Mowing the lawn

There are people who cut their lawn when they have to.
There are people who cut their lawns because they want too.
Then there are the devotees who cut their lawns because they love their lawns!
Regular Cutting of your lawn at the correct height determines how healthy and great a lawn can look.

The simple act of mowing isn't what makes a lawn look good.
Here are a few helpful tips to keep your lawn looking beautiful after your lawndoctor.ie treatment.

• Sharp blades means a cleaner cut and healthier lawn, if the blade is blunt it leaves the leaf open to disease.
• Frequent mowing. One cut each week is 'grooming'. One cut each fortnight is 'mowing'.
• Cut your grass high – approx 20-40mm. Never cut more than half the high of the grass leaf, cutting your lawn too short (or scalping) will increase moss and weed growth. A higher cut lawn helps keep weeds out and needs less watering.
• Remove clippings – this lets your grass breathe, never leave cutting on the lawn. Grass cutting with lead to a build-up of unwanted thatch and moss.
• Cut the lawn when it dry – This will helps keeps disease under control.
• Change cutting directions regularly.
• Make sure you have the right size lawnmower for your garden, The size of blade and size of the engine is so important when you need to keep your lawn looking its best. Your local lawnmower centre will advise you or we can help you with this.

Watering

Yes even in Ireland with all our rain we still need to talk about watering our Lawn.
Water your lawn when it tells you to, not according to some manual because no two lawns are the same.

• Water early in morning or last thing at night when it has cooled down.
• Deep frequent watering works better than just daily sprinklings.
• Pitch fork hard spots to help water penetrate the soils surface.

Grass type, soil, wind and seasons will all affect a lawns performance and will determine how often you need to water. In the height of summer most lawns suffer from heat or drought stress watch out for a rapid change in grass colour, (heat will turn a lush green lawn into a burnt blue/black colour) and drought stress will begin with unsightly brown patches in your lawn. Don't panic, Your lawn is not dead, It's just thirsty. Water as frequently as you can until there is enough moisture in the ground to help the grass recover.

Don't mow your lawn too low when it's showing signs of heat and water stress and if possible try to keep off the lawn as much as possible during these periods as the grass will be dry and brittle.

With increased talk of water metering we recommend installing a water collection tank in your home. This can be fitted near a down pipe to catch excess rainwater. Not only will this save you money but you're doing your bit to help the environment. We can help you choses the right system for your property.