Get rid of the bumps and patches of your winter lawn
Spring is here, and even though it feels like the winter never happened, our lawns might be telling a different story.
Storytime: I am easily bored.
When I was six, I met a friend of my father who worked at a cement factory. I asked, politely, what he did for a living, and as he started to explain his job at the cement factory, I apparently turned to him, and in my best formal English said: “Oh dear, this is going to be boring so I’m going to leave now.” (Today I cringe when my mom tells this story, but apparently the guy laughed and agreed that his job really was mind numbingly boring.)
Well. I am a much less rude grownup now but I still get bored. This usually means that I end up not finishing DIY projects and I have, for the past 5 years, since moving into a house with a lawn, refused to do any form of research on lawn care. People think I’m very eco-conscious with my meadow-lawn, but really, it’s because figuring out the nutritional needs of my lawn felt like listening to the cement factory guy.
That was, until the little human I share my home with started playing hockey.
According to the up-and-coming hockey star, our bumpy, meadowy lawn just won’t do for honing his skills…So to save myself from the torture of afternoons spent on school pavilions, I decided to create a smooth, green and playable patch of lawn in the comfort of my own back yard. For the kid, you know.
I started reading about the rules and rations of lawn care, and instead of being boring, I realised it’s actually rather technical and cool.
The things I can see working in my backyard are straightforward:
Aeration
This is an important part of lawn management that no one told me about. Aeration is the process of “spiking” your lawn with a garden fork (if you have the time and energy), spikey lawn aeration shoes, or a custom-made aerator. By poking holes through the top growth, and opening up the root system to oxygen, water and fertiliser, a well aerated lawn will have a denser and deeper root system. This will benefit the growth, water retention and coverage provided by the grass.
Aeration is also an import step in levelling a bumpy lawn. (Better for hockey)
Over Seeding.
I enjoy over seeding because I get to live out my most “homesteady” fantasies of feeding a flock of geese and chickens. Over seeding is the practice of literally spreading new grass seeds over existing parts of your lawn that might be a bit patchy. The easiest way to do this is to prepare your lawn by hydrating (aeration is easier on a moist lawn) aerating, dethatching if its necessary, and finally spreading the appropriate kind of seed for your specific growing conditions over any patches that could do with some extra growth. It is best to water your lawn again after seeding to allow the seeds to migrate into the soil, and if you have the manpower, get a whole hockey team of kids to do their best dino-stomp impression on the over seeded patch.
Fertilising (and watering)
I know we live in an often drought-stricken country, and it is wasteful/ecologically unsound to water a lawn with perfectly clean drinking water, but the truth is – green, sports-ready lawns require some watering in spring to carry them until the rain comes. There are many innovative solutions to get a rainwater harvesting system up and running or even just make use of your own grey water. Whatever makes your lawn moist and your heart happy.
Sprinkle the magic!
To help my lawn make the most of the water I give it, I like to fertilize it with a basic all purpose lawn fertiliser and then turn on the sprinklers until all the little fertiliser pellets have dissolved. No, this isn’t very scientific, precise or technical, but it works.
I have been caring for my lawn for a season now, and these three basic things have been a game changer.
Do it for yourself!
Whether you have a budding hockey player who craves astro turf levels of lawn perfection, or you simply want a picnic spot without patches or bumps, spending some time on your lawn NOW can give you the perfect excuse to spend more time outdoors this summer.
How to Aerate Your Lawn for Healthy, Green Grass
Aeration and overseeding mistakes to avoid
Make your neighbours GREEN with envy (South African lawncare advice.)
