“Edges Dear Boy!”
A great looking lawn is the foundation of most gardens and Summer is the best time to showcase them.
A perfectly lush green lawn with clipped edges looks beautiful and acts as the centerpiece when its surrounded by boarders brimming with different coloured summer plants and flowers. To obtain that showcase lawn does take some work. Its best to scarify and remove all the old moss and grass in the Autumn which can be done with a rake or if the lawn area is large, with a scarifier which can be electrically or petrol powered. In the Spring it’s time to “spike” the lawn which provides aeration to the grass and makes it grow faster and more lush. I invested in a pair of lawn aerator spikes which fit over a pair of shoes, which I ordered from Greenfingers At £8.99 they are a cheap investment, do the job well, whilst giving you a bit of a work out too!
I always find its best to feed the lawn with a fertilizer which makes it greener and more vibrant. When spreading the fertiliser its best done with a small dispenser which can be purchased from most garden centers; mine has a couple of wheels and a hopper for the fertilizer. This makes the spreading of the fertilizer much more even and by distributing it along the same lines that you mow, you can be sure it will look perfect.
Little and often is the recipe for success. Regular cutting keeps the lawn thick, tidy and deters weeds. For most lawns, at the start of the year set the mower blades to 3cm (1.25in) and cut the lawn about once a week.
When the grass grows faster during the Spring and Summer, lower the blades to 2cm (1in) and you may need to cut up to twice a week.
During long dry spells, mow less frequently, let grass grow longer and don’t use Summer feeds so often as that will make too much new growth. If you are in a drought area your lawn may turn brown in Summer but as soon as it rains again it will return to a bright green colour. With the current Summer weather in the UK, rain one week and sunshine the next, grass is growing very fast and needs cutting preferably once a week.
It’s all about the edges dear boy!
is a phrase that a gardening friend of mine used years ago, and he is right. Keeping the edges of your lawn perfectly trimmed really helps to keep it immaculate. If the edges need to be recut this can be done with a half-moon edging tool. If the edges need to be cut perfectly straight I often use a long plank of wood as the edge for the half-moon tool. Do not underestimate the impact of manicured edges!
For weeds I just use a garden knife and cut out the root followed by a bit of soil and grass seed. For small areas with hardly any grass its best to scrape the surface with a rake sow some seeds and then cover with some soil or compost. It will soon start growing in and blend into the rest of the lawn.
Do you have any tips to share on how to keep your lawn looking great?
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