When you’re sick, you load up on the vitamin C, arm yourself with a box of tissues and a bowl of soup then get into bed for a binge session of TV. It’s clear to see you’ve got the self-care routine nailed, but what about the care routine for your lawn? What do you do when it’s sick, suffering, and feeling a little under the weather? While you can’t feed it soup, you can make sure it has plenty of the following goodies.

Grass 

Have you heard of grasscycling? It’s the process of reusing your lawn clippings by leaving them on your lawns. Not only do you save yourself the labour-intensive task of emptying the catcher, but your lawn benefits as well.

Grass clippings decompose quickly and also give your lawns much-needed nutrients. Grass clippings are also a natural type of mulch, helping your lawns to retain water that it might need at a later date. What’s more, it improves the texture of your soil and may mean you don’t need to rely on any fertilisers. Lawn mowing could be easier than ever before if you take up this new practice! 

Water

If your lawns are looking a little bit worse for wear, but you can’t put your finger on the problem, then evaluate your watering process. You may think you’re doing your grass a favour by turning on your sprinkler for a few minutes at a time, but that might not be helping. To encourage your grass roots to grow deeper, you should water for long periods, but infrequently.  

Apply around 2.5 centimetres of water to your lawn once per week and use an electronic tester to test the soil moisture. Add more water once 7-10 centimetres of topsoil is dry to touch. The long but infrequent method means your grass stays greener during times of drought – all thanks to the longer root structures. 

Compost

You might think that compost is only suitable for your gardens, but it’s exceptional for ailing lawns as well. It makes it far greener than it may have ever been before. It’s worthwhile to learn how to make compost out of your your grass clippings and kitchen waste so that you can use it while you’re gardening and lawn mowing. Compost also helps with water drainage in sandy soils, stimulates root growth, reduces soil-borne diseases, and balances the pH levels of your soil. 

Corn Gluten Meal

If you know your lawn is sick, but you’re not all that enthralled about the idea of herbicides and fertiliser, then go natural with corn gluten meal. This product, which you can even buy in your local supermarket, is a natural herbicide for organic crops and turf grass. It will also act as a soil fertiliser. 

Corn gluten meal is a natural byproduct of corn’s wet-milling process and will also take care of annual weeds (to a degree). 

Air

Nutrient absorption is a common problem that homeowners face with their lawns. How are you supposed to ensure it’s getting all the goodies when it’s so compacted and hard? Give your lawn some air. Use aerator shoes or a garden fork to prod holes into the surface. The holes can be around five centimetres deep and up to 20 centimetres apart. 

 Compacted soil is a significant issue. It can cause drainage problems and restricts grass growth as well. If you aerate it, your grass has a better chance of being healthier and more luscious than ever before. 

Seeds

If the kids have gone wild over summer with their games of swingball and rugby, then you’ll probably discover you’ve got a few bald patches. These can take some time to recover, and you may even need a lawn care expert’s help to revive it. 

Otherwise, you can sow new seeds during spring and autumn. Water the area well, sow the seeds, then water again once shoots appear (but not before!). Talk to a gardening or lawn care expert if you require a helping hand. 

 Conclusion

People take for granted that their lawns will always look and be healthier. However, many things can stop them in their tracks. Drought conditions, flooding, wear, weeds, pests, and some chemicals may all cause your grass to suffer. Rather than let it succumb to its illness, feed it and bring it back to full health. These options above may be all it takes to give your grass a new lease on life. 

No one will ever be able to achieve the perfect lawn. As soon as you get it looking like a bowling green, that pesky poa or blasted broadleaf makes its way in, ruining everything. 

Here in New Zealand, we have some of the best growing conditions for weeds. While it would be nice to call that an achievement, it means we’re fighting a losing battle against common lawn weeds. Fortunately, it won’t always be a battle you can’t win. There are plenty of lawn care services to help you win the war, with advice to triumph in the initial fight below too. 

Below, we run through some of the most common lawn weeds in New Zealand and what you can do about them. 

Poa 

Poa, annual meadow grass, or annual bluegrass, is a pesky weed that offers no end of trouble to homeowners. Those who take pride in their lawns will be seeing red once poa takes up residence among the perfectly mown grass. 

Poa is a winter grass that’s temperamental and susceptible to disease. Once it grows on your lawns, it can die and leave ugly brown marks that are a challenge to regrow. It’s also quite common with new lawns as it doesn’t have to fight other lawn weeds for its share of the area. 

What does it look like? 

Poa is light green with crinkly, soft leaves. It blends in with your lawns, but has white seed heads and can be a lighter shade of green than your lawns. 

How do I control it? 

Poa happily kills itself off but leaves your lawn looking terrible. If you maintain a healthy lawn programme, you will eventually eradicate it for good. 

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Image courtesy Rasbak

Broadleaf

Broadleaf is the name of several lawn weeds that fall under the description of having a broad leaf. Such examples could be thistles, dandelions, daisies, dock, pearlwort, and dichondra. To get quite specific, Onehunga and clover could also be a broadleaf weed. 

What does it look like? 

Any broadleaf weed that’s taking over your lawn has broad leaves. They are wide and flat and stand out from your lawn. 

How do I control it? 

Fortunately, several different herbicides will target broadleaf weeds in your garden without killing off your lawn. However, it’s in your best interests to talk to gardening and lawn experts about what they would recommend. Each broadleaf weed will react differently to herbicides, and you must know which broadleaf weed you have. 

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Onehunga Weed

Most Kiwi children have less than fond memories with Onehunga in their lawns. One minute you’re running along with bare feet, the next you’re in tears because prickles are sticking out of your toes. Onehunga is what most people call ‘prickles’. When it’s fresh, it’s soft and comfortable to walk on. When it’s dying, it’s hard, spiky, and ready to cause damage to skin.

What does it look like? 

Onehunga is small, spindly, and tricky to spot. It can be green, to begin with, but dries out to brown once it reaches the end of its lifespan.

How do I control it? 

You can spray Onehunga. Talk to your local gardening expert about what to use and when to do it. 

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Image John D. Byrd

Clover

If you’re a farmer, you’ll love clover. But if you’re a homeowner, you’ll be trying to get rid of it. Clover can take over quickly and is one of the most common lawn weeds in the country. It’s also a legume, which is why farmers love feeding it to their livestock. When it takes over your lawn, it’s slippery to walk on and attracts bees.

What does it look like? 

Clover has three leaves and white flowers. Sometimes, it has four leaves – which you can consider to be good luck! 

How do I control it? 

On a farm, let the cows in for dinner! For a household, take to it with herbicide. You can control clover with specific products from the garden store. 

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 Moss

Moss isn’t overly invasive, but it can still be a nuisance lawn weed. If there is shade and moisture on your lawn, you’ll find moss nearby. It will cover the ground and lawn and be quite slippery to walk on. It also allows other more aggressive weeds to take hold. Moss also spreads quickly.

What does it look like?

Moss covers the ground with a spongy base and no leaves, roots, or stems. It absorbs moisture and nutrients from the bottom. When it dies, it leaves bald patches on your lawn.

How do I control it?

You can spray moss. Alternatively, try and remove the source of it. Where possible, allow plenty of sunlight on your lawn and fix drainage problems. 

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Weeds are a problem for anyone in any country. Here in New Zealand, however, we are blessed with several hundred varieties that can cause all kinds of headaches. Listed above are a few of the more common lawn weeds that probably grace your lawns right now. Head outside and take a look. You’re now armed with the right information to take care of them for good. 

Have you been looking over the neighbour’s fence with envy, wondering how they managed to have their lawns looking like a bowling green but yours looks like a rolling paddock? Not everyone has a backyard of which they can be proud, but that doesn’t mean you never will. You don’t have to put up with a dry lawn, or a weed-ridden lawn forever.

Regular lawn mowing, lawn care, and maintenance can be all it takes to see your grass patch in tip-top shape for summer. It can also be the difference between lawns that merely survive, or actually thrive. You can call in the experts who can take care of the arduous lawn mowing for you, or you can take note of these summer lawn care tips below! It’s time to take better care of your lawn!

Level it Out

Not everyone is blessed with a flat lawn that doesn’t threaten a rolled ankle or two every time you head out to hang up the washing. However, when you want to crank out the backyard cricket, it becomes necessary. Uneven lawns aren’t only a safety risk; they can also make lawn mowing more challenging than it needs to be. You can end up with grass cut too short in some areas but not short enough in others, and inset areas filled with water when the rain makes an unwelcome appearance.

Take care of your lawn by levelling it out. You may need expert help for this, as well as help with drainage and filling hollows with sand, compost, and topsoil.

Let it Breathe

Compacted soil can be a bit of a problem in your backyard. Worms can’t make their way through your dirt, and water and air have a bit of a battle as well. Compacted soil is caused by dirt that’s so compacted together that nothing can get through. When nothing can get through, your grass and soil are not getting the nutrients, air, and water it needs to thrive and survive.

You may think that there’s not a lot you can do about this, but you can! Fortunately, you can also do it just in time for summer fun. For a small lawn, all you need to do is buy slip-on aeration shoes and walk around your lawn. These shoes feature spikes which add space into the dirt for light, air, and water to penetrate. For larger lawns, you may like to hire a gas-powered aeration tool that can take care of it far quicker. If all else fails, chat to lawn care experts who know the ins and outs of all things grass-related!

Mower Maintenance

It doesn’t matter whether you have a dry lawn, regular lawn, or long lawns, you are going to need to maintain your mower for the task! And, considering wintry weather sees it locked up for months at a time, that time for maintenance couldn’t come soon enough! If you don’t want to waste your time fiddling around with small parts and fluids, then it’s a perfect opportunity to ask someone for lawn mowing services. Otherwise, consider these steps for mower maintenance below.

1. Overall Inspection

When you bring your mower out of hibernation, give it a quick once-over look. Clean it, tighten or replace bolts, and use rust-kill chemicals to stop rust in its tracks. If you notice any frayed connections or wires, repair these too.

2. Check the Spark Plugs

If you are about to undergo maintenance to your mower, remember to disconnect the spark plugs. If you are firing it up to use it and it doesn’t go, you may need to replace them.

3. Check the Blades

When was the last time you changed or sharpened the blades? If you can’t remember, it’s probably long overdue. Buy new blades or get an expert to sharpen the ones you have now.

4. Check or Replace the Air Filter

Air filters can get clogged up over time which can affect the mower’s performance. If you are doing your own lawn care, stay on top of these smaller details.

5.  Complete an Oil Change

If you have a four-stroke mower, you will need to change the oil at least once per year.

6. Check the Fuel

If you don’t want to run into problems with your mower not starting because of stale fuel, then start it up once a month. If you think you think you will forget, an ethanol-free gas or a fuel stabilizer may help to make starting it up after winter less of a problem.

Careful Cutting

Many people cut their lawns short over summer to avoid coming back to a meter-high paddock on their return from a holiday. However, cutting them short is doing more harm than good! Much of what your grass needs to survive is in the tip, so the less of the tip you have, the harder it is for it to survive. Instead, you end up with a dying or dry lawn that takes months to recover.

Water It

During summer, your lawns are bound to not get enough moisture. When they don’t, they can lie dormant, and you have a dry lawn of which you’re not very proud! Get that vibrant, green lawn you’ve always wanted by keeping on top of watering. Use a timed sprinkler or water your patch of lawn daily (before 10 am for the best chance of absorption). Your lawns will need around one or two inches of water per week to thrive.

If you’re time poor, with not enough hours in the day for proper lawn care and lawn mowing, then leave it to the experts! You can then come home to a freshly mown lawn that always looks at its best. Get in touch with your local Crewcut operator to make sure your lawn looks great this summer.