Maintaining a lush lawn adds significant value and beauty to any home, providing family members and guests alike with an idyllic outdoor space for family fun and gathering. However, maintaining its health requires planning and taking special care throughout the year – whether DIYing it yourself or hiring professional service provider services, following a seasonal lawn care guide can be useful in staying on track and getting optimal results.
Early spring is an essential time for lawn preparation in Australia, from mowing and aeration through dethatching and fertilisation. Slow release fertilizers like Scotts Lawn Builder All Purpose Granular or Buffalo Grass Granular will provide your grass with essential nutrition during this spring and summer period.
Summer’s heat can be the toughest test for any lawn. High temperatures, drought and wind all take their toll. To keep your grass looking its best during this period of extreme temperatures and drought stress, water it regularly to reduce drought stress and stimulate deep root development. Sandy or loamy soil types might benefit from using Scotts EveryDrop Soil Wetter which improves water penetration into sandy or loamy soil and decreases fungal outbreak risks; and for lawns featuring cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue and perennial ryegrass), slow release fertilizers might help build reserves ahead of colder winter weather to prepare it better against unexpectedly cold winter weather ahead.
Autumn
Once winter sets in, your lawn begins storing energy for next spring’s weather conditions. Mowing frequency should decrease; however, don’t put away your mower just yet! Rake and clear leaves to allow sunlight to reach its full potential; now is also an excellent time to have professionals aerate and overseed your grass.
Annual cool-season weeds can also become a problem during this season. If they were left uncontrolled during summer months, you can combat them using either post-emergent herbicides such as Dithiopyr 77-2% or pre-emergents such as Prodiamine 65 WDG. Also now is an ideal time to seed any thin or bare spots in your lawn with new grass seed to achieve the best possible results. Follow any instructions found on your bag of preferred grass seed.