Whether you’re a homeowner or renting in New Zealand, you may be curious about your lawn mowing requirements. After all, getting on the wrong side of neighbours, tenancy services, or the council is the last thing most people want to do.

It’s important to note that every council sets different rules. Before you haul out the lawnmower for the first time at your new property, take the time to familiarise yourself with what may be required of you.

Rules and Requirements in Tenancy Agreements

If you’re a tenant who has just signed a tenancy agreement, you may see mention of property maintenance and your requirements. Some landlords prefer to take care of lawn mowing and gardening themselves, while others leave that responsibility to the tenant or a lawn care service.

Pay careful attention to which of these scenarios applies to you to ensure you can keep your property looking as tidy as possible.

Identifying Parts of Your Property

When you’re reading through the council requirements for lawn mowing in NZ, you may see a lot of different terminologies used that cause some confusion. The Wellington District Council has created a graphic to help homeowners understand what they may be required to do.

The council will maintain trees over 2m tall on road reserves, but you’re required to keep plants and trees on your property within the height and width restrictions outlined by your specific council.

Road reserves are located between the road and your property’s boundary. They are council-owned and maintained by the council. In contrast, verges are grassy areas between the street and your property boundary. These, too, are council-owned, but it’s generally the property owner’s responsibility to mow them.

Grass Verge Requirements

Depending on where you live, you might have a grass verge outside your property that requires maintenance and mowing from time to time. How that maintenance takes place and who manages it can differ from one council to the next. 

For example, Dunedin City Council’s policy is that all grass verge maintenance is the adjacent property owner’s responsibility. However, some exclusions may apply. A property owner’s illness, restrictions, or age, may mean that you can apply to have the council undertake verge lawn mowing to a minimum standard.

Rangitīkei District Council, Wellington City Council, and many others operate similarly. Here, property owners are responsible for mowing and maintaining grass verges between their property edge and the road.

Other maintenance requirements also exist, such as keeping plants and trees within height and width restrictions and keeping branches clear of accessways like footpaths and driveways.

Does the Council Maintain Berms?

While most councils throughout Aotearoa request that people mow the berms outside their properties to keep them clean, tidy, and attractive, there are situations in urban areas where they may step in to cut them on behalf of property owners.

For example, long grass in a particular area may create a traffic visibility problem, or the lawn is located in a high-profile site, such as an entrance to a town. If the grass is growing on a high bank that a traditional lawnmower can’t access, then the council may also take care of this grass.

If grass berms are left to grow higher than 150mm, they may be mown to around 50mm four times per year. Once again, these rules and regulations may change depending on where you live.

What If I Can’t Mow My Berm?

What happens if you can’t mow your berm or verge depends on what your council has in place for this situation. For example, in Tauranga, the council will use contractors to mow verges and berms once they reach 300mm long as part of their mowing program.

Ride-on mowers are used to cut these grassy areas, and as they don’t have catchers, the clippings are left behind. The mowing is performed to a minimum standard, which means most residents put steps in place to have them mowed by other parties to keep them looking as attractive as possible.

If you can’t mow your own lawns, and you don’t want to rely on your local council, you may decide to request help through the government. The government funds some household tasks, repairs, and maintenance, such as lawn mowing, gardening, housework, window cleaning, and more.

Eligibility requirements for this service include having a community services card and performing a needs assessment to prove you need this help.  

Alternatively, you may like to rely on friends, family, neighbours, or your local lawn mowing service provider. Some charities and foundations may also be able to help with general home maintenance if you require it.

Maintain Your Lawns Today

When you become the person in your household responsible for lawn mowing and maintenance, it’s not always easy to know what your requirements are. Check with your local council about which parts of your property you need to maintain, then contact a lawn care company to ensure your property looks well cared for year-round.

Most house-proud homeowners aspire to have a healthy lawn their family can enjoy. A lawn free of prickles, brown spots, weeds, and unsightly lumps and bumps. It might not seem achievable, but it can be.

Take note of these tips for maintaining a healthy green lawn below. You may then be better positioned to achieve that bowling green-like grass you always wanted.

Focus on Soil Health

Just as a house is only as sound as its foundation, grass is only as healthy as the soil it grows in. Before you do anything else, purchase a soil test to find out about your soil’s health and whether there’s anything you need to do to improve it.

If your soil’s pH level is less than 7.0, it’s acidic. If it’s more than 7.0, it’s alkaline. When soil is too acidic, you can add lime to neutralise it. If it’s too alkaline, peat moss, compost, or sulphur may solve that problem and give you a healthy foundation to work from.

Establish a Healthy Watering Routine

Watering can be a crucial requirement, whether you have new lawns or insufficient rainfall to keep your grass in tip-top shape. However, there is a right and wrong way to go about this process that you may like to keep in mind.

Always water early in the morning when the sun rises. This gives your lawn enough time to absorb the water before the heat of the day evaporates it. Water too late, and the leaf blades may not dry out enough before night falls.

How much water you apply may also make a difference to lawn health. If you’re only watering enough to moisten the grass itself, your lawn will develop shallow root systems that put it at risk of dying if you’re not there to water it. The more water you apply, the deeper the roots and the more self-sufficient it can be.

Achieve the Right Mowing Height

Mowing the lawns is not everyone’s favourite pastime, which is why many New Zealanders leave this job to the experts. However, if you intend to do it yourself, it’s essential to heed the following advice.

Never remove any more than a third of the lawn’s height during any cut. Your grass can become stressed with too much loss of its leaf blade, leading to damage that can be challenging to undo.

Mow your lawns frequently and consistently to achieve a height of around two centimetres in spring and three centimetres in summer. If you mow your lawns too short, your grass may develop short roots, which promote weed growth.

Fertilise Your Lawn

A healthy, lush, green lawn doesn’t happen by chance. It happens when you prioritise your lawn health and feed it fertiliser as part of your maintenance schedule. Fertiliser can encourage healthy grass growth year-round, and it’s something you only have to do twice-yearly in autumn and spring. 

Use a chemical or organic lawn fertiliser product and spread it evenly over your lawn with a lawn spreader. You can then water it to help it sink in. Alternatively, you can purchase a liquid fertiliser that attaches to your hose for easy watering.

Aerate Your Soil

Once again, your grass is only as healthy as your soil. If you don’t believe your soil is helping with grass growth, consider aeration. Small holes in your lawn may make it easier for the roots to access water, air, and fertiliser – all the necessities for growth.

Control the Weeds

Weeds generally have a chance to take hold of your lawn when it’s too thin or weak. Once you have healthy, lush lawns, they are unlikely to be a problem.

Once you identify the type of weed you have in your lawn, you can purchase specific products for those weed types. For example, if you’re trying to combat thistles, you can apply a herbicide product to individual cut stems about two centimetres above the soil.

At first, weed control can be time-consuming, but that’s unlikely to be the case once your lawn health has improved.

Give Pests Their Marching Orders

Lawn pests can be just as destructive as weeds, with beetles, crickets, grass grubs, and caterpillars all loving your lawn as much as you do. Fortunately, you aren’t stuck with them.

Identify the pests you’re struggling with and apply a product that’s designed to target those specific insects. The pesticide product you use and application instructions can depend on the insect in question.

Maintaining a Healthy Lawn Doesn’t Have to Be Hard

There’s no denying that lawn care can be daunting when you’re unfamiliar with what’s involved, but it can be easy to manage once you know the most important maintenance tasks. Watering, mowing, soil health, and weed/pest control can be straightforward, single-step tasks that contribute to an overall picture-perfect lawn your entire family can enjoy.

Many homeowners have a love-hate relationship with couch grass, also known as twitch grass and scutch grass. On the one hand, it’s a robust, hard-wearing lawn type preferred by people in coastal and warm areas with busy children and pets. But on the other, it’s a highly invasive, hard-to-control, and unattractive grass type that’s particularly unfavourable with farmers and those who take pride in their property’s appearance.

If you’re starting to explore your grass options or have a type of grass that you can’t seem to put your finger on, you’re in the right place. Let’s look at what couch grass is and some advice and tips that may come in handy.

What Kind of Grass is Couch?

Couch grass is a rhizomatous weed that competes for light, nutrients, and water against other plants and crops. While it can look very similar to other grass types without seed heads, it does tend to have much pointier heads than other varieties while also feeling much rougher underfoot. You can also differentiate it by its underground rhizomes, which most other grass species don’t have.

Is Couch a Good Grass?

To answer the question of whether or not couch grass is a good grass can depend on who you ask, because people will like or hate it for different reasons.  

Gardeners tend to loathe it because of how invasive it is. It can take over gardens and pathways and isn’t phased by many eradication methods like some herbicides. However, if you live in a warmer part of New Zealand, you might see it as an ideal grass variety for your lawn. It’s resilient and thrives in sunny, warm, and dry climates, whereas it can grow untidily in shade or colder climates.

But there’s one thing that’s frequently noted, whether you grow it intentionally or not: it doesn’t like to be told where to grow. Its highly intricate root structure means that even if it provides you with a beautifully cushioned lawn, it will still try and make its way to parts of your property where it’s not welcome.

How Do I Get Rid of Couch Grass in My Lawn?

Getting rid of couch grass in your lawn and other parts of your property can be complicated. If you try to remove it manually, roots and rhizomes will be left behind, which will simply sprout and regrow. As a result, hours of careful pulling can all be for nothing.

One of the best ways to remove it from your lawn is with spot treatment. If you only have a few areas of growth, wear rubber gloves and paint a specific couch grass-killing product from your local garden store onto its crowns and as many leaves as possible. With the right product, like Weed Weapon Invade Gel, you can kill both the roots and grass.

Similar approaches can also be taken if you’re struggling to control couch grass in your flowerbeds, waste places, and on paths and driveways. Use a specific couch grass-killing product and apply it to the roots and leaves. In flower gardens, follow up this treatment with a product like Weed Weapon Preventer on the soil to stop new couch grass weeds from growing.

Farmers trying to control couch grass in their pastures must take care to get the timing right. Apply glyphosate after the couch grass plants have produced at least three or four leaves. Avoid applying it in early spring as the grass may still be semi-dormant from winter.

If you’re trying to avoid harming broad-leaved crop species nearby, consider using selective grass herbicides like haloxyfop. However, these can’t be used in grass crops like ryegrass and cereals.

How Did Couch Grass Get Into My Lawn?

If you have never purposefully grown couch grass, you might be wondering how on earth it’s now taking over your lawn, gardens, and every area in between.

As couch grass is spread via underground stems in the soil, cultivation is the easiest way to spread it on both rural and suburban properties. It can also creep from lawns over to vegetable and flower beds with ease. However, couch grass is also easily spread by seed. As it produces flower heads, the seeds from these heads can spread far and wide. 

Once it takes hold, it forms dense mats of stems underground and competes against your plants for more than its fair share of nutrients and water.

Get Help With Lawn Care

Whether you’re fighting a losing battle against couch grass or you simply need a helping hand with lawn mowing, you’re in luck. Crewcut is ready and waiting to give your yard the attention it needs, with services like weeding, garden tidy-ups, lawn edging, hedge and tree pruning, and more. Sit back, relax, and let the experts take care of all the hard work.

Scarifying or scarification, which also goes by the name dethatching, is the process of removing the thick organic layer of material that can sometimes sit between the soil and your grass.  

While a small amount of surface thatch is acceptable, a significant amount can prevent water and air from reaching the soil. This may then lead to lawn disease and an overall sad-looking lawn.

Simply follow these steps below if you believe scarifying or dethatching is the best way to give your lawn a new lease on life. You’d be surprised at how easy it can be.

What Is Thatch?

Before we get into the simple steps to scarifying your lawn, it’s worthwhile to understand what thatch is. Most species other than pure ryegrass will require scarifying or dethatching at some stage.

When parent grass plants die to be replaced by younger plants, the growing part of the grass can be slow to decay. Since they don’t rot into the soil as a typical plant would, the layers of dead parent grass build up in layers.

The less often you dethatch your lawn, the more thatch you will need to remove. Try to avoid getting a layer of thatch any thicker than 15mm, but keep around 5mm for soil insulation.

When to Scarify?

When you know how beneficial the scarifying process can be, you might be chomping at the bit to get stuck in. Before you do, it’s worthwhile knowing when the best time to scarify is. The more intensive the task, the more the timing matters.

Consider leaving a large dethatching job until around autumn. As the lawn will be much thinner in places, summer heat may damage your grass. By dethatching in summer, you may also increase the chances of weed seeds from your dethatching efforts taking hold where you don’t want them.

You may also scarify in spring, but there is an increased chance of weed growth in this season, as well. The rules are slightly different for homeowners looking to scarify their lawns in a shady area. It’s best not to dethatch in autumn since the shade and leaf litter may reduce your grass health. In shaded areas, wait until spring.

Step 1: Prepare the Lawn for Dethatching

Before you get stuck in scarifying, make sure you spend a couple of weeks preparing your lawns for an experience that may shock it. To rake successfully with scarifying tools, you will need to ensure the grass is dry and short.

Start mowing the lawn shorter and shorter over a fortnight. This achieves two things: reducing the risk of shock and allowing air to access the soil and dry the grass quicker. However, you don’t want the ground itself to be too dry as the lawn needs a sound foundation from which to grow once you have scarified it.

During this process, you may notice that moss is present. Fortunately, scarifying lawn to remove moss is perfectly safe.

Step 2: Scarify Your Lawn

With the prep work complete, you can now get scarifying underway. For this task, you can use a manual wheeled scarifier or opt for a petrol-powered one. With whichever tool or machine you use, run over your lawn in one direction to remove around one centimetre of thatch. You can then get rid of debris with a leaf blower or rake.  

After that initial run, work at a right angle to your first pass and lower the blades slightly. You may notice that the thatch will be looser. Two or three passes should be enough to get rid of as much thatch as you need.

Step 3: Learn How to Revive a Lawn After Scarifying

It’s only natural to feel a bit shocked when you see how thin and unhealthy your lawn looks after dethatching. But don’t worry, this is only temporary!

Purchase lawn seed and over sow the lawn where you notice extreme patchiness. Fertilising the lawn with high potassium fertiliser may also be helpful. Fertiliser helps to protect against disease and give your grass a quick health boost.

Finally, don’t underestimate the value of watering. An irrigation system can help provide a consistent amount of water, but regular watering while your grass grows can be all it takes to have your lawn looking beautiful once more.

Start Looking After Your Lawn

Our grass can need a helping hand from time to time. It might be growing unevenly, struggling to grow, or is simply not as attractive as it could be. Dethatching is an excellent place to start, and it’s achievable in just three easy steps.

However, if you’re worried about the health of your lawn, or you simply don’t have time to make sure it’s at its best, consult the lawn care experts who understand grass the best. You may be surprised at how quickly your grass becomes the picture of perfection.

Does your lawn have a dark secret? You might be showing off a bowling green-like lawn to all your neighbours, but those high-traffic areas leave much to be desired. You know the area we’re talking about; the flattened, worn, and even muddy part of your lawn that sees the most action by pets, children, and those navigating their way to the clothesline.

You might think you have to put up with an awful patch of lawn that never seems to look like all the rest, but you don’t. Here are our top tips for how to keep high-traffic areas in your lawn looking good.

Tip # 1: Mow your lawn regularly

To keep your lawn as healthy as possible, mow regularly. However, by regularly, we mean establish a regular routine. Your lawn may benefit from being taller in high-traffic areas because the extra padding underfoot can limit root damage.

However, when the time comes to haul out the lawnmower, mow a different route each time. Alternating mowing patterns can reduce the risk of you trampling the same path time and time again, leading to damage.

Tip # 2: Add mulch to the grass

While you don’t see too many people scattering mulch on their lawn, this action can be surprisingly helpful for high-traffic areas of lawn that are starting to look a little sad. A layer of mulch keeps moisture in the soil, which may allow for more robust, deeper roots and overall healthier grass.

Tip # 3: Aerate your lawn

There is a long list of reasons why lawn aeration can be crucial, and overall aesthetics in high-traffic areas is one of them. When you use a lawn aerating tool to drive holes into the soil, you’re improving air exchange between the earth and the atmosphere.

The soil can absorb more moisture, which leads to reduced water runoff and puddles in heavy rain. Lawn aeration may also allow for better fertiliser uptake by your soil, improved root strength, less soil compaction, and even better cushioning.

These benefits can all lead to one thing: a healthy lawn. The healthier your lawn is, the less likely it is to succumb to damage from children playing sports, pets doing zoomies, and other lawn activities.

Tip # 4: Apply fertiliser monthly

Most avid gardeners understand the importance of fertilising their garden, but did you know that once-monthly fertiliser application to your lawn during the growing season can also be helpful?

Fertilising your lawn can allow for strong roots, healthy grass and soil, and even fewer weeds. Some people also notice a difference in their property sale rate when they’ve taken the time to address those high-traffic and poor-growing lawn areas. 

If you’re unsure about using chemicals, you can opt for organic fertilisers such as worm castings and compost. 

Tip # 5: Keep on top of lawn health

Even though you might only need to focus on those high-traffic parts of your lawn, there’s no reason why you can’t address the health needs of your entire lawn.

Trim the edges regularly to keep your lawns looking neat, and use weed-and-feed products to stop weed growth in its tracks. Some people also see the value in pre-emergent herbicides for crabgrass control, and watering deeply to prevent pests and grass disease.

Don’t neglect your flowerbeds, trees, and shrubs in the process. Give them a healthy serving of mulch to maintain moisture levels as the warmer weather kicks in.

Tip # 6: Separate your lawn areas

If you’re tired of having your entire lawn looking like a battleground, consider the layout of your property and see if it’s a possibility to separate your lawn areas. You might be able to put a fence between the back and the front lawn and leave one area looking neat and tidy year-round.

Giving your pets access to one part of your property and not the other can also save you time cleaning up their toys and waste before lawn mowing begins.

Tip # 7: Leave your lawn alone

If the kids always want to kick a ball around, or your dogs are interested in a game of fetch, consider taking these activities elsewhere if your lawn is not at its best. During the cooler weather, in particular, soil can be soft and damp, leading to grass damage.

Consider taking your dogs to a dog park or dog-friendly field to play a game of fetch. Children, too, can have the time of their lives kicking a ball around at a nearby sports field.

And finally: Let lawn mowing experts take care of business

You might not have the time or inclination to take care of those trouble spots on your lawn, but lawn care experts do. If you’d prefer to spend your free time on your hobbies, rather than lawn aeration and fertiliser, contact someone in the lawn mowing industry. They can have your lawn looking healthy and well looked after in no time.

There’s nothing wrong with being proud of your grass. It’s your slice of paradise, so there’s no shame in spending a bit of time learning how to edge your lawn properly so that it stands out.  

However, as naturally as lawn mowing may come to you, edging can be a completely different kettle of fish. Read on to learn some of our tips and tricks for achieving a perfectly edged lawn.

Step 1: Determine Your Lawn Type

Even though lawn edging techniques can be similar from one lawn type to the next, knowing what your lawn is can alter your expectations for the outcome while also adjusting how you carry out the entire edging process.

Some of the most popular lawn types include Bermuda. St. Augustine, Zoysia, tall fescue, fine fescue, rye, Kikuyu, and mixed blend.

Step 2: Mow Your Lawn

Before you start edging your lawns, mow it first. This can cut down the time you spend using a grass-edging tool. Depending on your lawn type and how it grows, adjust your mower so that you’ll be cutting no more than a third of your lawn length in one pass.

If you will be edging your lawn with a rotary mower, ensure the blade is sharp and clean. It’s also important to mow in straight lines with three to four inches between each cut to prevent scalping.

Reel mowers can take a different approach. Start at one corner of your yard and work your way to the other with short strokes. To ensure you have ample dirt for edging, mow your lawn frequently.

Step 3: Plan Out Your Path

If you have never edged your lawn before, there can be a little bit of planning involved. Fortunately, lawn care companies throughout New Zealand can assist with your first edging and ongoing services if you’d prefer to leave the hard work to them.

Those who prefer to do the job themselves can find it easy enough to manage by first creating a planned path. Use rope, wood, tape, hose, or something similar, to mark out the edges where you’ll make your first cuts.

To make your first edging job just that little bit easier, use a weed eater. This can cut down how much grass you have to edge.

Step 4: Choose An Edging Tool

The market is full of different edging tools, which makes it challenging to know what you need. As a rule, if it’s advertised as being able to perform edging, it can work for you! However, some have more advantages for your unique needs than others. 

For example, a power edger, such as a string trimmer, allows you to carry out the job quicker. They can be battery, electric, or petrol-powered, depending on your preferences.

You may also prefer manual edgers. Even though they are more labour-intensive, they do offer more control. Compared to powered versions, they are also more affordable.

Step 5: Safety First

Before you get to work edging your lawn, don’t forget to wear appropriate safety gear. Ear, eye, feet, and hand protection can all be necessary for preventing injuries and discomfort.

While you’re out purchasing new edging tools, pick up a pair of gloves, goggles, and earmuffs, and don’t forget to wear closed-toe shoes and a long-sleeved shirt.  

Step 6: Start edging!  

How you edge your lawn properly can depend on your tool of choice. With a manual edger, you can use it similarly to a shovel. Drive it straight into the ground until the lip touches the soil. Rock it from side to side for a more defined edge before you pull it back up.

A string trimmer offers less control but undoubtedly has the speed to save you time. Use your hard surface, such as a pathway, as your edge to work from. Cut around two inches deep, and move left to right if your string spins clockwise.

Refrain from getting too close with a string trimmer, or your lawn can look too uneven. What’s more, if you over-edge, your grass will struggle to grow back correctly and may even be damaged.  

While you’re edging, it may also be worth looking out for weeds. Pull them up rather than cutting them, as they can spread their roots far and wide.

Step 7: Edge Your Garden Beds

The edges of garden beds tend to be more fluid, which means a string trimmer may not be the most suitable tool in your arsenal. For these less rigid areas, use a manual edger. Make sure you mark the area first and work slowly for the most even finish.  

….Or Call the Experts

There can be a lot involved in edging your lawns. Even though it’s an easy process once you get started, it’s a time-consuming one. If you’d rather spend your time doing something a bit more entertaining, contact lawn care experts you can trust. You can then enjoy looking at perfectly-edged lawns without having to lift a finger.

We all know that grass seems to thrive in the summer months when the sun is shining. We know that because we have to spend all our spare time lawn mowing.

However, you may be asking whether it’s possible for grass to thrive without sun. Well, as it turns out, there are some shade-tolerant grass types in NZ that could be worth your attention.

Tall Fescue

If you have a shady patch of dirt on your property, you may think that no type of grass will grow there. Quite the opposite is true; you simply need to choose the right grass. Tall fescue might be it.

Tall fescue does tolerate full sun, but it’s also just as comfortable in the shade. Out of all cool-season lawn types, it also has some of the best drought tolerances.

Many homeowners love tall fescue for how many different environments in which it seems to thrive. It will tolerate being without water, yet it’s also more than happy with extended periods of rain. It can also survive frosts and isn’t too picky about the pH of your soil.

Zoysia

As long as your soil pH is between 5.5 and 6.5, you may be surprised at just how well zoysia grass grows on your shady property. While it does prefer warmer climates, it’s a reasonably robust grass species that holds its own in a variety of conditions.

Busy homeowners will love that it requires less mowing than other grass types and that it feels incredibly soft underfoot. Compared to other grass varieties, it’s also far less invasive. This is good news for avid gardeners trying to stop grass from taking over their flower beds.

Zoysia is low maintenance, drought-tolerant, and also thrives in sun and moderate shade. The only thing you may not like about this grass is that it can go brown over winter. Although, it more than makes up for it by being a brilliant shade of green in summer.

Kikuyu

Many homeowners have a love-hate relationship with their Kikuyu. On the one hand, it thrives in the shade and doesn’t have high sun requirements. On the other, it’s a spreader. It can quickly take over gardens and create new lawns you never asked for. 

In saying that, its pros far outweigh its cons. Kikuyu suits yards that see a lot of traffic – like the kids kicking around a ball or dogs doing zoomies. It recovers quickly and rarely needs any kind of maintenance in the form of fertilizing or watering.

As long as you give it firm boundaries, this NZ shade-tolerant grass type could be worth a closer look.

Soft-Leaf Buffalo

Even the most shade-tolerant grass types have nothing on soft-leaf buffalo – a softer, more attractive grass than traditional buffalo. This blue-tinged beauty is ideal for fully shaded patches of earth, even those with light, sandy, alkaline soils.

It doesn’t have the best drought tolerance compared to some other grass types, but it more than makes up for it by thriving in some challenging conditions.

Kentucky Bluegrass

Even though Kentucky bluegrass can be quite a stiff, coarse type of grass, it’s a preference for many homeowners in NZ battling shady yard conditions. It forms a dense root mat and doesn’t seem to be phased by most weather conditions.

In fact, because it comes from America, it has adapted to most weather conditions. It prefers cool, dry winters and hot, dry summers but will likely thrive with anything you throw its way.

Ryegrass

If you’ve been to any sports field throughout Australasia, you likely would have seen ryegrass. It’s a beautiful, dark green grass type that is perhaps one of the most ‘showy’ you’ll find.

Even though it requires regular watering and nitrogen, it’s undoubtedly a robust grass type that may handle some shady conditions. It can also bounce back from abuse relatively well.

Alternatives to Grass

If you don’t want to deal with lawn mowing, watering, and fertiliser, consider opting for shade plants instead. There are a number of plant types that thrive in the shade, which means you don’t have to sow new grass seed after all.

Consider climbers like star jasmine and ferns such as hen and chicken fern. These flourish in shady and damp conditions while looking attractive no matter where they grow.

How to Make Your Shade-Tolerant Grass Thrive

There’s nothing worse than having a shady yard that you can’t seem to revitalise. Fortunately, there are ways to do it, such as with shade-tolerant grass types. Talk to your local garden centre worker about the best variety for your unique situation.

With time, watering, and some general maintenance, you may be able to transform your once-bare yard into one that makes you proud. Alternatively, you can call upon your favourite lawn care experts to take care of all the hard work for you.

Let’s face it; we’ve all poked our head over the neighbour’s fence at one time or another to see what their lawn is like. Then you look at your own and wonder why on earth it looks awful in comparison. To take care of lawn depressions, dips, death, and damage, it might be time to consider renovating your lawn. It’ll then be your neighbour’s turn to look at your yard with envy.

What Does ‘Renovating’ Your Lawn Involve?

When you renovate your house, you give it a fresh coat of paint, maybe lay some new carpet, or update the light fixtures. When you renovate your lawn, you’re technically doing the same thing – giving it a new lease on life.

Just as you would look at your home with a critical eye before renovating it, do the same with your lawn. Notice the low spots, the high spots, the dead patches, and weeds. Spot the scalped edges where your garden meets the lawn, the ruck marks from the kids’ rugby games, and the broadleaf trying to disguise itself as grass.

Renovating your lawn is the process of fixing all those imperfections so you can benefit from lush, even, and manicured lawns you’re proud to call yours.

Okay, So How Do I Renovate My Lawn?

There are three popular methods for giving your lawn a new lease on life. The one you choose can depend on how much time you have, and how passionate you are about achieving that picture-perfect lawn that even the local bowling club is jealous of.

Topdressing

Topdressing is the process of putting soil over the top of your lawn to fill in sparse areas and small depressions in the earth. It’s a multi-step process, but one that you’ll learn was entirely worth the hassle the next time you go to mow your lawn.

Firstly, you’ll need to weed your lawn by carefully going over it to pull weeds out by the root. Some of the most common ones include broadleaf, Onehunga weed, poa, clover, and moss. Once you’ve removed as much of these pesky plants as you can, mow your lawn to a height of about five centimetres, or two inches.

At this stage, your lawn probably doesn’t look at its best – with dug-out patches and bald spots. But that’s okay! Next, you’ll need to dethatch it, which involves using a vertical mower, short-tined rake, or power rake to remove the layer of dead and living plant material that builds up between your grass and the soil surface.  

Finally, it’s time to topdress. For damaged areas, apply up to four inches of soil over a well-graded soil base. Where your lawn meets the damaged area, spread around two inches of topsoil over your freshly-mown grass. Rake the entire lawn level – soil and all.

Follow up this process by spreading out fertiliser, followed by lawn seed, and water it until it’s thriving and ready for its first mow.

Sod

Not everyone has the patience or time to literally watch the grass grow. In that case, you may decide to work with sod instead. Sod is real grass and soil held together by roots, harvested on the day you need it, and rolled up.

When you purchase sod, ensure you do so on the day you will be using it as it doesn’t have a shelf life. You can lay an entire lawn in sod or simply use it to repair the parts of your property that require it.

Cut a smooth seam along your current lawn, and place your roll of sod up against it, so there is no space in between, but the two aren’t overlapping. Around walkway, garden bed, and driveway edges, overlap the sod and cut to the edges. Push soil up against those edges to prevent the exposed roots from drying out.

Once you’ve finished laying the sod, roll a water-filled drum over the top to ensure the new sod has made contact with the soil underneath. Water daily to promote root growth and keep pets and people off the grass until top growth becomes present.

Hire the Experts

The third way to renovate your lawn is to hire the experts! If you’ve got no time, patience, or passion for lawn care, but you’ve got a desire for a beautiful, lush, green lawn, you can simply request a lawn care service company to take care of the job for you.

When to Renovate Your Lawn

You now know how to renovate your lawn and give it a new lease on life, but do you know when to do it? Aim for spring or autumn when lawn growth is in overdrive and heavy rain isn’t predicted in the forecast.  

You can also ask your local garden centre employee or lawn care company worker for helpful advice, tips, and tricks, on how to ensure the best growth for your new lawn.

Ready to Renovate?

If your lawn isn’t looking at its best, you’ve got options. Is today the day you place an order for grass seed or sod and get your lawn renovation project underway? Once you start mowing your lush, new lawn, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

This article is included in Twinkl's Keeping Children Healthy campaign and is part of their article called “Some great tips to keep your children healthy in 2021”.

When it’s time to pack up the swimming pool and swingball set after three months of summer fun, it’s worth putting thought into autumn lawn care in NZ. After all, with the changing of seasons comes the changing of methods for how you take care of your property.

Though, if you’re not sure where to begin, it can be a lot easier to carry on as you were, and hope your prized plants and lush lawns don’t suffer as a result. Fortunately, we’ve put together an autumn lawn care guide for Kiwis that covers a few of the many things that the average yard-proud homeowner can do.

Caring for Your Lawns in Autumn

Our lawns can take a real beating in summer. Rainfall can be inconsistent, and swimming pools leave behind a large, flat, dead patch of grass long after you pack them away. Use the changing of seasons as an opportunity to get your lawns back in tip-top shape.

De-Thatching

Part of lawn care involves taking care of thatch, consisting of roots, leaves, and stems in a tight, spongy layer at your lawn’s base. While a small amount of thatch is okay, more than 2cm can be a party zone for pests and disease.

Many things contribute to thatch, such as compacted soil, poor drainage, and poor soil pH. You can use a dethatching product to break down thatch or move it manually with a de-thatcher rake or scarifier.

Drainage

The changing of seasons often brings more rainfall, which means drainage is an integral part of lawn care. Using a spike aerator or plug aerator, you can poke holes in your soil that allows rainfall to reach grass roots for healthy growth.

If you’re not confident doing this job on your own, there are always plenty of gardening experts out there ready to lend a helping hand.

Repairing Dead/Dying Grass

Whether the summer heat has taken its toll on your lawn, or you’ve left the swimming pool up for far too long, you may find yourself with dead or dying grass. Fortunately, the process for bringing it back to health or starting afresh is straightforward.

Remove thatch, aerate the soil and till it, and use organic compost on the earth if you’re worried about fertility. It’s now time to go shopping for climate-appropriate grass seed! Once you’ve purchased the best grass seed, you can apply a thin layer to the soil.

Keep the soil damp and water daily for at least three weeks. Don’t mow your new lawn until it’s at least 1.5 times higher than the regular cutting height recommendation.

Fertilising Your Lawn

With the arrival of autumn comes the knowledge that winter is just around the corner. Take this small window of opportunity to improve your lawn health so it can survive what’s yet to come. You can give your grass the nutrients it needs through fertiliser. These products are designed to help with both weed control and nutrients while also improving root health and frost tolerance.

Tree and Shrub Trimming

While lawn mowing and maintenance are essential parts of lawn care, so is shrub and tree trimming. It’s important for the health of your plants, but it can also be necessary for lawn health.

If you notice that some of your trees or shrubs are shading parts of your lawn, consider trimming them back. The more light your lawns have on the shortest days of the year, the healthier they can be.

Leaf Raking

As arduous as the job of leaf raking can be, it’s crucial for your lawn’s health. Piles of leaves left on a lawn can cause the grass structure to weaken during the colder months of the year. It also becomes a haven for pests and disease.

If you’re strapped for time or motivation, consider outsourcing the job to a child looking for pocket money or a lawn care company.

Adjust Your Mowing Habits

The weather and your location can dictate how you mow your lawns during summer. With a mixture of rain and sunshine, you may be cutting more often than you usually would. However, if rainfall is infrequent, those mowing sessions may be kept to a minimum. 

You may need to alter your mowing routine as the seasons change. Throughout the colder months of autumn and winter, raise your mower height so you can keep your grass height at around 40mm.

Call in the Experts

Not everyone has the time or desire to spend their free time tending to their lawns. If you’d prefer to be focusing on your hobbies than tinkering with your lawnmower, why not contact a lawn care company? They can take care of everything from lawn mowing and tree trimming to hedge pruning and garden clean-ups. You can then sit back, relax, and admire your yard from a distance.

When we haul the lawnmower out of storage, we expect it to start on the first pull. We never imagine that just days after we last used it, we’d have to put on our thinking caps to undertake lawnmower repairs.

The reality is, lawnmowers can be fickle beasts. One minute, we’re mowing the lawns, and the next, we’ve got parts laid out all over the garage floor, and no idea what went wrong. Is it even worth it? Should you just buy a new lawnmower? And how long should a lawnmower last, anyway?

Before you dismantle your mower to the point of no return, consider the following information relating to lawnmower repairs.

Is It Worth Repairing a Lawnmower?

In many cases, it’s definitely worth repairing a lawnmower rather than buying a new one. Though, it depends on the diagnosed issue. It’s essential to weigh up the repair costs versus the price tag of an entirely new mower.

Anything relating to engine problems, internal damage, rods, pistons, and crankshaft damage can ultimately signal the end of your mower’s working life. Unless, of course, you’re an exceptionally skilled Mr. or Ms. Fix-it who can purchase parts and undertake the repairs yourself.

As soon as you start noticing issues with your mower, take it to a repair centre for a diagnosis. You can then take a look at the mowers they have for sale while awaiting the answer on your lawnmower’s fate.

Most Common Lawnmower Problems

You would be surprised at the sheer number of everyday lawnmower problems that homeowners face. Why can’t lawn mowing just be straightforward? Fortunately, many issues relate to maintenance. Stay on top of maintenance, and your lawnmower will likely reward you with faithful service.

Loss of Power

In many cases, you won’t have to hand over too much of your hard-earned cash when you experience a loss of power while mowing your lawns. One of the most common causes of a loss of power is a dirty filter.

If it’s not that, you may be cutting your mower at the wrong height, or your spark plug needs to be replaced or cleaned. A slight loss of power, reflective in the quality of the cut, may relate to your blades not being sharp enough.

Smoke

If you’re getting a face full of smoke, rather than the beautiful scent of freshly-mowed grass, then the problem is likely easy and affordable to solve. You may have overfilled your oil chamber, or you didn’t tighten the cap.

If the mower is not running smoothly and the smoke is light or white, there could be a severe problem. You may need to take your mower to a repair shop or grab your bag of tools.

No Power

If you’re pulling and pulling the start cord and nobody’s home, check the gas tank. Is there enough fuel to get it to start? Make sure there are no leaks. If the fuel is not the issue, take a look at the battery. You may need to purchase a replacement battery.

Dirty air filters and spark plugs can also cause a lawnmower to stop working. If you’ve exhausted all of these options, you may need to load up your mower and take it to a professional.

How Much Does a Lawnmower Cost to Fix? 

You’ve probably asked yourself this question many times: how much does it cost to fix a lawnmower? There is no single price tag, as each mower may have a different set of problems or servicing criteria.

Though, you can expect an hourly rate from a small engine mechanic, along with the cost of parts and service types like blade sharpening, air filters, spark plugs, oil, and fuel. At a minimum, expect an initial charge of around $60-80, but more for anything above and beyond a service.

How Many Years Should a Lawnmower Last? 

The length of time anything lasts can depend on how well you care for it. A well-maintained mower that you treat as well as your children can last over a decade.

One that sees some occasional maintenance and TLC may last half as long. But a mower you simply fill with fuel and leave alone will likely only last a couple of years before you begin to notice some problems rearing their heads.

Complicated, Isn’t It?

Between a loss of power, blade sharpening, regular servicing, and diagnosing problems, it can sometimes seem like lawnmower ownership is more trouble than it’s worth. To some people, it can be.

If you’d prefer not to have to deal with lawnmower repairs, servicing, and even the task of lawn mowing itself, then why not give the job to someone else? A local lawn mowing company near you will be more than happy to take care of all your lawn care needs for you.  

When you’re in pursuit of a perfectly lush lawn, it’s easy to get disheartened by seasonal changes. Summer brings with it irregular rainfall, which increases the chances that you’ll end up with a dry or even dead lawn.

To combat that, many homeowners start getting into the habit of watering their lawns. But are they doing it right? You’re about to find out.

For how many minutes should I water my lawn?

It’s only natural to want vibrant lawns year-round, but summer can certainly pose some problems. That’s why many people take it upon themselves to water their lawns, so they remain the perfect shade of green year-round.  

Though, not everyone will know how long to water their grass. Believe it or not, there’s value in getting it right. If you water your lawn for short but periods, you may be causing your grass to grow shallow roots. As a result, the roots can’t access the nutrients and water they need further in the soil.

Grass that has been watered in this way can also be more vulnerable to pest damage, fungal disease, and weed invasion. Instead, water your lawns for around 20-30 minutes three times weekly. This amount of time allows moisture to travel to about 1-1.5 inches into the soil, promoting better root growth.

Can I water my lawn at night?

Depending on where you live, it can be challenging to find that ‘sweet spot’ regarding the best time to water your lawns. Not everyone has time in the morning to do it before the sun’s intensity increases, so they may decide to do it at night.

But ask any lawn or garden enthusiast, and they will warn against watering at night. Why is that, and can you water your lawn at night? It’s not particularly ideal. When you water your lawns at night, you’re increasing leaf wetness. This can lead to fungal problems – regardless of whether you believe your grass type is hardy or not.  

Given New Zealand’s extended daylight hours in summer, there is a little more wiggle room to water at night. However, you’ll need to make sure that nightfall is still a way off. When in doubt, water before 10 am.

How do I water my entire lawn?

You don’t see too many people wandering around their lawns with a watering can, so how do people water their entire lawn? Given that around 20-30 minutes of moisture is required for optimal lawn health, that would be a lot of time to be out with a watering can.

There are better ways to go about it. You can invest in an irrigation system for your lawn and even install a timer. Some people simply opt for sprinklers. However, these can be a bit more wasteful and non-targeted. Talk to your local lawn care company or garden store for advice on the best lawn watering equipment.

Is watering your lawn a waste of water?

If you’re a lawn-proud homeowner, you may never see watering your lawns as a waste of water. However, there will be times when it’s frowned upon to water your lawns when resources are scarce, or droughts are on the horizon.  

Before you set up a lawn-watering schedule, check with your local council regarding water shortages. During the summer months, some councils impose water restrictions to ensure everyone has access to the water they need for daily living. As a result, the use of water irrigation systems and sprinkles are sometimes prohibited.

If you have a rain barrel and have harvested your own rainwater, you may be able to attach a hose and connect it to a drip/soaker hose or sprinkler to ensure your lawns don’t suffer over the drier months of the year.

When to water grass in hot weather?

During summer, many parts of Aotearoa heat up quickly. It can almost seem like you’re fighting a losing battle against the mercury to make sure your lawns get enough water. The best time to water grass in hot weather is before the sun burns through the morning cloud.

Aim for before 10 am – ideally between 6 am and 8 am. To ensure you don’t forget, consider purchasing a timing system for your water irrigation unit that switches on the water at that ideal time so that you don’t have to.

How long to water with a lawn sprinkler?

If you are using a sprinkler rather than an irrigation system, you might be wondering how long you have to water your lawn for. As long as the sprinkler is targeted to the parts of your grass that require moisture, you can water it for between 20-30 minutes.

Once that amount of time is up, you can move your sprinkler to the next part of your lawn. Using a sprinkler can be a bit more wasteful and time-consuming than other watering methods. Consider whether it might be time to upgrade to something a little more suitable for your needs.

Keep your lawns thriving this summer!

Whether you want to keep your lawn healthy for summer activities, or you simply wish the best health for it, there can be value in watering your lawns properly. Adopt a regular lawnmowing schedule and talk to a lawn mowing company about their recommendations for watering.

Most importantly, remember to follow all local council requirements regarding water restrictions and general water usage.

Preparing new grass is hard work. You have to scatter the seed, make sure the soil is healthy, and set it up for success. It can sometimes not seem worth it, even if you dream about a velvety soft lawn. That’s where spray-on lawn comes in.

Hydroseeding is the process of applying seed, mulch, and fertiliser in a single application to any soil type. Many people opt for spray-on lawn seed for new developments or even when their dry seeding attempts go awry.

But given that there are many methods for achieving a beautiful lawn, like grass seed, hydroseed, and sod, you may not know which option is right for you. Is hydroseeding better than seeding, or should you just stick with dry seeding by hand? Read on to find out everything there is to know about spray-on lawn seed.

Is Spray-on Lawn Seed Any Good?

Many people who want to start a new lawn from scratch or fix their balding grass may ask the question: is spray-on lawn seed any good? The unbiased answer we’re offering is yes! It’s one of many sound lawn application options, but with some surprising benefits.

First of all, it takes just one application to apply not only the seed but the mulch and fertiliser to give it a fighting chance. It’s also incredibly fast-growing and even, which means it’s only a matter of a couple of months before you can be enjoying a vibrant green, lush lawn.

People also love spray-on lawn seed for how cost-effective it is. When you compare the price of buying grass seed, mulch, and fertiliser separately, then having to fix up bald patches, it’s an affordable option with consistent results.

Is Hydroseeding Better Than Seeding?

 If you’re on the fence about whether hydroseeding is a better option for you than grass seed, then it pays to know how these two options compare. Hydroseeding involves a professional spray with everything the seeds require for a healthy start to life.

Grass seed that you scatter by hand is an economical choice. You can spread it on bare soil or an existing lawn and water it consistently until it establishes itself. Both spray-on grass and grass seed are valid choices for homeowners.

In saying that, the even finish of hydroseeding, not to mention the addition of fertiliser and mulch, means it can grow a lot faster. This option may suit developers who have built a home and want to make sure it looks picture-perfect for the real estate market quickly.

Hydroseeding can even prove popular with families who need a quick solution so they can enjoy outdoor summer games in the months to come. Which leads us to our next point: hydroseeding over an existing lawn.

Can I Hydroseed Over Existing Lawn?

If your re-seeding efforts didn’t go to plan, and you’re left with a patchy, balding lawn, then spray-on grass can still be an ideal option for you. You can use it on soil that your grass seed hasn’t taken to. If the earth is firm, rake it to loosen it up or apply a 20mm layer of new soil to the top for easier hydroseeding.

How to Care for Spray-on Grass

The beauty of hydroseeding is that it’s an effortless process for your patch of dirt to turn into a lush, green lawn. Watering is key. Water your freshly sprayed on grass three times a day for ten minutes, for up to three weeks.

When roots establish, you can start watering less frequently for between three and six weeks. While it can be tempting to walk on your lawn and feel how soft it is, refrain from doing so for the first month. Keep pets off it, too!

Once it reaches around 75mm in height, you can give it its first haircut, mowing about 25mm from the top. Then, after almost three months, you can give your new lawn a nice health booster with some slow-release fertiliser.

These care instructions can differ from one property and region to the next, as seasons can present different challenges. However, you’re sure to find that whoever you hire for your hydroseed needs will offer instructions that are unique to your property.

Preparing Your Lawn for Spray-on Seed

If you’ve got fresh dirt ready for a beautiful lawn, then it’s time to prepare it for hydroseeding. This process requires you to have level topsoil with around 50mm of screened soil. Lightly roll it so that you don’t sink into it, but so it’s soft enough for you to make an indent with your finger.

If you’re not sure how to go about preparing your soil, you can always contact a company offering the seeding service who will be more than happy to provide advice.

Is it Time for Spray-on Lawn?

If you’re tossing up between sod, grass seed, and hydroseed, it’s crucial to have all the facts. All grass application methods have their place, but hydroseed is most certainly a convenient and cost-effective option worth your consideration.

Once it’s grown, you can then enjoy all the lawn games and outdoor entertainment you please. If you’re not sure which grass application is right for you, why not talk to lawn care experts like the team at Crewcut who can shed some light?

There’s nothing quite like a sprawling lawn. It’s one of the many things that prospective purchasers look for when deciding on the best property for them, their children, and their pets.

But once that lawn starts to grow, it may not be long until you realise just how much attention it actually requires. Could it be time to consider a professional lawn mowing service?

From time-saving to lawn health, here are five reasons to start getting your lawn professionally mowed.

1. It’s Affordable

Many people think that a lawn care service is out of their price range. This might be one of many reasons why you haven’t considered hiring someone to mow your lawns in the past. However, when you break down the costs, it can be a lot more affordable than you first thought.

When you move into a new property with a lot of lawn to mow, one of the first investments you have to make is a lawnmower. They can cost a lot of money, and you also have to spend a lot of time finding the best brand.

Once that initial investment is out of the way, you then have to factor in the costs of fuel and mower maintenance like blade sharpening, oil changes, spark plugs, and the list goes on. Having a lawn mowing company arrive on a schedule and mow your lawns when you need it can be a far more affordable and convenient option.

2. More Time to Do What You Enjoy

How many times do you wake up to the roar of lawnmowers in your neighbourhood? It seems that everyone uses their spare time to take care of lawn care, rather than having someone do it for them. Kiwis work an average of 30 to 37 hours per week. Wouldn’t you rather use the very little time you don’t have to work doing something that actually brings you happiness?

Get out and enjoy the sunshine, head to the beach, watch movies, attend local events. By hiring someone to mow your lawns and even take care of the gardening, you’re free to have more fun than lawn mowing can bring.

3. A Professional Finish

Not everyone knows what the perfect mower height should be, the best way to take care of long grass, or even how to get rid of pests growing on their lawn. But a lawn care company does. While they can provide a professional finish, they can also spend time correcting problems and preventing them from happening in the first place.

4. Professionals Can Assist with More Than Just Lawns

Lawn mowing is the core service that any lawn care company offers, but it’s typically not the only service. Depending on the contractor or employee, you may be able to benefit from other services such as hedge trimming, tree pruning, gardening, weed spraying/whacking, and even water blasting.

It can be extremely overwhelming being a homeowner with so much maintenance to do. So, it makes complete sense to hire someone to take care of it for you.

5. You Can Receive Advice

Most lawn care workers are experts when it comes to the average Kiwi backyard. They know what pests plague lawns, how dead patches come about, and even the best cutting height for your grass. Therefore, they can be a wealth of information when you’re getting to grips with how to make your yard look as pretty as a picture.

By hiring a lawn care team to mow your lawns, you’re also hiring a walking, talking source of information. You can then decide whether to request other services from them or carry on managing the majority of the load yourself.

What Happens If I Don’t Hire a Lawn Care Company?

There are many reasons why people start toying with the idea of having a professional mow their lawns. They may desire a professional finish, or they simply don’t have the time to do it themselves. They may not even have the equipment or knowledge on how to do a decent job.

So, while hiring a lawn professional to manage your grounds comes with many surprising benefits, what happens if you don’t hire one?

Your Lawns Can Grow Out of Control

Ever heard the term backyard jungle? Through a lack of time and no expert assistance, it won’t be long until your lawns are of an unmanageable height. Feelings of overwhelm can follow, especially when you know that grass can grow around 3cm per week.

You Spend a Fortune on Lawn Care Equipment & Maintenance

Starting from scratch, managing your own lawns and gardens can require you to spend hundreds of dollars on equipment. You then have to spend even more money maintaining it, buying fuel, oil, and paying for someone to sharpen the blades.

You’ve Got No Free Time

“You’re all going for a lovely picnic? No, sorry, I can’t come. I have to mow my lawns.”

You may have to say goodbye to your completely free weekends because lawns don’t stop mowing for your social calendar.

Is it Time to Bring in the Experts?

With so many lawn care businesses out there, you’ll never be short of options once you’ve decided to hire someone to maintain your lawns and gardens. If the time has come to enjoy your free time a little more, then make contact with lawn care service providers today.

Most of us learn how to take care of our properties from our friends, family members, and the internet.

But not every source of information will be entirely correct, accurate, or suitable for your situation.

Which is why many people make a lot of common mistakes when it comes to mowing their lawns. Curious about whether you’re guilty of these? Read on to find out.

You cut your lawn too short

If you’re going on holiday or loathe lawn mowing, it can be tempting to cut your lawns short. After all, if you cut them short, it’s a while before you’ll need to cut them again. While you might benefit from a more extended break between cutting sessions, you’re doing your grass a lot of harm.

Cutting your lawns below around 7-8cm can make your grass vulnerable to disease and insects. You’re also putting your lawnmower blades under a lot of stress, as well. The best thing you can do for your lawn is cut it a little and often, and you improve your chances of a healthy, lush lawn.

Suppose you’re still not interested in cutting your lawns regularly. In that case, there’s always the option of a lawn care service provider who can do it for you.

You’re overwatering

If your lawn is your pride and joy, you may spend a lot of time with a hose or watering can, giving it a long, deep drink. However, like most things in life, you can have too much of a good thing. An overwatered lawn can often be a diseased and damaged lawn.

You may think that keeping your lawn thoroughly hydrated is in its best interests, but it isn’t. A healthy patch of grass is one that receives deep and infrequent watering so that it grows longer roots in search of water. If it can always access water near the surface, it’s more likely to have a shallow root structure. Then, if you fail to water your lawn as frequently as you usually do, it’s less likely to thrive.

You didn’t test your soil

You may think you know all the lawn care tips you need to know, but how much thought have you put into soil testing? Given that your grass seems to be just fine, it may not cross your mind. But maybe it should.

The better your soil health, the better your grass health, promoting a more beneficial lawn mowing experience. You can purchase DIY soil testing kits, which allow you to find out your soil’s pH level.

Your lawn will measure on the pH scale between 0 and 14. Below 7, and your soil is acidic. Above 7, and it’s alkaline. Your goal should be to keep your soil’s pH level in the middle. If you find that it’s too acidic (or at six or below), you can add crushed lime to your soil. If it’s too alkaline, you can balance it out by adding peat moss or even sulphur.

It’s worth retesting your lawn annually in spring so that you can make adjustments accordingly and keep your property in tip-top shape.

You didn’t sharpen your lawnmower blades

Have you noticed that your lawns look hacked rather than cut? Or what about brown and yellow jagged edges? When you mow your lawns with dull blades, your grass is more likely to be ripped out rather than sliced cleanly.

Regardless of whether you have a ride-on lawnmower or a walk-behind mower, it’s crucial to sharpen your blades regularly. There is plenty of helpful tutorials online for how to sharpen mower blades. Alternatively, you can take your lawn equipment to a specialist who can take care of it for you. 

You didn’t get rid of thatch

When you haul your lawnmower out of storage, all your thoughts are on making sure it has enough fuel and whether the blades are sharp enough. You may not be thinking about thatch and the implications it can have for your lawn.

Thatch is a layer of organic matter that forms on your lawn. It consists of lawn clippings, leaves, roots, stems, and other materials that can become quite top-heavy on your grass. A little bit of thatch can provide your lawn with much-needed nutrients. However, more than half an inch and your grass may struggle to soak up water, nutrients, and sunshine.

So, before your lawnmower roars to life, do a quick inspection of your lawn. How’s the thatch looking? If it’s thicker than you expected, consider hiring a dethatching machine or renting a power rake. You can then mow with far more confidence.

You didn’t rely on the experts when you actually needed help

It’s okay to admit you need help. When your backyard looks more like a jungle than a lawn, it’s essential to seek help. You may not have the experience or know-how to tackle your grass, but someone who provides lawn care services for a living does.

Why not get in touch with a lawn mowing company that can make a dramatic difference to your lawn? You then don’t need to worry about making any more common lawn mowing mistakes.  

When you look out your window at your struggling, sad-looking lawn, you probably wish it could talk. If it could explain what was wrong with it, then you might be able to fix it!

Two things that lawns commonly require are dethatching and aeration. Give them these two things, and you may just be able to eliminate a problem you thought you’d never solve. Read on to learn what dethatching and aeration are – and whether doing them might be right for your unique situation.

What is Dethatching?

To understand dethatching, you first need to understand what thatch is. It’s a layer of dead and living plant material that can build up on your lawn. It tends to sit between the soil’s surface and the plant.

Too much thatch can promote disease and insects. Before you know it, you’ve got a weed problem, poor growth, and a lawn with a face only a mother could love. Eventually, without action by you or a lawn care company, your grass can die.

Of course, having thatch is not always a bad thing. Having a small amount of mulched leaves or grass clippings can be beneficial for your lawns. But some materials take a long time to break down. In the meantime, your grass is choking while the thatch grows thicker.

So, How Do You Dethatch Your Lawn?

You can go about it in one of two ways. If you don’t have the time or inclination to worry about your lawn’s issues, contact a lawn care service provider. They will have the expertise and, of course, the time to handle the problem for you. Before you know it, your lawn is looking at its best.

But DIY is in our DNA, or so the TV ad goes. So, you may want to tackle the dethatching process yourself. In that case, the best time of year for you to begin is during autumn.

Your lawn is going to look dreadful at first, but it won’t always. Follow up the dethatching process with fertiliser and by oversowing grass seed. Experts also have dethatching machines that can tackle the task far faster than hand tools can.

Getting Stuck in

To get involved in the dethatching process, use a spade to dig a small sample section of your lawn from the soil to the tip of the grass. By doing so, you can see how thick that thatch layer is. Any more than an inch, and you’ve probably noticed that your grass colour is not the healthiest, or your lawn seems weak.

If it measures over two inches, then the task will probably require the helping hand of an expert. It might take more than one session to remove, and if you remove too much, you can damage your grass beyond repair.

You can also go about it in three ways – by yourself or with help. You can use a vertical mower, a power rake, or a short-tined rake. The type of tools you use can depend on how bad the thatch is. A rake is ideal for light thatch or a small lawn. A power rake with rotating tines would suit thin thatch on a large lawn. A vertical mower may suit scenarios where you’ve got a lot of thatch that you need to remove.

What is Aeration?

Soil aeration is the process of opening up your soil to let in oxygen. To know your lawn requires aeration, it pays to know what happens if you don’t do it. Soil can become dense, flat, and compacted over time. You may struggle with drainage and healthy grass growth, among other problems.

A way to tackle that problem is by using manual or automatic aeration machines to add a little bit of oxygen. The process of aeration allows for better, deeper, healthier root growth, which results in healthier grass. Your lawns can then absorb water better, which can solve problems you’ve had with surface water.

If you leave this task in the capable hands of a lawn care company, they may even be able to use a seeder to fill in those bald spots and give your grass growth a helping hand.

If you prefer to handle it yourself, then you’ll be pleased to know it’s probably more straightforward than you might have thought.

How to Aerate Your Soil

Firstly, it’s important to aerate your soil at the most appropriate time of the year. This will be in early to late spring. Make sure your soil is moist enough, such as the day after it has rained. Alternatively, you can water the lawn before you begin.

You can use a plug aerator or a spike aerator – both of which involve creating holes in your lawn. A spike aerator requires a solid tine or a fork, while a plug aerator removes a ‘plug’ section of your grass with each move. If you are buying tools for this task, make sure you follow the instructions. Otherwise, hire a gardening expert who can assist.

Once you’ve aerated your soil, you’ll be able to benefit from water being able to flow freely through your soil and reach the roots for healthy grass growth.

Dethatching and Aeration – What Comes Next for You?

If your grass is not looking at its best, have you thought it might require aeration or dethatching? Of course, there could be several things wrong, but these are two of the most common.

If you’re not sure what to do next, contact a lawn care expert. They can offer some advice and may even be able to take care of the problem for you.

As you stare out over your clover-covered lawns, with bees buzzing all over its white flowers, you may be wondering, what weed spray kills clover?

Given that clover is one of our country’s most crucial pasture plants, it might seem cruel. Why kill something that we rely on for stock feed and nitrogen-fixing abilities?

As much as our farmers adore it, many of our urban-dwellers do not. So, having a way to give it its marching orders before it takes over can offer much-needed peace of mind to homeowners. Read on to learn what your options are regarding the removal of clover.

What is White Clover?

There are bound to be many plants in your garden that you can’t identify. White clover may even be one of them. Clover is a creeping weed that takes up residence in garden beds and lawns throughout New Zealand. It’s also an excellent way for kids to pass the time – looking out for those elusive four-leafed clovers.

White clover has distinctive, small leaves and creeping stems. It is also commonly accompanied by bees who love to feast on the clover flower heads. Now that you know what it is, you can set about removing it.

Why Get Rid of White Clover in Your Lawn?

If you’ve got an overabundance of white clover, that often means your lawns are poorly fertilised. White clover loves fixing nitrogen levels, and it does this by spreading far and wide over your once-healthy lawn.

It’s the spreading that’s the problem. Many homeowners want lush, green lawns – not clover-covered ones with white flowers. It’s a personal choice, but people ask what weed spray kills clover because they just don’t like having it take over.

In saying that, it’s worth being aware of the benefits of clover before you send it packing. Clover can feed the honey bees, crowd out weeds, and provide free fertiliser for your lawns.

What Weed Spray Kills Clover?

Fortunately, you aren’t short of options if you’re wondering what weed spray kills clover. Depending on your brand preference, there are various options at your local garden store. One of the best weed sprays for taking care of clover is a selective herbicide. It doesn’t affect your lawn but will take care of your white clover with no problems at all.

In saying that, how well you follow the instructions of that weed spray can make all the difference to your outcome. We recommend getting in touch with a lawn care expert if you’re not sure. Some clover weed spray also advises that you spray it when weeds are growing, such as in Spring and Autumn.

Killing Clover in Garden Beds

Killing clover in lawns with weed spray is one thing, but killing it in your garden bed is another. You may require a product that won’t harm your shrubs but will take care of the clover. Some people also prefer herbicide granules that penetrate deep into the soil.

These products, like those for your lawns, work best during times of weed growth like Spring and Autumn.

For Driveways and Paths

Having clover on your driveways and paths is a frustrating problem to have, but it’s not a permanent one. There are plenty of selective herbicide products on the market that can tackle the clover that seems to grow wild on your pathways. Some of these products can tackle clover and other weed types while preventing growth for up to a year.

Killing Clover Naturally

Not everyone likes the idea of using weed spray around their sensitive plants – or even at all. In that case, you do have options. Clover tends to grow out of control when your grass isn’t fertilised. So, it makes sense to get rid of it by making it feel unwelcome.

Fertilise your lawn during Spring or Autumn. Your grass will have all the energy it needs to thrive. You can then mow your lawn high, rather than short. Your lawn prefers a bit of length, while your clover prefers it to be short. Give your lawn what it needs, not your white clover.

Leave it Alone

If you’re tired of fighting a losing battle against your clover, then lose. Clover may take over your lawn, but it can offer a myriad of different benefits that may make it worth your while to keep. Believe it or not, clover used to feature in many lawn seed mixtures.

You can manage it by mowing your lawns as you usually would and adding fertiliser to your lawns on a schedule. Over time – or maybe not – the clover may decide to leave on its own.

Leave it to the Experts

For any homeowner who refuses to give up, the alternative to weed spray and battle of wills is to leave it to the lawn experts. They know all the ins and outs of lawn weeds and can offer advice and solutions to send them packing.

You may not have the time or inclination to achieve that bowling green-like lawn, but there is always someone who does. Why not get in touch with a lawn mowing service provider to assist?

We’re the cordless generation. We have cordless vacuum cleaners and entertainment systems, and now we’ve got the mighty cordless lawnmower. But how do you know whether a cordless electric lawn mower is for you? 

Well, in the same way that we love our cordless vacuum cleaners, there are plenty of convenient features a cordless mower can offer, as well. Read on to learn what you can expect from this mower style, why use a cordless lawn mower, how easy it is to transition from petrol to electric, and more.

What is a Cordless Lawn Mower?

Before we launch into the nitty-gritty of the cordless electric lawn mower world, let’s first take a moment to describe what they are. Some people call them cordless, but other people just refer to them as electric lawn mowers or battery-powered lawnmowers.

In essence, they run on electricity and/or batteries, rather than petrol like their gas-powered counterparts.

Depending on the brand, they can either be on par price-wise with gas mowers, a little bit more expensive, or more affordable. Their batteries can often dictate how much they cost, so there’s no set rule for the pricing structure.

What Are the Benefits of a Cordless Electric Lawn Mower?

Whenever you buy anything new, you often tend to look at the benefits. What is going to be your reason for hitting the buy-now button on such a product? Well, there are several. Everyone is different, though, so a benefit for you might be a nuisance to someone else.

The most significant benefit to the environment is, of course, that an electric lawn mower produces zero emissions. You can mow your lawns with the peace of mind that you’re not harming the environment.

You also save money at the petrol station. Our petrol is not the most expensive in the world, but a dollar saved here and there can certainly add up. All you need to do with a cordless lawn mower is charge the battery using your home’s electricity supply.

As a result of not having a petrol-powered lawnmower, you also get to enjoy no maintenance and no mess. If that’s not enough to convince you that an electric mower is for you, then nothing will!

Switching from Petrol to Electric

You might think that switching from a petrol mower to a cordless lawn mower is easy enough. Sell off your gas guzzler and buy an electric model that you like, right? Well, not quite.

Remember, you would have purchased your current petrol mower based on its power to navigate your lawn. The larger the lawn size, the larger the motor had to be. And a similar rule applies to an electric lawnmower.

Their battery size can determine the lawn size they are suitable for. And, unfortunately, if you’ve got a large, rugby field-sized lawn, then you may find that a cordless electric lawn mower may not be up to the task.

Fortunately, that is changing. It won’t be long until there are few differences in power between electric and gas-powered mowers.

Most electric and cordless lawn mowers for sale run on 18-volt and 36-volt batteries. They can also have more than one battery, partnered with brushless motors.

So, How Do I Choose, Maintain, and Understand Lawn Mower Batteries?

It would have taken you some time to understand how your petrol mower worked, so a cordless electric lawn mower is no different. It will take time to learn what you need, what works for you, why use a cordless lawn mower in the first place, and how to maintain one.

The good news is, no matter which brand you buy, you will receive a charger and a set of instructions for how to use them. It pays to read these instructions thoroughly and maintain your battery as per these, rather than what you believe you know from other battery-powered appliances.

For example, you might think that leaving your battery on a charger while you’re not using it is best practice. However, overcharging and running a lithium-ion battery completely flat can decrease its lifespan – and can even be dangerous.

Never let your battery run lower than around 20 per cent, and disconnect it from the charger once it reaches 100. 

Some other excellent rules to live by with cordless lawn mower batteries are:

• Use mower manufacturer-approved batteries

• Store batteries away from liquids and metal objects

• Remove the battery when storing the mower

• Keep it dry and clean

• Protect the battery terminals from dirt, water, and dust

Is a Cordless Lawn Mower for You?

Buying a new lawnmower is a significant investment. That’s why it’s essential to take your time. Set a budget, take into consideration your lawn size, and decide if the benefits of a cordless electric lawn mower are persuasive enough. Don’t forget; you can also ask lawn mowing experts what their preferences are.

We are fortunate not to have too many pests to ruin our gardens and lawns, but grass grubs in NZ are certainly proving to be some of the most devastating.

Whether you want to learn how to get rid of grass grub, or you simply want to understand the grass grub lifecycle in NZ, then read on. We’ll give you the lowdown so you can act swiftly and give those ghastly grubs their marching orders. 

What are grass grubs?

Awful. That’s what grass grubs are. Awful. Out of all insects in New Zealand, they are considered one of the most significant pasture and lawn pests that we have. They start as eggs from bronze beetles, turn into larvae, then emerge as adults from their pupae. 

In grass grub form, they are little, squirmy, white insects that live around 15 centimetres below your lawn’s surface. When they are adults, they are large bronze beetles that congregate around your prized shrubs and fruit trees.

How do you know you have grass grubs?

Given that grass grubs live around 15 centimetres below the surface of your lawn, how do you know you have them? Surely if they aren’t on the top of your lawn, they aren’t a problem? A common sign that you need to start controlling grass grub pests in lawns is a patch of yellow, dying lawn.

Of course, many things cause a lawn to die, but in the absence of any other problems, grass grubs in NZ are likely to be the culprit.  

The grass grub lifecycle

Learning how to get rid of grass grub is a combination of understanding the grass grub lifecycle and acting fast. Towards the end of spring and into summer, around November and December, grass grub eggs are laid in the soil. After two weeks, they hatch and start feasting on the roots of your grass.

While they’re snacking on your luscious lawn, they’re growing rapidly. When they reach their peak size, they are around 25mm and have left devastation in their wake. At this point, you may notice that you’ve got an irregular, patchy lawn that’s beginning to turn yellow and die.

Anywhere from October to December, grass grubs turn into their adult form, bronze beetles. You might think that beetles are less of a problem, but they just cause another set of issues with which you’ve got to contend.

Once they are adults, they gather in huge numbers and feast on your shrubs and fruit trees. As if it weren’t bad enough that you were killing your lawn! Now, it’s time to act and figure out how to get rid of grass grub once and for all. 

How to get rid of grass grubs

The moment we’ve all been waiting for – how to get rid of grass grub. What people find quite tricky about dealing with this ghastly grub is that they work away behind the scenes. You don’t know they’re destroying your lawn until they’ve done it.

Fortunately, there’s a way to both discover the grubs and send them packing. Firstly, you can often notice that grubs might be an issue when your lawn is suddenly the bird population’s favourite in your neighbourhood.

Heavy grub infestations are a banquet for the birds, which can lead you to need to fix the damage of both the grubs and the birds.

To confirm that you do, in fact, have grass grubs, grab a spade and dig a neat square out of your lawn about the same width as the spade. Tip the lawn square upside down and look for grubs. If you notice two or more, then it’s time to look for grass grub killers.

There are many grass grub killer products for sale in New Zealand, so we’re quite fortunate in that regard. Still, finding the right one is not all that easy. You can visit your local garden store, and ask for recommendations. There are plenty of safe options out there that you can apply before you even have a grass grub problem.

You can also purchase a dedicated spray for shrubs, trees, and foliage affected by bronze beetles. So, talk to your local lawn care provider or garden store expert about what you might need to tackle the problem.

When to treat grass for grubs

You can take action on grass grubs in NZ while they are a problem or before they are a problem. Many grass grub killers are recommended for application from February to late autumn, but also from spring to summer. 

Make sure you water the granules into the soil, and it’s even better if you are expecting moderate or heavy rainfall. If rainfall isn’t on the horizon, then deep watering is a requirement so that they can take full effect.

The best time to notice grass grubs in NZ, so that you know when to treat for grubs, is from December to March.

Goodbye to grubs

If your lawn is your pride and joy, then staying on top of any potential grass grub problem is necessary. While a lawn care service provider can assist, there’s also no harm in being aware of the signs that these little critters could be a problem. Check your lawn, buy grass grub killers, and jump into action.

Are you tired of the grass always being greener on the other side? The sheer number of lawn care myths out there can make it impossible to achieve that luscious, green lawn you’ve always wanted.

You browse the internet looking for lawn improvement tips, only to find out that you’ve just made your lawn worse!

So, rather than check out unreliable sources, get your information from a lawn care source you can trust. (We’re talking about us, by the way). Here are some of the most common lawn myths debunked.

Myth: I shouldn’t leave my lawn clippings on my lawn

As long as you haven’t let your lawns grow too long between cuts, there’s no harm in leaving your lawn clippings on your lawn. In fact, it’s an environmentally-friendly and free way of giving your grass some extra nutrients.

A thin layer of lawn clippings will quickly and efficiently break down into your lawn, while also saving you endless trips to the compost heap with the grass catcher.

However, it’s essential to make sure your clippings are well spread out. If it has been too long between cuts, then put them in your compost heap or use them as mulch. 

Myth: I have to rake leaves

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year, with trees boasting an impressive array of golds, browns, and reds. But as winter sets in, those once-stunning leaves end up as rotting, dead plant material all over your lawn.

You won’t find too many people who say that raking is their favourite chore, so the good news is, it doesn’t have to be a chore. As long as the layers of leaves aren’t too thick on your lawn, you can leave them where they are. Mow over them to break them up into smaller pieces, and let them work their mulching magic.

Myth: It’s fine to water my lawn at any time of the day

You have the power to water your lawn at any time of the day, but that doesn’t mean you should. Some parts of the day are better than others—the earlier in the day you water, the better. Most lawn care experts will tell you that between 6 am and 10 am is the sweet spot.

If you water your lawn when the sun is shining, the water can evaporate before it has had a chance to reach the roots. But if you water it at night, you are putting your grass at risk of fungus and other nasties.

Myth: If I mow my lawn short, I won’t need to mow it as often

Mowing lawns is not everyone’s favourite job, which is why lawn care companies in NZ exist. Still, if you prefer to do it yourself, you might think that cutting it short is the solution. The shorter you mow it, the longer it will be before you need to do it again, right? That’s yet another lawn care myth.

Mowing your lawns too short is called scalping, and it’s certainly not in your best interests. Not only can it weaken your grass, but it can even kill it. The grass can’t get as many nutrients as it needs, and weeds can take over. It’s a good idea to keep your lawns at around 7cm during the mowing season. 

Myth: I have to water my lawn every day to keep it healthy

This is one of the most common lawn care myths debunked. You don’t have to water your lawn every day to keep it healthy. In fact, it’s preferable if you don’t.

Your lawns will thrive with deep, infrequent watering. By watering infrequently, your roots can grow deeper, giving your lawn a chance to survive in summer when rainfall is less frequent.

Myth: The more fertiliser, the better

Don’t get us wrong; fertiliser is something that can improve your lawn’s health. In saying that, it’s all about moderation. You can, in this case, have too much of a good thing. Using too much fertiliser can turn a once-healthy lawn into a barren wasteland.

It can end up burning your grass and turning it yellow. Then, if you continue to use it, the grass can go brown and die. At this point, the only thing left to do is dig it up and start again.

Here’s one of many lawn improvement tips you can work with. Whenever you buy new fertiliser, follow the instructions for use. You can also go for more natural methods, like leaving lawn clippings and leaves on your lawn.

Fact: Rely on the experts

It’s all too easy to fall for lawn care myths. After all, there is going to be the odd occasion where some of those myths actually worked. But instead of risking it, why not get the experts involved?

Get in touch with an experienced lawn care team who will be more than happy to talk you through common lawn care myths debunked. You can then enjoy how the grass isn’t greener on the other side, but rather, on yours.

If you are a homeowner, you probably have heard about robotic lawnmowers. It is a high-tech device that can take care of your lawn without your assistance! Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? No wonder there has been so much buzz around these automatic mowing systems when they appeared on the market.

Although it sounds like a heaven-sent gadget for easy lawn and garden maintenance, it has its own share of lovers and haters, and boy, it sure has a long list of pros and cons! Read on to find out if it is a good fit for you, and see whether you’re making the right choice if you’re planning to purchase one.

How does a robot mower work?

The better question perhaps is, how does a robotic lawnmower know where to go without venturing off into places where it shouldn’t be? Before you let it loose in your property, you will need to adjust the boundary wire or barrier. It’ll utilise an electric wiring system that makes an invisible perimeter. Because of this mechanism, the robotic lawnmower stays within this barrier and knows where to go. The initial adjustment may take some time; however, when it’s properly configured, your little robot will do the job as expected.

What are the advantages of a robotic mower?

There are so many advantages to this emerging lawn and garden tool since it started appearing in the market. A lot of manufacturers are notably exploring the space, and there are so many people — even those with green fingers or work on their lawns extensively — who have taken an interest in them.

• No more manual work for you

The main advantage of this nifty device is that it takes care of the lawn instead of you or your lawn mowing guy. You won’t need to do this chore anymore; if not completely, you can at least reduce the frequency of cutting the grass. Just relax or do other work around your house. At the end of the day, you’ll still see a perfect looking lawn. This point seems obvious, but for those who hate mowing the lawn, it is the number one reason to buy a robot mower.

• Advanced technology 

A robotic lawn mower is one of the best high-tech gardening devices you could rely on! It’s packed with great features — depending on the model — which might include a navigation system for creating mowing patterns, sensors to detect barriers, and remote control for your convenience.

• Easy to store

It is a small device that doesn’t require much space. You won’t need a large tool shed to keep it. You can just keep your little robot mower in its charging station. Your toddler’s ride-on car might even be bigger than this little device!

• Quietly operates

Did you often disturb your neighbours with the noise generated when cutting the grass with your old lawnmower? Well, once you begin to use a robotic one, you and the people around you will enjoy the peace. Such devices work silently, you can program them to operate at any time of the day or night.

• Safety first

If you have little children or pets at home, safety is probably a big concern for you! You have to stay alert with any motorised tool within your backyard. A robotic lawnmower is arguably safer because it has built-in safety features. Due to its sensors, it “feels” objects that get on its way and avoids collisions. These little robots are also designed to automatically cut off when they are lifted. 

• Anti-theft

The makers of these devices already knew from the start that security will be a huge issue. Some have enabled GPS tracking as a feature, while some models connect to your smartphone. Most robotic mowers require a PIN so it virtually becomes useless when stolen. Without a PIN, the mower won’t operate.

What are the disadvantages of a robotic mower?

There are so many benefits in acquiring such a great home device; it’s hard to believe that robotic lawn mowers have drawbacks as well. These are the things you need to be aware of before you decide to buy one. 

• The price

Because it’s a fairly new technology, robot mowers are expected to have outrageous prices. Parts (blades, batteries, etc.) and maintenance may be costly too, especially if you need to repair or replace them. Lots of people just can’t afford to buy and maintain this device, and at this point, it’s only ideal for people who have money to burn.

• Setup may be time-consuming

It takes a lot of time to set up a robotic lawn mower. Before using this gadget, you have to install a perimeter guide wire, and it’s quite time-consuming even when you’re getting someone else to do it. However, you can’t skip this step; it’s what makes your little robot do its job correctly. Getting the installation wrong would even present bigger problems and consume more time for you.

• Results are not immediate

At first may be hard to see the difference when cutting grass with a robotic lawnmower. The way the robotic version works is that it cuts a few centimetres of grass with each pass then does it again several times to cover the entire area you’ve set it to mow. It is, after all, rather small and slow. With a traditional lawnmower, you can finish the work much faster and see instant results.

• Battery life

A robot mower works slow and cuts in random patterns, and as expected, it uses up battery all the time. If your lawn is big enough, there is a chance that your little robot will run out before mowing the entire area. Additionally, some batteries only last a few seasons particularly because you’ll be using them, say, six months a year on an 800 sqm property.

• Parts may be hard to find

Another thing that may be a cause of concern to those who are considering buying one is that since it’s a fairly new technology, maintenance and upkeep may be more of a hassle. It’s like buying a Euro car in New Zealand and not being able to find the exact parts you need, or when they’re available, they would cost you an arm and leg.

Remember that it still cannot replace the skills of an expert

A robotic mower, like any other robot, cannot replace getting an actual person to do any job. It may have sensors, but it doesn’t have the subjective eye that your lawn mowing operator has. Your Crewcut guy will instantly know what to cut or what not to cut, and how much he’s cutting — which can be a huge deal to some customers. There’s no way you can tell a robot to make the cut a little shorter or taller precisely the way you like it!

Should I get a robotic mower?

Overall, a robotic lawn mower is a nice product to have that may be helpful especially if you have the budget for it. You can spend a day on installation and then let it do a part of your outdoor tasks for you (to a certain extent). You’ll need to consider parts and maintenance as well, but if money isn’t your top concerns, then by all means, go ahead.

Author’s bio

Archie Adams was a builder for more than 40 years. After his retirement, this enthusiastic electrical tradesman decided to work in the garden and write for a blog HomeMakerGuide.com to keep himself occupied. An impressive fact to note is that almost everything inside his house and within his property is a result of his hard work and skilful hands.