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Answering Your Common Lawn Questions

Every lawn owner faces challenges in keeping their lawn in perfect condition. Maintaining a healthy lawn can be tricky without the right knowledge, from stubborn weeds to patchy spots and questions about the best fertilisers. Fortunately, with the right advice and products, you can overcome these challenges and enjoy a thriving lawn year-round.

In the video below, a lawn care professional answers some of the most frequently asked lawn care questions, offering practical tips and solutions to common issues. Whether you're wondering which weed n feed is best for your grass or how to remove foreign grass roots from your lawn, this video covers you.

Topics covered include:

• What weed and feed should I use for my grass?
• When should I fertilise my lawn, and what should I fertilise with?
• How do I remove foreign or invading grass types from my lawn?

Fertilisers and Lawn Care Products at a Glance

Common Lawn Questions and Expert Answers

Lawn care can be confusing with so many products, schedules, and strategies to consider. Below, we’ve answered some of the most common questions lawn lovers often ask, providing expert advice to help you achieve a healthy, green lawn.

What Weed and Feed Should I Use for My Grass?

Selecting the right weed and feed is crucial for maintaining a healthy lawn, and the choice largely depends on your grass type. For example, if your lawn consists of Bermuda grass or tall fescue, you’ll want a product that is specially formulated for those varieties to ensure that the weeds are targeted without harming the grass itself.

Weed n feed products typically combine a fertiliser with a herbicide, which helps control weeds like broadleaf weeds and nourishes the grass, promoting healthy growth. By choosing the correct product, you can effectively prevent weed growth while ensuring your lawn receives the essential nutrients it needs to thrive.

When Should I Fertilise My Lawn and What Should I Use?

Timing is everything when it comes to fertilising your lawn. Fertilising your lawn early in the growing season, such as in early spring, helps your grass absorb nutrients as it grows, ensuring a strong, healthy start. These times allow your lawn to absorb the nutrients effectively, resulting in a stronger, healthier lawn.

When choosing a fertiliser, look for affordable options that provide the essential nutrients your grass needs, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Slow-release fertilisers are a great budget-friendly choice, as they feed your lawn gradually over time, reducing the need for frequent applications.

By fertilising at the right times and using the appropriate product, you’ll give your lawn the nourishment it needs to stay green and lush throughout the year.

How Do I Get Top of Weeds in My Lawn?

Controlling weeds, especially broadleaf weeds, is essential to maintaining a healthy lawn. These weeds can quickly take over, crowding out your grass and competing for essential nutrients. It’s important to adopt a proactive approach to keep them under control.

One of the most effective methods is applying a pre-emergent herbicide in early spring or fall. This herbicide prevents weed seeds from germinating, stopping the problem before it starts. It’s particularly useful for dealing with weeds like crabgrass and other invasive species.

Regularly mowing and manually removing weeds when they first appear can help prevent them from spreading. By staying on top of weed control, you can ensure your grass has the space and nutrients it needs to thrive, keeping your lawn looking its best.

How Do I Remove a Foreign or Invading Grass Type from My Lawn?

Dealing with foreign or invading grass types in your lawn can be frustrating, as they often disrupt the uniformity of your lawn and compete with your existing grass for water and nutrients. To address this issue, a targeted approach is essential.

For small areas, spot treatments using a selective herbicide can effectively remove the invading grass without harming the rest of your lawn. This method allows you to target problem areas while preserving the health of your existing grass. Alternatively, for larger areas, you may need to manually remove the invading grass by digging it up from your entire lawn, ensuring that you remove the roots to prevent regrowth.

Improving the health of your lawn can also help crowd out unwanted grasses. Using a core aerator to aerate the soil can enhance root development, allowing your existing grass to thrive and fill in bare patches. Aeration encourages stronger root systems and improves water and nutrient absorption, making your lawn resilient to invading species.

My Lawn is Thin and Patchy, What Should I Do?

A thin, patchy lawn can indicate poor soil health, compaction, or insufficient grass coverage. Luckily, there are effective solutions to help your lawn recover and thrive. If you’ve recently installed a new lawn, following a consistent watering and fertilising schedule will ensure it establishes strong roots and stays healthy.

One of the best methods to restore a patchy lawn is overseeding. By spreading grass seed over the lawn, you can encourage new growth to fill the bare spots. Be sure to choose a seed suitable for your lawn type, whether cool-season grasses like tall fescue or Bermuda grass for warmer climates.

In addition to overseeding, improving soil quality is crucial for promoting strong grass growth. A core aerator to reduce soil compaction allows air, water, and nutrients to reach the grassroots, improving overall health and encouraging thicker growth.

Regular lawn maintenance, such as watering, fertilising, and mowing at the correct height, will also help prevent future thinning and keep your lawn lush and vibrant year-round.

General Lawn Care Tips to Keep Your Lawn Healthy

Maintaining a healthy lawn involves more than just mowing and watering. To achieve long-lasting results, it’s important to pay attention to soil health, practice regular maintenance, and make seasonal adjustments to meet the needs of your grass. Below are some essential lawn care tips that apply to most lawns, ensuring they stay green and vibrant throughout the year.

Regular Mowing for a Well-Maintained Lawn

Regularly mowing your lawn is key to keeping it in top condition. Adjust your lawn mower height depending on the season and grass type. For instance, it's best to keep the grass slightly longer in cooler months to help it retain moisture. Avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass height at a time, as this can stress the grass and lead to thinning. 

Regular mowing promotes healthy grass growth and helps control weed growth. Leaving grass clippings on your lawn after mowing can help return valuable nutrients to the soil, reducing the need for additional fertiliser and promoting healthy growth.

Soil Health and Testing

A healthy lawn starts with healthy soil. Conducting a soil test will give you a clear idea of your soil’s nutrient levels and pH balance, helping you determine what your lawn needs to thrive. You can adjust your fertilising and watering schedules to promote deeper grassroots and stronger growth based on the results. If your soil lacks key nutrients, applying the right fertiliser will give your lawn the boost it needs.

Aeration and Thatch Removal

Aerating your lawn once or twice a year is essential for improving soil health. A core aerator helps relieve soil compaction, allowing air, water, and nutrients to penetrate deep into the soil. This encourages stronger root development and better water retention, leading to a healthier lawn. Additionally, removing excess thatch—a layer of dead grass and organic matter—will prevent it from choking your lawn and promote better airflow to the grass blades.

Watering Techniques for Optimal Growth

Watering at the right time is as important as how much you water. The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is lower and evaporation is minimal. This allows the water to soak into the soil, reaching the grassroots without being wasted. Overwatering can lead to lawn problems like fungal growth and dead grass, so it’s important to water only when necessary, ensuring your lawn stays hydrated but not soggy.

Common Lawn Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with the best intentions, many lawn owners make mistakes that can negatively impact the health of their grass. To help you avoid these common pitfalls, here are the most frequent lawn care mistakes and how to prevent them.

Over-Fertilising

While fertilising is crucial for a healthy lawn, applying too much can do more harm than good. Over-fertilising can lead to bare patches, yellowing, and even grass burning. Excess fertiliser can also cause runoff, wasting nutrients and potentially harming the environment. To avoid this, always stick to the recommended application rates based on your grass type and apply fertiliser at the correct times of the year, such as early spring or early fall.

Ignoring Weed Control

If left unchecked, weeds can quickly overrun a lawn. Ignoring weeds, especially in their early stages, allows them to spread and compete with your grass for water and nutrients. To stay ahead of the problem, use weed control products during spring and fall, which are ideal times to prevent weed growth. Early treatment is key to keeping your lawn weed-free and healthy.

Skipping Regular Maintenance

Maintaining a healthy lawn requires consistent care, including regular mowing, watering, and fertilising. Skipping these tasks can lead to lawn damage, thinning, and poor growth. For example, irregular mowing can stress the grass, while insufficient watering may cause the grass to dry and become patchy. Following a regular lawn care schedule will ensure that your lawn stays green, lush, and in top condition year-round.

When to Consider Professional Lawn Care Services

While many lawn issues can be managed with the right products and maintenance, some problems may require the help of professional lawn care services. If you’re dealing with extensive lawn damage, persistent weed problems, or lack the time for regular upkeep, a lawn care professional can provide customised treatments and expert advice to restore your lawn to its full potential.

Achieve a Healthy, Beautiful Lawn by Following Expert Advice

By addressing these common lawn care questions and following the expert tips outlined in this blog, you can take the guesswork out of maintaining a healthy lawn. From selecting the right weed and feed to mastering the art of fertilising and preventing common mistakes, these insights will help you achieve a thriving, green lawn that you can be proud of. With a little regular care and the right products, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a beautiful, well-maintained lawn year-round.

For more lawn care tips, expert advice, and high-quality turf solutions, explore the range of products available at Lilydale Instant Lawn to give your lawn the best chance to thrive.