8/6/2019 Lawn Care Cal

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September• Lawns burst into growth in early spring,

which means you’ll need to mow weekly,

unless your climate is still frosty or very wet.

• If you’ve planted spring-flowering bulbs

in your lawn, mow around them for the next

six weeks. This allows the dying foliage to

replenish the bulbs for next year.

• Feed your lawn. Feeding helps it to staygreener for longer in summer and builds

strength so fine grasses can withstand

disease. Use a slow-release fertiliser for the

best results – these are balanced to give an

even feed and sustain your lawn for longer.

• A little fertiliser is better than a lot. If

 you’re using a nitrogen-rich lawn booster,

make sure it’s watered in well or it can burn

 your lawn, resulting in bald patches.

October• Regular mowing is essential. As the

weather gets warmer, your lawn will grow

rapidly. For a perfect lawn, mow at least

twice a week and remove the clippings

(these attract earthworms and encourage

fungal disease).

• If your lawn is still very wet, identify

drainage problems. Use a corer to open up

the soil and add sand to improve drainage.

• Late October is the best time to give

 your lawn an extra feed of slow release

fertiliser to strengthen it ahead of summer.

November• Lift your mower blades up a notch or

two. Lawns that are cut too close will burn

and be hard to re-establish before autumn.

• As a general guide, don’t cut your lawn

shorter than 3–4cm.

• A well-fed lawn can survive considerable

drought and, even if it does go brown, it will

quickly regenerate when it rains again.

• Mow with a catcher or rake your lawn to

prevent grass clippings rotting in large

clumps on the surface of your lawn.

• Repair any bald p atches now, beforethe weather dries out. You can buy patch

packs of grass seed from garden centres.

• Deal to lawn weeds now. If you don’t

want to use chemical means, you’ll have to

dig them out using a sharp knife.

December• Mow, mow, mow. At Prebble Seeds in

Christchurch, their Lush Lawn instant turf is

sometimes mown daily during the height of

the growing season.

• To keep lawns green in summer, soak

well at least three times a week.

• Watch out for Porina moth and grass

grub damage. Each egg the moth lays is

programmed to become a destructive

lawn-devouring grub. Emerging from their

burrows in mid December, these grubs can

destroy large areas of lawn.

• Diazanon prills (grains) are an effective

deterrent against grass grubs and porina

but they are also toxic to animals and

humans and should be used with care.

Neem granules can also offer protection.

• Red thread is a fungal growth that can

invade lawns in mid-summer. If you spot

a mat of red and brown threads, spray with

Thiram and Bravo.

 January• Go to the beach! But install an irrigation

system first. If you want to maintain a

perfect lawn in summer, you’ll need to

water it at least three times a week and

mow it twice a week.

• Trim the edges to keep your lawn

looking good.

• If red thread appears, a boost withfertiliser will sometimes get rid of the

symptoms. Adding fertiliser will make the

grass grow more, so you will also need to

mow it more often.

February• Need to fix worn or thin patches of

grass? Sow seed now (or later in autumn if

 your climate is dry). Lightly fork the soil

before any bare patches are re-seeded.

• Deal with weeds before they set seed.

McGregor’s Weed Out for Lawns controls

broad-leaf weeds and prickles without

harming the grass.

• Thatch can be a problem in fine lawns

when a layer of fibrous material forms

between the green leaves and the soil.

Thatch makes grass roots vulnerable to

drought, but it can also act like a sponge,

keeping the soil saturated and encouraging

disease. Rake at least once a month to

break up this layer. Top-dressing your lawn

with coarse sand, or a sand and soil mix,

can also help.

• Brown patch or fusarium disease is

most prevalent in warm, moist weather.

Treat with a fungicide. Moss killers will also

control mild attacks of this disease.

Lawn care calendarMarch• March is an ideal time to sow a new lawn

or lay instant turf.

• Grass growth slows as the weather

starts to cool, so lift your mower blades.

• Avoid watering the lawn in the evening

at this time of the year as days are often

warm and humid, while night temperatures

are sharply declining. Grass that remains

wet overnight is more susceptible to fungal

attack. Water in sulphate of ammonia or

several handfuls of lime per square metre

to help your lawn resist fungal diseases.

April• Rake up tree leaves as they start to fall.

Fallen leaves, if left in soggy piles, can cause

serious damage to fine lawns.

• Feed your lawn to strengthen it ahead

of winter.

• It’s not too late to repair or sow lawns

but don’t leave it any longer. Buy a roll of

instant turf to repair worn or thin areas,

or scatter grass seed over bare patches.

May• In late autumn, the main task is raking

leaves. A build-up of leaves will soon kill

large areas of grass, leaving them bare and

desolate until mid-spring.

• As lawn growth slows, a fortnightly

mow may be all your lawn requires.

• Moss can be treated with a moss killer.

Moss and the fine-leafed weed hydrocotle

can become a problem in shady or wet

lawns. Mowing too close can also cause

this problem. Removing moss is difficult

but, if you don’t want to use a moss killer,

raking heavily to remove moss and

increase light and air flow helps. A simple

moss killer can be made by mixing one part

of sulphate of iron with three parts of

sulphate of ammonia and thirty parts of

sand. A good handful per square metre is a

suitable application rate.

• Hydrocotle needs to be treated with

Yates Hydrocotle killer.

 June• Clear up the last autumn leaves and

then heave a sigh of relief!

• Mow only on dry or sunny days.

• Identify problems with overhanging trees

and perennials – these can cause unsightly

bare patches that can persist for several

seasons. Thin out tree branches to allowmore light to reach the grass. If lawns have

to compete for food in the company of large

tree roots, they won’t survive. Consider

resowing with a tougher, seed mix such as

Yates Lush Sun ‘n’ Shade, Tui Shady Places

or Burnet’s Sun & Shade Easy Lawn.

 July• Your climate will dictate your lawn care

requirements. Don’t mow wet or frosty

lawns as this tends to mash individual grass

blades, rather than cutting them cleanly.

• Don’t walk on frosty or waterlogged

lawns as this can leave ugly marks that take

months to recover.

August• Weed control can begin with the first

sign of spring growth. When a lawn is

healthy, most weeds simply can’t compete.

• Regular mowing is one way to keep the

weeds away; weedkillers are another.

Never spray on a windy day and make sure

pets and children are kept away from your

lawn during and after spraying. Wear gloves

and a mask and carefully wash hands and all

equipment immediately after use. Always

store weedkillers in a locked cupboard.