Lawn Matters

Today’s entry might be a long one and its on ‘Lawn Matters’ – well, your lawn should matter!

1. pH- the measure of acidity or of a solution, or in our case, your soil. An improper pH practically assures you of non growth and weeds. Hence, your lawn needs to be growing at the proper pH or it will be unable to absorb the necessary nutrients.

2. Check that your lawn-mower blades are balanced and sharp- When the blades are dull they are likely to shatter or break the ends of the blades of grass, practically pulling on the grass rather than cutting it. This creates uneven lawn and not at all the attractive lawn that you are aiming for.

3. Keep the lawn properly aerated- Remember those pesky signs of ‘Don’t Walk on Grass’ which we can find on perfectly manicured parks? Well, those signs do have a point - continued walking on a lawn area can compact the soil and cause stress in the lawn as well as the surrounding plants.

4. Keep the lawn properly dethatched- Continued mowing over fertilization can contribute to problem of thatch. Excessive fertilizing also tends to decrease the pH of the soil, which leads to decrease in microbial activity resulting in more thatch. The buildup of thatch leads to reduced air, nutrients and moisture in the soil. Subsequently, your grass will become yellow and unhealthy looking.

5. Buried debris- Buried debris can be any number of things. The most likely objects to cause problems are building refuse, stones and stumps. When they are close to the surface, they can cause a moisture deficit that makes the grass die back. Stumps and logs can cause soil slumping as they decay. They can also be responsible for fungal growth, such as mushrooms.

6. Moss- It takes a number of conditions to grow moss; poor air circulation, low fertility, high compaction, and high air-moisture content. In most cases, shade and acidity are also contributing factors. Lime does not always correct mossy conditions, but is used to raise the soil pH. There are two options for dealing with moss. First is to learn to love it and the second is to break the chain of conditions that make it grow.

7. Those obnoxious algae- Algal growth relies on high fertility and weak, thin turf. It is most often found in low lying, compacted, shaded, and wet areas. An indication of past algal growth is a thick black crust that is cracked and peeling like the dried surface of chocolate pudding.

8. Salt injury- Lawn areas next to walk, roads, pavements are targets for salt damage. You can use a salt-tolerant grass or you can treat the area by flushing the salt out with water or applying calcium sulphate.

9. Water- Once you’ve grown the perfect lawn, it doesn't make much sense to ignore it. Always to make sure in keeping it watered and fertilized, and you’ll keep the lush lawn you worked long and hard to achieve. The ideal way to water is with an automatic underground sprinkler system. By using an automatic sprinkler system, you don't have to drag hoses around or waste water, plus you’ll get the whole lawn watered.

10. Shrubbery and flowers need to be watered separately. If you use the same amount of water on your landscaping as you put on the lawn, you could kill many plants from over-watering.


You can always check out BjGardeners.com to find out more about our lawn maintenance services. We are just an email or phone call away!