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How caring you are for your lawn will eventually tell. But many times it’s not the lack of effort but unawareness about some basics that causes your lawn to suffer.
The first thing we are going to tell you is about fertilizers. Most people prefer chemical fertilizers for their gardens but it’s actually not good. You should opt for chemical treatment only if your garden needs immediate care. Would you like to swallow pills everyday? Obviously not. Then how can you let your garden suffocate with chemicals. There’s always a holistic solution. Organic fertilizers and nutrients can boost your garden’s health without any side effect.
Here are some guidelines that will help you understand your garden better:
Water your lawn in appropriate quantity. How much you need to water your lawn will depend on the climate of your area and soil composition and the current season. But it’s said that an inch of water once a week is enough, except if you belong to a hot and arid land. Whenever your lawn feels dry to touch its time to water it. Prolonging the watering cycle can do damage to the lawn and you’ll have to put in more efforts in recuperating.
To check how long you need to water, what you can do is arrange lots of containers around your lawn before watering. When the containers have one inch of water you no longer need to water the lawn. This way you’ll also get to know how much water every part of your lawn gets and if any particular area needs some sprinkling.
Different types of grass grow at different pace so the cutting height requirements are also different. So observe your grass and decide how much trimming it needs. The growth of grass will also change with the season so how often you have to mow will vary accordingly. Many times, lawns are either mowed too short or they are left to grow in abandon. Also keep your mower blades sharp enough; a blunt blade does more harm than good to your lawn.
Aeration i.e. providing air to the soil by digging and tilling it is very essential. This process allows water, air and nutrients to be properly absorbed by the soil and the soil remains porous and doesn’t get packed. A lawn should be aerated at least once a year. There are specific tools available for this which poke out the soil in form of little lumps which break down later on. If aeration is not feasible on a regular basis at least you can drive a fork through the lawn. The soil will get tilled and the lawn will get more breathing.
A lawn itself produces lot of organic fertilizer which you unknowingly take away as trash. It’s best to leave grass trimmings in the lawn as they will be absorbed after getting decomposed. You’ll rarely need to add extra fertilizers. For this reason a mulching or reel lawn mower is better as it will leave very fine trimmings of grass than a rotary or other lawn mower. And don’t worry, grass clippings don’t cause thatch. But if it already exists then its better not to leave grass clippings in the lawn.
When there’s a need to add fertilizers opt for an organic one; with N-P-K (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium) 3%, 1%, 2% respectively. Also, read carefully all the instructions of using the fertilizer especially the dosage. Organic fish emulsion or compost tea is a great treat for any lawn. You can find them either at a gardening centre or order through internet.
The way you tend to your lawn reflects the quality of your life. When you care and love the nature around you it gives you back in bounty. So don’t get laid back, get up, work it out and cheer with your lovely lawn.
© UK Lawn Mowers.com 2008
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