface more easily, effectively allowing your soil to absorb the nutrients. This is particularly beneficial for compacted, clay-heavy soil.
Aeration is achieved simply through piercing holes in the surface. This can be done using a standard fork or manual aerator; however, for larger areas, you may want to invest in a powered-aerator.
For more information on garden lawn care and how to avoid common lawn care mistakes, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 0800 111 4958 or get in touch online by clicking the button below.
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