Want to keep your lawn a lush green all year round? For many homeowners, this can be quite a challenge due to Australia’s harsh climate. Let’s not beat around the bush, or grass as it were: treating your lawn all year long to keep it a healthy green requires different procedures depending largely on the season, regional climate, and the species of grass.
Below we’ve outlined different tips for each season in Southern Victoria to keep your lawn a lush green.
Winter
Winter is perhaps the most critical month for protecting the fruits of your labour. A well-maintained lawn will require little assistance during the cooler winter months, but a neglected lawn will need plenty of elbow grease to look great again.
Winter tips:
- June: with less sunshine, make sure that you eliminate as much shade as possible on the lawn so that it can photosynthesise during the winter.
- July: continue removing fallen leaves and branches to keep your lawn exposed to sunlight.
- August: begin controlling for weeds such as Bindi during the winter before spring rolls around.
Spring
Spring is perhaps the most important season of the year in terms of healthy growth. During this time of rapid growth, ensure that your grass is well-fed with plenty of nutrients.
Here’s what you should do in spring:
- September: prepare for spring with pH level checks of the soil, adding lime or gypsum if needed. Take note of when growth sets in and add fertiliser if required. Consider spraying for weeds if you notice any.
- October: follow up on weed checks with fertiliser and herbicides as many summer weeds may have begun to set in.
- November: with summer around the bend, keep an eye out for moths, black beetles, and other pests. Consider having your lawn sprayed professionally to remove larvae and eggs before they hatch.
If you’re planning on laying down some new lawn, consider doing it in Spring for the above mentioned reasons.
Summer
The biggest tip for green summer lawns is to avoid cutting the grass too short. Most of us probably think that in doing so, we save time by only having to mow it once a week, but our lawns suffer from being cut too short.
Summer checklist:
- December: use rain gauges and take preventative measures against possible drought by giving your grass plenty of water. If the lawn grows too quickly, fertilise it. Check to see if your soil is retaining water and adjust your watering pattern appropriately to ensure the lawn isn’t going dry.
- January: keep an eye out for grubs and other insects, maintain consistent watering, and spray for black beetles which love coming out at this time of the year.
- February: maintain your watering schedule once again and ensure that your soil is retaining water – adjust as necessary.
Autumn
Before Old Man Winter comes around, ensure that the period of slowing growth during the cooler autumn months are used to protect your lawn.
Autumn tips:
- March: fertilise abundantly if your lawn suffered during the summer months.
- April: use herbicides designed to kill winter weeds (they can set before winter) such as Winter Grass and Creeping Oxalis.
- May: monitor for weeds and adjust cutting heights to at least 6cm so that more of each grass blade can photosynthesise during the short days.
Gardening Angels
No matter the season, give us a ring at Gardening Angels and we’ll make sure your lawn gets back to a lush, healthy green.