APRIL TIPS FOR YOUR LAWN
What should I be doing with my lawn this month?
Improve your lawn’s health with these essential lawn care tips!
Our resident turf expert Andrew Turnbull highlights some tips for you. Read on….
Mowing: Gradually lower the height of cut by 2ml per cut over the month until the desired height is reached. To avoid stressing the grass plant, mow frequently enough to cut off no more than 1/3 of the grass height.
Moss: Say goodbye to moss with a proprietary liquid iron mixed with TurfSolv®. Before diluting with water, mix 1% of the iron solution by volume. This powerful combination will cause the moss to blacken more deeply and effectively than iron alone.
Scarifying: Once the moss is dead, it’s time to scarify. For small areas, use a springtime rake. However, for larger lawns, a mechanical scarifier is necessary. Be prepared to clean up a large amount of debris. Don’t worry if your lawn looks damaged after scarifying; it will recover!
Aerate: Aeration is crucial for your lawn’s health. It encourages grass growth and allows air and water to circulate in the soil. Grass produces surface organic matter called thatch, which restricts aeration. Punching holes into the surface using a solid tine aerator or hollow core will help break up soil compaction and allow water to drain. Choose a hollow core aerator if you have severe thatch buildup.
Seed: Bring bare or thin areas of grass back to life after scarifying and aeration. As soil temperatures rise, vigorously rake the bare areas to create shallow grooves. Scatter the seed evenly and lightly cover with a sandy soil. Make sure the finished levels are no higher than the surrounding lawn surface. For completely bare areas, dig to a depth of 50mm and consolidate with your feet. Scatter seed and rake with a spring tine rake, then tamp down with the back of the rake to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.
Top-dress: Achieve a smooth lawn surface and control thatch buildup by applying a light dressing (2-4 kg/m2) of sandy topsoil.
Fertilising: Use a grass fertiliser with no more than 14% nitrogen to encourage healthy grass growth and prevent thatch problems. Supply all necessary micronutrients and biostimulants for this time of year by applying TurfSolv© twice this month.
Weeds: Handpick troublesome lawn weeds to avoid overuse of chemical herbicides. Use a flat-bladed screwdriver or ‘daisy grubber’ for deep-rooted weeds like dandelions. For large weed-covered areas, use a chemical herbicide following the instructions to avoid yellowing grass.
Edges: Keep your lawn looking neat and well cared for with edging shears.
Watch out for:
- Disease: Look for signs of disease, particularly Fusarium Patch (Microdochium nivale). Severe infestations may require the use of a turf fungicide to control. Regular applications of TurfSolv® will help to prevent disease by strengthening the grass.
- Frost: April can have a sharp cold ‘snap’ that results in night frosts. Keep off the lawn when it is covered in frost. Walking on grass when covered in frost can damage the frozen plant cells and leaves black footprints when the frost has melted. The plant will recover from this damage, but it looks unsightly.
- Worms: Mild weather encourages worms to come to the surface looking for food, leaving casts that can smother grass. Worm casts can be brushed away when the soil is dry. Worms can be discouraged by using a sulphur based treatment that acidifies the soil surface, but follow the instructions carefully.
