Out now in swathes
Dandelions, daisies and the like need to be eradicated for your lawn to look lush, writes David Overend.
We live in the age of man and mower, which means the sound of motorised, electric and manual machines doing their utmost to keep lawns looking good. It’s a thankless task, but when the grass gets growing, the mowers have to get mowing, and for stronger, healthier grass, that means at least one trim a week.
Taking just a little grass from the top each time will help the grass far more than if you scalp it every fortnight.
If the weather threatens to turn hot and dry, leave a few grass clippings on the surface rather than collecting them all in the grass box. The fine clippings will help to shade the soil and retain what moisture there is in the lawn.
The downside is that too many clippings can be a bad thing – a “thatch” may eventually build up, encouraging moss and discouraging the grass from growing. It’s a balancing act.
But one thing which unites all real lawn-lovers is the need to wage war on broad-leaved weeds which rob the grass of moisture and nutrients – spreading out to take over the growing room that should be allocated to the grass itself when it needs it most.
Now is a good time to get rid of dandelions, clover, daisies, buttercups and other broad-leaved weeds that spoil the look of a summer lawn.
You can find granular lawn fertilisers that include selective weedkillers, or you can use a liquid to dilute and apply via a watering-can or pressure-sprayer. Whichever product you use, make sure that you fit the weeding in between lawn mowings.
Apply your chosen product about three days after the last cut so that the weeds have a good leaf cover and can absorb as much of the weed-killing ingredients as possible.
Leave well alone for another three or four days after application before you mow again so that the weeds will have had ample time to absorb the weedkiller right down to the roots.
And even if it’s not possible to mow regularly, get out whatever the weather and trim the lawn edges with a pair of long-handled edging shears. Don’t leave the clippings where they fall; think tidy and pick them up and stick them in the compost bin.
Get rid of dandelions,
clover, daisies, buttercups and other broad-leaved weeds