Tips on improving your lawns
May 15, 2009
Your home should always maintain the sparkle it gets at construction. One way of ensuring that is by working on the lawn. The lawn, as an important aspect of exterior design, should portray elegance.
By Oyet Okwera
Your home should always maintain the sparkle it gets at construction. One way of ensuring that is by working on the lawn. The lawn, as an important aspect of exterior design, should portray elegance.
According to an article by Nikki Phipps, at www.gardeningknowhow.com, it is important to keep the lawn attractive while cutting down on its overall maintenance. Phipps says a lawn is basically a welcome mat because it is the first thing people notice as they drive towards your home.
Matthew Malinga, an exterior designer based in Ntinda, a Kampala surburb, says a splendid exterior design speaks positively of the interior design. He says like the way most people fuss about the interior of the house, they should also look at exterior as an important aspect in home decoration.
Easy to care
According to Phipps, a lawn should be easy to care for and should present no difficulty in mowing. It should ensure that all chores associated with lawn maintenance are not time consuming. He advises that these tasks should be implemented by edging around the beds, walkways and foundations, among others.
Edging lawns
An attractive edge, according to Phipps, can be constructed with paving stones or brick. This kind of edging will automatically reduce the requirement for hand trimming. Steel, aluminum and plastic edgings are attractive and readily available alternatives as well.
Edging can also save on lawn maintenance by keeping mulch in and grass out.
Trimming a lawn
A good lawn requires mowing no more than once every two weeks. Rather than giving your lawn a close trim each week, it is advisable to let it grow a little. This will help the lawn by allowing it to shade out weeds and develop stronger root system. Removing no more than a third of its overall length at a time may be helpful as well.
It is also imperative for one to mow only when the grass has become dry and mowing should be done using a sharp mower blade to make cleaner cuts. When one attempts to mow wet grass, fungus or insects will spread and the mower blade will also be dulled.
Reseeding the lawn
Phipps further advises that a well-manucured lawn should not contain bare spots or patchy areas where grass will not grow. Should a bare area should develop, don’t leave it open to weed inversion. Instead, reseed the area as soon as possible or turn it into a flower bed. If your lawn has significant shady areas that make growing grass difficult, consider using shade-loving grasses or incorporate a shade garden. You can also reduce the amount of shade by removing the lower branches of trees that might be causing this shade.
“Weeds and wild grasses should not be present in the well-manicured lawn and dandelions popping up throughout the lawn are a tell-tale sign that this is occurring,†writes Phipps.
Fertilising
Even if you are committed to having a low-maintenance lawn, you will need to fertilise it with nitrogen to sustain a thick, lawn. In addition to nitrogen, your lawn may require doses of phosphorous and potassium as well. Depending on where you live, your soils may naturally contain sufficient levels of these elements.
When choosing fertilisers, Phipps advises, people should look for the slow-release forms. He recommends it because with it, you reduce the amount of time you spend feeding the lawn.
Leaving clippings where they fall not only saves on maintenance, but it also reduces the need to fertilise. Grass clippings naturally add nitrogen to the soil as they decompose and also help conserve soil moisture. This is also a great alternative to using chemical fertilisers. A healthy, well-fed lawn will resist the attacks of pests and diseases as well as crowd out weeds.
Your home should always maintain the sparkle it gets at construction. One way of ensuring that is by working on the lawn. The lawn, as an important aspect of exterior design, should portray elegance.
According to an article by Nikki Phipps, at www.gardeningknowhow.com, it is important to keep the lawn attractive while cutting down on its overall maintenance. Phipps says a lawn is basically a welcome mat because it is the first thing people notice as they drive towards your home.
Matthew Malinga, an exterior designer based in Ntinda, a Kampala surburb, says a splendid exterior design speaks positively of the interior design. He says like the way most people fuss about the interior of the house, they should also look at exterior as an important aspect in home decoration.
Easy to care
According to Phipps, a lawn should be easy to care for and should present no difficulty in mowing. It should ensure that all chores associated with lawn maintenance are not time consuming. He advises that these tasks should be implemented by edging around the beds, walkways and foundations, among others.
Edging lawns
An attractive edge, according to Phipps, can be constructed with paving stones or brick. This kind of edging will automatically reduce the requirement for hand trimming. Steel, aluminum and plastic edgings are attractive and readily available alternatives as well.
Edging can also save on lawn maintenance by keeping mulch in and grass out.
Trimming a lawn
A good lawn requires mowing no more than once every two weeks. Rather than giving your lawn a close trim each week, it is advisable to let it grow a little. This will help the lawn by allowing it to shade out weeds and develop stronger root system. Removing no more than a third of its overall length at a time may be helpful as well.
It is also imperative for one to mow only when the grass has become dry and mowing should be done using a sharp mower blade to make cleaner cuts. When one attempts to mow wet grass, fungus or insects will spread and the mower blade will also be dulled.
Reseeding the lawn
Phipps further advises that a well-manucured lawn should not contain bare spots or patchy areas where grass will not grow. Should a bare area should develop, don’t leave it open to weed inversion. Instead, reseed the area as soon as possible or turn it into a flower bed. If your lawn has significant shady areas that make growing grass difficult, consider using shade-loving grasses or incorporate a shade garden. You can also reduce the amount of shade by removing the lower branches of trees that might be causing this shade.
“Weeds and wild grasses should not be present in the well-manicured lawn and dandelions popping up throughout the lawn are a tell-tale sign that this is occurring,†writes Phipps.
Fertilising
Even if you are committed to having a low-maintenance lawn, you will need to fertilise it with nitrogen to sustain a thick, lawn. In addition to nitrogen, your lawn may require doses of phosphorous and potassium as well. Depending on where you live, your soils may naturally contain sufficient levels of these elements.
When choosing fertilisers, Phipps advises, people should look for the slow-release forms. He recommends it because with it, you reduce the amount of time you spend feeding the lawn.
Leaving clippings where they fall not only saves on maintenance, but it also reduces the need to fertilise. Grass clippings naturally add nitrogen to the soil as they decompose and also help conserve soil moisture. This is also a great alternative to using chemical fertilisers. A healthy, well-fed lawn will resist the attacks of pests and diseases as well as crowd out weeds.