subject: How to keep your great new lawn looking that way with hardly any cost [print this page] How to keep your great new lawn looking that way with hardly any cost
If you get a dry spell, you've noticed the soil is starting to crack, or your grass is going yellow then it needs watering. Do this in the evening (as stated above) so as to avoid evaporation. Water generously but try not to overdo it (if you do overdo it then try to keep off your lawn until the excess water has subsided, then it will come to no harm).
I recommend you go out and get a hose pipe and some type of automatic sprinkler/water distributor to attach to the end of it (if you don't already have these things), or you'll end up walking about with a watering can for hours.
Listen out for hosepipe bans in the Summer months, if there's no hosepipe ban then fine, water to your hearts content; If on the other hand there is, then please try to abide by the regulations and avoid a run in with the authorities.
I find that the best type of hosepipe sprinkler is the type with a spray bar that squirts the water high into the air as it rocks back and forth like an upright slow pendulum (see picture) but you can use any; what we're trying to do is distribute the water evenly over a large area, automatically if we can. You can go for the branded ones (such as Hoselock') if you wish but the ridiculous price is unjustified (unless you can get hold of a second-hand one) as you can find many much cheaper alternatives out there if you shop around (try the local discount store, or wholesaler, or Wilkinson's', B & Q', Homebase' etc. My current one was from Asda' believe it or not, it's now on its third year and still performs well; the price, about 3.99 I think, something like that, absolute bargain!).
When the grass gets a little long then go over it with the lawnmower, usually you will only need to do this once a week, but I have known weeks when a second trim later in the week has been needed; use your initiative and trim it when you feel it's ready for it. If your lawnmower has no grass collection box then you will need to gather up the grass trimmings, I recommend raking over it with a grass or springbok' rake; go for one with the wide plastic tines as these give the best results, don't rust and are very competitively priced (see picture) (but don't forget the #1 rule; shop around for the best deal, second-hand is fine, and borrowed, absolutely perfect). Gather up the piles of trimmings and dump them in the compost bin, or dispose of them in the correct manner.
If you wish you can occasionally give your lawn a feed, something like combined feed and weed is ideal as not only does it fertilize your lawn but also helps to get rid of unwanted weeds, or give it a dose of Phostrogen' or something similar, but please be sure to follow the manufacturers' instructions when using chemicals and fertilizers in the garden. This is not always absolutely necessary, but if you notice a decline in the quality of your lawn it may be required, but I know of many good looking lawns that don't receive this treatment and still do well.
Aerating the lawn is always an advantage and helps with the quality. Some people do this by buying a proper lawn aerator at a ridiculous price; I use a standard garden fork. Push the fork about 3 to 4 inches into the surface and then pull it out straight to leave four little holes in the surface; do this lots of times in different places until the whole area has been covered. If you do have a lawn aerator then by all means make use of it as it's much easier and quicker than doing it by hand. Also available in some places is a type of shoe with tines attached to the sole; the idea is you wear the shoe and then walk all over your lawn in it; the tines go into the surface and voila! Lawn aerated. Again this process is not essential but it will improve the quality of your lawn, especially if your lawn is prone to getting waterlogged.
Whilst we're on about waterlogging; if your lawn does get waterlogged then try to avoid using or walking on it until the water has subsided as this can cause damage.
I think that about covers it for lawns, please read the above carefully and go with it and you should avoid most miss-haps.
