HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR LAWN

The secret to a thriving lawn in summer lies in your spring time lawn care. Regular care in August and September will create a resilient lawn that’s prepared during summer braais.

Cut
Set your mower to the highest cut setting or one notch down from that. Cut the lawn, but remove no more than 1/3 of its height in a single pass. If it’s tall and shady and you’ve got the time to do so, make two cuts. Space the cuts a couple of days apart to avoid leaving behind large clumps of moist grass clippings. If the blade is dull or chipped, resharpen or replace it.

Feed
Feed the lawn. Apply a fertiliser according to the instructions on the bag. Don’t over-apply - that will just contribute to excessive growth without really benefiting the lawn's root system. Fertilise with a product suited for root and foliage development such as “2-3-2 “or “7-1-3”. An organic alternative is “Bounce Back” or “Blade Runner “.

Water
Water the lawn regularly. If it is a dry spring, get out the sprinkler. A lawn requires water at least twice per week. Wind increases moisture evaporation, so increase the amount of water you apply if the August winds are blowing. Water in the late afternoons in summer and early in the morning in winter.

Kikuyu
Preparation - use superphosphate or “2-3-2” for root development.
Growth development - 3:2:1 (28).
Maintenance - use LAN, 7:1:3, 4:1:1, Bounce Back or Blade runner.
Care - can be top dressed yearly with lawn dressing in uneven areas, level the lawn and roll the lawndressing. Water well afterwards.

LM
Preparation - use superphosphate or “2-3-2” for root development.
Growth development - 3:2:1 (28).
Maintenance -use LAN, 7:1:3 or 4:1:1, 5-1-5 or Blade Runner.
Care – never use lawndressing on LM grass. Don’t cut LM grass to short and expose the roots. Needs more water than Kikuyu lawn.