Is your lawn not looking as good as your neighbour’s lawn? Maybe it’s time to give it some lawn food.

This a great time of year to fertilize your lawn. Use a slow release fertilizer with a blend of Nitrogen,  Phosphorus and Potassium at an approximate analysis of N:12 P:1.5 K:5. Lawn fertilizer can be purchased from your local nursery or garden centre. Be sure to always follow the application instructions on the packaging.

Apply fertilizer evenly with a fertilizer spreader or by hand using a wide sweeping motion, then remember to water it in immediately after application to avoid burning your lawn. Why not take advantage of the wet weather and when it starts raining get out there and fertilize your lawn.

With regular fertilization you will find your lawn will be a more efficient  water user, harder wearing and less susceptible to weed invasion as well as having a deeper darker appearance. One disadvantage is that your mowing frequency will increase for the first month then will normalize thereafter.

All lawns other than turf that has been laid for less than 3 months, will benefit from a good feed. With little effort the results are well worth it.

Going away for Christmas? 

In the coming weeks most of us will be packing up the car and setting off for a well deserved break over the Christmas holidays.

Here are a few tips to keep your lawn looking good while you are away and how to avoid coming home to an overgrown jungle lawn or a dried barren back yard.

Meteorologists’ are currently predicting a damp December. This will be an advantage for you, as you won’t need to worry about long dry periods of heat that have the potential to severely damage your lawn especially those older varieties of lawns that don’t have the drought tolerance that the new varieties have.

Other lawns also at risk of heat damage are new lawns that have been down for less than 12 months. These lawns are not fully established so too is its drought tolerance not being fully developed. Having your lawn mowed a little higher will help it retain moisture in the younger lawns.

In the weeks leading up to your holiday remember not to over fertilize your turf as mowing is another predicament  you will need to consider. If you plan to be away for more than 10-14 days you should perhaps organising a friend or a mowing contractor to maintain your lawn for you.

If you do come home to a overgrown lawn the best way to restore it is to mow your lawn a couple of times at various heights to prevent scalping your grass. Start with the highest  mowing height than work your way down slowly adjusting the mowing height accordingly. This is best done over a few days.

In view of that, enjoy your break and keep in mind our holiday tips to keep your lawn looking good over this Christmas break