GET YOUR GARDEN IN FULL BLOOM
Spring is all about beautiful blooms, but it’s also a key time for garden care.
As winter comes to an end, it’s time to start revitalising your garden and preparing for the warm, sunny days that lie ahead. From pruning and repotting plants to feeding, weeding and mulching, there’s plenty you can be doing now to get your garden ready for spring and encourage new growth, flowers and a thriving vegie garden.
An essential element that needs some love is your lawn, Spring is the time to get it in great condition to survive and thrive throughout the year. Check out the below instructional information from our good friends at Lawn Solutions Australia
Spring Lawn Care Plan
The winter colds are done and the weather’s warming up … but your lawn needs a little nursing through the next few weeks and months to achieve peak health for summer. Take a look at what lawn care activities you can do this spring below.
Test, test, test
Check your soil pH. An incorrect pH means your lawn can miss out on important nutrients and lead to overall poor performance. Test with a basic soil pH testing kit or soil probe. The optimum pH is 6.5. If your pH is higher, use sulphate of ammonia to lower it. If it’s lower, a 50:50 mix of lime and dolomite lime will help to raise it, while adding calcium and magnesium, which are often leached from acidic soils.
Apply a Wetting Agent or Soil Wetter
If you have a clay base, even if you put in new soil when you laid your lawn, the clay will, over time, work its way up through the soil profile to the topsoil through a process called bioturbation. You’ll need to break up the clay by aerating and applying gypsum, else your soil will suffer compaction and not supply adequate oxygen to your lawn’s roots. If your soil is sandy, you’ll need to ensure your soil can hold moisture. Correct this by regularly applying a soil wetting agent like Lawn Soaker. This coats the sand grains and enables them to cling to moisture and nutrients.
Treat the bacteria in your soil as well. Your soil is full of nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as mycorrhiza and rhizobia, and they turn the nitrogen from the atmosphere and fertilisers into a usable form of nitrate for your lawn. During winter they’re dormant, but once soil temperatures rise, they’re ready to work. They love a boost of carbohydrate, so apply a soil conditioner that contains seaweed extract like Lawn Rescue.
Aerate Your Lawn
Aerate your soil to increase the amount of air, water and nutrients it receives. This strengthens grass roots and helps create a healthier lawn. Use a garden fork to do this yourself before fertilising. Aeration decreases thatch and compaction and should be carried out annually in high traffic areas and on hard lawns. Lawns with poorer soil can benefit from aeration too. Aeration can be hard work on some soil types. A garden fork may work well, however sometimes a lawn contractor with specialist equipment may be required. More information about aerating your lawn here.
Apply Fertiliser
Fertilising in your spring lawn care regime can help speed up new growth and establish strong roots for summer.
If you live in a cooler climate, you might need to use a liquid fertiliser, as your soil temperature may not be quite warm enough for the bacteria to work its magic for a soil borne reaction using a granular fertiliser. As liquid fertilisers are ingested through the leaves of your grass, you’ll only need a little growth occurring for the liquid fertilisers to give an instant boost. Once the warmer weather really kicks in you can feed your lawn with a granular NPK fertiliser like Lawn Solutions Australia Premium Fertiliser.
But don’t get carried away! You want to be rid of weeds first before feeding them as well. Overfeeding at this time of year may not produce the desired results, with the warmth and light intensity not quite there yet for your lawn to perform its best. A light dusting of either organic or inorganic fertiliser at the specified label rate will give your lawn the boost it needs. It’s a good idea to mow a few times first, assess the weed and lawn growth situation and then further address fertiliser needs.
Remove Weeds
Another important activity you can implement into your spring lawn care plan is weed removal. You can remove most single weeds by hand, preferably before they go to seed. Mow over flat weeds; a healthy lawn will choke most weed types. If you’ve got many weeds or a persistent type, it may be worth calling on your local nursery or local lawn care specialist for advice on the best herbicides to use. Check out the lawn weed removal guide for more information here.
Remove Thatch
If your lawn is “spongy”, this is due to a build-up of thatch. Thatch can be removed by mowing your lawn back to its runners, nice and low. This may take a couple of mows to do so safely and effectively and is best undertaken only during the warmer months when your lawn is growing quickly. Once this is done, fertilise and water it well, to promote speedy regrowth. Scarifying and dethatching machines are also available which in some cases can be the preferred method. For more information on dethatching your lawn visit our blog here.
Top Dressing
It’s also a good time to top dress your lawn if you wish to reduce any unevenness. Mow and fertilise your lawn first and then top dress with coarse river sand, remembering not to cover the entire leaf tip. Once you have your lawn growing at its peak, it will be ready to take on the heat of summer. More information on top dressing your lawn here.
Watering
This time of the year requires minimal additional top-up watering other than natural rainfall, depending on your soil and location. You can increase water application if it’s dry over coming weeks, but a minimalist approach will often be rewarded with a healthier lawn, with stronger, deeper roots.
A deep soaking once a week will train your lawn’s roots to grow deeper into the soil, which will improve your lawn’s drought tolerance.
Just starting your spring lawn care plan now? Here’s a video with some tips…
Installing a New Lawn
Lawn Solutions Australia is a national network of Australia’s best turf suppliers, who supply Australia’s best turf varieties. If you are looking for an expert’s opinion on the right grass type for your space, or a quick and easy online quote, then they’re the network for you. Lawn Solutions Australia turf suppliers can help with site preparation, turf supply and installation and provide expert advice for your new lawn all with contactless delivery. Get in touch with your local Lawn Solutions Australia turf supplier today.
Need a quote?
Get a quote from up to 3 local suppliers for turf, delivery and/or installation via email. With an Australia-wide network, there is an LSA accredited grower or supplier near you.
2022 Retail Site Applications Now Open
The Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show is set to transform the Carlton Gardens once again from Wednesday 30th March to Sunday 3rd April 2022.
2022 Retail Sites are now available for booking at exclusive Early Bird prices!
Join us to showcase and retail your products & services to an impressive, engaged audience of 100,000+ on a unique platform. We invite you to take advantage of the exclusive Early Bird opportunity to apply for a retail site at the lowest site fee available, the exclusive Early Bird price.
The Early Bird price offer ends 11th October 2021
Mothers Day Gift Guide
Mother’s Day is the occasion to show your mum how much you appreciate her and all that she does for you, your siblings and everyone else in her life.
Want to spoil her but unsure where to start? Take a look at these unique Mother’s Day gift ideas to surprise and delight your favourite lady this year.
Book her into a Flower Workshop with Melbourne Flower School
From beginners classes to intermediate intensive courses, the team from Melbourne Flower School have a workshop for everyone to enjoy. Spend the day learning floristry techniques to make beautiful floral designs you’ll be able to take home.
A convenient Garden Tool Kit Tote Bag by Hoselink
Hoselink’s Garden Tool Tote Bag is the ideal gift for any gardener. Made to conveniently carry tools around which saves you having to do multiple trips to the shed!
The ‘Noosa Hat’ by Top Show
If your mum is prone to spending hours out under the sun, make sure she’s protected from head to toe with the help of a light-weight, breathable, and incredibly stylish hat like this ‘Noosa Hat’ by Top Show.
Spend the day out visiting Warratina Lavender Farm
Only a 1-hr drive from Melbourne, Warratina Lavender Farm boasts over 10,000 lavender plants located in the beautiful Yarra Valley. Enjoy the day walking through their incredible lavender fields and cottage gardens. You can visit their lavender tearoom, drying shed and their gift shop full of beautiful lavender product. Best of all, entry is free!
A unique piece from Sue James Clayworker
Spoil your mum with something unique like the beautiful native Australian flora and fauna inspired pieces handmade by Sue James Clayworker.
See these retailers as well as many more at the 2022 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show! Tickets will be launched later in the year so keep an eye out.
DIY Easter Egg Flower Arrangement
Looking to wow your Easter brunch or dinner guests? These simple eggshell flower arrangements are sure to brighten up any table! Use them as a centerpiece or as individual place settings.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Eggs
- Fresh flowers, small varieties work best
- Sharpie markers, black and red
METHOD
1. Gently crack the tops of your eggs and empty the contents. Rinse with water so they’re nice and clean.
2. Draw cute little faces on your eggs. This is optional, but very adorable.
3. Fill your eggs up with water and add your flowers in! You can also insert a small piece of wet floral foam depending on what flowers you choose to use.
Enjoy!
BACK TO WORK: Ten Plants For The Office
By now, most of us are back in the office/at work a few days a week. You might not be there everyday, but it doesn’t mean your plant game should slip. In fact, now is the perfect opportunity to show your colleagues how much of a plant boss you’ve become.
And bringing plants into your workspace is important! It should be priority #1 (right above clearing the spoiled food that had been left in the fridge before went into lockdown).
You’ve already heard this, but lets write it out again for good measure:
Plants are good for our mental health and there are numerous studies that show we have an increased ability to retain information when around plants. In fact, one study has shown that plants in the office increased productivity by 15% (Time to hit the boss up for a plant-allowance), as well as showing to decrease depression, anxiety and fatigue.
Just make sure you pick a few that’ll survive. They’ll have the office over-waterer to contend with, as well as a range of different light scenarios. So think hardy. The amazing team from The Plant Runner have given us their top picks for plants to bring to work.
TOP 10 PLANTS TO BRING TO WORK
1. DEVIL’S IVY (EPIPREMNUM AUREUM)
If you haven’t realised already – Devil’s Ivy works just about anywhere. The office is no exception. They can tolerate low light and cope with the occasional missed watering, but will still thrive in brighter spaces as long as kept out of direct sunlight. They’re a great one for shelves or you can keep compact on a desk.
2. ZZ PLANT (ZAMIOCULCAS ZAMIIFOLIA)
If you’re looking for a plant that your co-workers are going to talk about, this bad boy is for you. We love its architectural form and lush green foliage – and the fact that they are great at storing water so you won’t need to stress too much about maintenance. Unlike many other houseplants, the ZZ plant is rarely a pest’s first choice AND it is fine in low light. Win, win and WIN.
(If you want more, we’ve posted about these guys here)
3. PEACE LILY (SPATHIPHYLLUM SPP.)
Instant jungle vibes right here. Large, deep green foliage and a verified air purifier, the Peace Lily is also one of the most forgiving houseplants around. They will droop significantly if watering is forgotten, but will perk right up again with a good drink. This is a great plant if you want to put something between you and chatty Ted on the desk opposite you. (Plus, we’ve already written a care guide – here)
4. SNAKE PLANT (SANSEVERIA SPP.)
We’ve mentioned the snake plant in previous posts, and for good reason. They are our number 1 for air purifying, productivity increasing planty goodness. Coupled with a wonderful resilienceto underwatering, and that there are so many varieties within the Sanseveria family (so you’re almost guaranteed to find one that suits you), the Snake Plant is a must for any office space. Hell, get a few of them and surround your desk – you’ve built yourself a fort!
5. AFRICAN VIOLET (SAINTPAULIA IONANTHA)
If you’re keen for a pop of colour, the African Violet is a great choice. You’ll need a bright workspace to get a good bloom (although keep out of direct sunlight), but they do come in miniature varieties so you can perch one on your desk without loosing too much real estate.
6. LUCKY BAMBOO (DRACAENA SANDERIANA)
Not bamboo, but that’s not important. What is important is that the Lucky Bamboo is a slow growing (read – won’t outgrow your desk), low maintenance, low light-tolerating plant that (if the name is anything to go by), brings you luck. Bring on that promotion!
7. HEART-LEAFED PHILODENDRON (PHILODENDRON CORDATUM)
Trail much? Let that foliage spill out of the edge of your desk to give off the impression you’re care-free and relaxed even though that project you’ve been working on was due yesterday. If you can’t be chilled out, at least let your plants be! The heart-leafed philodendron will be fine in lower light environments, aren’t super thirsty and they’re for sharing cuttingswith your co-workers.
8. AIR PLANTS (TILLANDSIA SPP.)
Want to keep it soil free? Air Plants are for you. There are hundreds of species within the genus. Care is easy too – sit them in a bowl of water for roughly 30minutes once a week, then shake them off and put them back on your desk. They will be ok in lower light but if you want to get a flower spike then a bright desk is optimal. Plus, when you bag that promotion they are super light so its easy to pack up and take with you.
9. CAST IRON PLANT (ASPIDISTRA ELATIOR)
The name says it all really. The Cast Iron Plant is damn near indestructible. This is perfect for anyone who doubts their ability to keep things alive – they can get by on low light, low water and low maintenance. It’s the perfect gift for the coworker that keeps bring in fake plants to work.
10. MOTH ORCHID (PHALAENOPSIS SPP.)
Low maintenance and super showy when in flower, the Moth Orchid is a great one for the desk. Try to give them as much natural light as possible (think about a growlight if you’re in a dark corner!) and don’t over water (a few tablespoons each week or so is more than enough) and you’ll be cheering.
OFFICE PLANT CARE CHECKLIST
A few tools that’ll help keep your plant game A+ that will still fit in your desk drawer
- A small watering can
- A mister
- A lamp grow light
- Some Neem Oil
- Fertiliser
Autumn Lawn Care Guide
Summer has well and truly come to an end, and temperatures are heading south over the next few months. It’s time for some Autumn lawn care.
Although we have had a few hot days over summer, your lawn has mostly faced wet and humid conditions. Eastern and northern Australia have faced an increase in rainfall due to La Niña, while Western Australia has faced above-average temperatures. This now makes Autumn an even more important time to get your lawn back on track before the end of the growing season.
Much of the work now will be to get your lawn prepared for the cooler months ahead where it will slow down into a certain level of dormancy. The healthier your grass is going into the cooler months, the better it will come out the other side in spring.
Lawn Solutions Australia tells us what we can do…
Aerate
During summer you spend a lot more time on your lawn, combine this with the heat of the sun and your soil base can get quite compacted. These conditions are not ideal for turf growth. However, aeration will help improve the soil structure. To aerate your lawn, you can use either an aerator, garden fork, or aerator sandals. Simply drive the fork into the lawn and give the fork a wiggle to help create fractures within the soil profile. By doing this, the soil will allow better root growth, water penetration and allow for oxygen to the soil profile.
Fertilise
By fertilising your lawn in autumn, you will be preparing your lawn with its essential nutrients, encourage growth and extend your lawns colouring heading into the cooler periods. Autumn fertilising will help your lawn recover quicker from any stresses that it faced over summer and will help it repair itself faster. We recommend applying a slow-release granular fertiliser, such as Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser, as it will break down gradually releasing nutrients for your grass for up to 12 weeks after the initial application.
Weeding
Autumn is a great time to get on top of any weeds that have come through your lawn over the summer. As we start to head into winter, your grass will start to become dormant and slowdown in its growth. However, this is not the same case for weeds as many of them will still continue to grow into the cooler months. To get control over these weeds, apply an appropriate herbicide or remove by hand. To prevent Crab Grass, Winter Grass, Oxalis, and Crowfoot in winter you can apply a pre-emergent product such as Oxafert in mid to late autumn, just before these weeds germinate, preventing them from growing in your lawn.
Managing shade
Heading into the cooler months, it is important to ensure that your lawn will be receiving enough sunlight. We recommend that you regularly prune any trees, bushes, and other foliage to better allow for sunlight. If your yard experiences leaves falling onto your lawn, we recommend that you rake these up regularly, so they don’t prevent sunlight getting through to the grass.
Regular mowing
You will find that you will be mowing less frequently due to the weather cooling down. While the number of times that you are required to mow will start to reduce, it is important to not forget about the lawn completely. As the weather begins to cool down, we recommend that you raise the mower height to give your lawn the best chance to absorb sunlight and nutrients. A longer leaf will help to ensure a thicker canopy that is better able to block out weeds and retain colour in winter.
Only water when needed
As it starts to get cooler, your lawn may still need watering. The tell-tale signs that your lawn needs watering are if the leaf blades are wilting or losing colour or if a noticeable footprint is left behind when you walk across the grass.
Edging
Autumn is a great time to get on top of edging. As your lawn’s growth begins to slow, your edging work will last for longer. To get the best results when edging, we recommend using a whipper snipper or an edging tool. For more information on lawn edging, check out our blog here.
Laying turf
Autumn is a great time to get some new turf down. There’s enough time left in most states for good root establishment before winter. Lower temperatures during this time mean you won’t require as much water to keep it hydrated as you would during summer.
For more information on lawn care activities, check out the Lawn Solutions Australia blog here.
Health Benefits of Gardening
Ryman Healthcare ambassador and Aussie garden expert, Matt Leacy shares his tips on how gardening can benefit physical and mental health.
Gardening as a weekly routine
Adding gardening to your weekly fitness regime can provide even more benefits than exercise alone. Bending, lifting weights, and stretching all feature in regular gardening, but there are other benefits as well. Connecting with nature, watching plants grow, and listening to the birds can all support a healthy mind.
Gardening for balance
Caring for plants in hanging pots and planters can help support good balance. Lifting your arms up and down and looking upward while focusing on a task can exercise your stabilising muscles – the ones that kick in when we lose our balance. To keep safe, make sure that your planters hang at a comfortable height and are positioned away from walking areas to avoid any head knocks.
Gardening for health
It’s important to keep active throughout our lives to help reduce the risk of disease and health emergencies like heart disease and stroke. The positive health benefits of gardening have even been found to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and can help with chronic pain and arthritis by regularly moving your joints.
Gardening for vitamins
Soaking up vitamin D while you’re out in the sun gardening can help build bone density. Vitamin D supports the intestines to absorb calcium from the food you eat. It’s important to get enough of both nutrients, because combines, they can help make your bones dense and strong.
Gardening for organic food
It’s so exciting that we don’t have to go far from our houses to improve our health. There are so many benefits to growing your own food. You can control the pesticides and fertilisers used, you can lower your food miles, and it’s easy to encourage your kids or grandkids to eat more vegetables when they’re growing and harvesting them. Vegetables and fruits are great for boosting your winter immunity, and it doesn’t get fresher than picking them from your garden.
Gardening herbs to boost immunity
Herbs are a great source of nutrients and they don’t require a lot of space to grow. They’re ideal for small gardens and balcony planters. You might opt for aromatic classics like basil, mint, parsley, thyme, rosemary, chives, and chillies. Or you might branch out and try other herbs with health benefits like turmeric, ginger, ginseng, Echinacea, and maca.
Sparkling Blood Orange Cocktail
Serves 4x
Recipe and Image Nidhi | coco_and_chili
What a delicious way to kick off the festive season and beginning of Summer with this delicious Sparkling Blood Orange Cocktail using prosecco from our friends at The Prosecco Van.
For the Cocktail
Ingredients
The Prosecco Van Prosecco, 1x Bottle
Blood Orange Sorbet, homemade (recipe follows) or store bought, 1 quantity
Method:
Scoop 2-3 little scoops of sorbet into you glass. Top with The Prosecco Van Prosecco and enjoy immediately!
You will have some Prosecco spare for seconds which you’ll surely want!
Blood Orange Sorbet
Ingredients:
Blood Orange Juice, fresh 600ml
Sugar 100gms
Blood Orange Cointreau 30ml (Optional)
Method:
Heat 200ml juice and sugar over low heat till sugar dissolves. Mix with rest of the orange juice, add the Cointreau and chill in the fridge for 45mins to 1 hour. Churn in ice cream machine and transfer to an airtight container and freeze for 2 hours.
*If you do not have an ice cream machine, freeze the mixture in an airtight container for 3 hours or till mostly frozen, transfer to a blender and blend, freeze again. Repeat this step at least once more, if you have the time and inclination repeating the step twice will give amazing results.
*Note: Start the sorbet at least 1 day before serving, especially if you’re making it without an ice cream machine. It can easily be made 1 week prior to serving, just remove it from the freezer 5-10 mins before scooping.
*If you do not have Blood Oranges, mandarin juice or regular orange juice works too.
Tip: Scoop out little scoops of the sorbet on a lined baking tray cover and freeze to make light work of it while serving, especially while entertaining.
This recipe makes more than you need, leftovers are a perfect treat for the Aussie Summer.
Poolside Plantings
The awesome team at Warners Nursery are here to tell us what to plant and where, to elevate your poolside retreat these holidays.
With the right plant selections, a backyard pool can be transformed into a private oasis. The right plants can provide shade and privacy, while also setting the scene for the surrounding outdoor space. They can also be the difference between pleasure and pain for pool owners – the right plantings can drastically reduce pool maintenance, making pool ownership an enjoyable experience.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR SELECTING PLANTS FOR YOUR POOLSCAPE;
- When selecting poolside plants, ensure the plants will not overgrow the space.
- Avoid plants with invasive root systems that might interfere with the pool structure, paving or underground plumbing.
- Consider the effect of rotting leaves, flowers or berries on filtration and cleaning equipment, as well as possible staining of paving or coping.
- Consider any maintenance and pruning required to keep the plants manageable.
- If selecting a flowering variety, look for summer flowering varieties that can be enjoyed during the pool season.
Plant Selections:
Cycas revoluta
Also known as the sago palm, this cycad is a very hardy plant. Featuring dark green foliage, it will grow in most conditions, and is ideal for recreating that tropical resort ‘look and feel’ in the garden.
Ligularia Reniformis
Add texture to the garden with this lush perennial featuring large, glossy dark green ‘tractor seat’ foliage. Great for underplanting a pleached hedge or feature tree.
Liriope
This evergreen perennial is perfect for use in Modern Native, Tropical and Formal designs. Features dark green, glossy foliage. Plant en-masse under trees or informal borders for a fine grass effect.
Philodendron ‘Xanadu’
Popular for its lush foliage and dramatically lobed leaves. Requires high light conditions in cooler climates for optimal growth. Can be planted in drifts for a mass tropical display or combines well with other plantings.
SMALL TO MEDIUM SHRUBS & HEDGING
Buxus microphylla var. microphylla
A small, rounded evergreen shrub that is densely foliated with bright green, glossy leaves. Ideal for planting under trees and performs well in semi shaded areas. It grows well in containers for a formal look or a small clipped hedge.
Rhaphiolepis ‘Spring Pearl’
Featuring dark green, leathery leaves, this evergreen shrub is a great low maintenance selection for beside the pool. It has a dense mounding form, perfect for both formal and informal gardens.
MEDIUM TO LARGE SHRUBS & SCREENING
Acmena ‘Firescreen’ pbr
This low maintenance lillypilly features glossy mid-green foliage with coppery new growth, which fades to bronze. It has very few berries, and is quick-growing, making it ideal for a creating privacy.
Ficus ‘Figaro’pbr
If you’re looking for a tropical effect, this super-tough evergreen with lush green foliage is an excellent choice, Produces very little mess from dropping leaves or dead flowers and can be grown and shaped into tight narrow positions.
Laurus ‘Miles Choice’
This Bay Laurel is a fantastic alternative to Ficus ‘Flash’, suited to Melbourne’s temperate climate. Features dark green foliage, and bright green new growth. Clip twice a year for a formal look.
Prunus Lusitanica
Glossy dark green leaves with slender spikes of small, scented white flowers in late Spring. Creates a dense, thick dark green screen when clipped. Flower drop can be limited by Summer pruning.
Viburnum odoratissimum ‘Dense Fence’pbr
A dense, fast growing, evergreen shrub. Features rounded olive-green foliage with subtle red new growth. Excellent for creating privacy in the garden. Ideal for coastal gardens.
Magnolia alba
This large evergreen tree features small flowers and grows to 6 metres in Melbourne. It is ideal as a large informal screen. On a warm humid night, the scent from the flowers can be enjoyed from a great distance.
Evergreen Magnolia
If you’re looking for a traditional look, these evergreen magnolias will grow in a wide variety of conditions. Both produce beautiful fragrant flowers during the warmer months. Create a more contemporary look with smaller underplanting.
TOPIARY, ESPALIER & LIVING SCULPTURES
Living Pergolas
Grown from deciduous Plane Trees or large-leafed Maples, Living Pergolas stand approximately 3m tall. The foliage is trained horizontally along a trellised wire, creating a living roof structure that provides shade in Summer, and dappled sun in Winter. Ideal for creating an entertaining area near the pool.
Prepare Your Lawn for the Summer Heat
The experts at Lawn Solutions Australia tell is what we can do to help our lawn survive the hot summer.
Drought conditions are still impacting many regional areas at the moment and being environmentally responsible with water use is still very important. Fortunately, it is only in the most severe of conditions, over a considerable amount of time, that your lawn could suffer to the point where it would completely die off due to lack of water.
Warm season turf grass species commonly used in Australia need very little water to survive and are very hardy. They will lose colour, become brown and dry, with little to no leaf growth, but they will generally sit dormant until the next rain or irrigation event. In summer when temperatures are really high, grasses will enter a state of dormancy where they shut down tissue growth to preserve moisture loss.
You can usually tell if a lawn is dormant rather than dead by looking at the crown at the base of the leaves. If the crown is white to off white, it is likely that it is still alive. A dead lawn will be dry, brown and brittle across the entire plant – the leaves, the roots and the crown.
- Remove thatch – Removing dead material from the lawn profile will help the living plant to absorb all the available moisture.
- Aeration – Improving the ability for water to penetrate to the roots will be important to take best advantage of water when it is available, but also to improve moisture in the soil where it is needed during the next dry spell.
- Stay off the lawn – Your grass is already having a hard time and the drier it is, the more it is likely to be damaged and not be able to recover from foot traffic or additional wear.
- Water effectively – When you can water, do so for longer, less frequently. Encourage deeper roots that can delve deeper into the soil to find moisture. This will allow your lawn to stay hydrated for longer, even if there has been an extended period without rain.
- Apply a wetting Agent – Hydrophobic soil is caused by the decomposition of organic matter, which leaves a wax like substance forming a coating on soil particles. A wetting agent like Lawn Soaker will break down this coating allow water to penetrate.
- ColourGuard Plus – If your lawn has lost some colour and vigour from the heat, a good option is ColourGuard Plus. It’s a natural pigment with a liquid fertiliser and it’s a great solution during drought conditions to keep your grass green and to save water at the same time.
After long periods of dry weather, soils can become dehydrated and this is when the hydrophobic surface is exposed. This surface stops water from penetrating. A wetting agent like Lawn Soaker will help break down this surface tension and help water to soak in.
Mowing – The key to your lawn mowing in summer is to make sure you mow during the cooler time of the day and to mow regularly. You want to keep on top of the leaf growth, so you don’t remove too much at a time. Removing more than a third of the leaf at any one time, will cause stress to the grass roots.
How much water does grass need?
Water is fundamental for grass to transport nutrients, maintain cell structure and for it to create its own food through the process of photosynthesis.
For the most part, this water requirement will be met through rainfall or soil moisture storage.
If the roots cannot maintain this level of moisture to the leaf, the leaves will close their stomata. Stomata are cells that form the pores of the leaf surface. When the stomata are closed, there will be limited growth due to its inability to take in carbon dioxide.
When should I irrigate?
The simple answer is – when your lawn needs it. It is important that you only irrigate your lawn when there is not enough rainfall to meet the needs of your lawn. When you do water, do so within the rules outlined by local water restrictions.