Make sure your grass is on the greener side

MENTION seasonal lawn care and most gardeners will either call to mind preparing their grass for summer in spring, or think ahead to autumn, when getting it ready for winter. However, it’s just as important to give lawns some TLC in summer as hot, dry weather and non-stop use will make a big impact on their appearance.

Even though the growth of grass slows down in summer, lawns still need cutting regularly. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to cut once a week with the blades raised to a higher setting – leaving the grass slightly longer than normal enables it to cope better with drought as it encourages plants to become deeper rooted.

Trimming too low in summer can result in blades scalping the surface, pulling out dry grass by its roots to leave unsightly bald patches. Prior to cutting, check blades are sharp. Blunt cutting edges will rip blades of grass apart to leave a large surface area exposed, leading to greater loss of moisture.

Ignore the above mowing advice if you’re planning on going away for a week or two on holiday. The day before you plan to head off, trim the lawn carefully with the blades set lower so the lawn doesn’t look too shaggy on your return. Trim any grass overhanging borders or paths with a pair of longhandled edging shears.

Prevent a bright green lawn from turning yellow during long, hot dry periods by watering first thing in the morning or early in the evening – avoid using sprinklers during the day as most of the water will be lost quickly to evaporation. Water mature lawns once a week and new ones up to three times a week.

Keeping lawns hydrated during long periods of drought is a challenge and most will eventually start to turn brown, no matter how often you water. My advice is not to worry too much. Lawns can survive for up to six weeks without watering and most will bounce back once rain arrives in early autumn. Make sure perennial weeds don’t spoil lawns. Dandelions, plantain and daisies can spread quickly, so paint the leaves with a suitable herbicide or lift them out of the ground. A hand fork will easily shift shallow rooted specimens, while a long-handled weed-pulling gadget is perfect for evicting those with tap roots.

If the lawn is full of weeds, then it’s best to tackle them in one fell swoop with a combined granular lawn feed, weed and moss killer product, such as Westland’s Aftercut All In One. Apart from wiping out nuisance plants, these pellets contain nitrogen that will result in grass turning noticeably greener within a few days. Some containers have an integral spreading device but if they don’t, distribute granules evenly with a wheeled spreading machine. Fill the hopper with the right amount for the lawn and set to spread at half rate. Walk backwards and forwards in parallel lines across the length of your lawn, and repeat across the width.