Nice Warm Temperatures

After thinking that summer was never going to happen things finally seem like they’ve kicked off. Nice warm temperatures without too many scorching days. After a wet start to the growing season we haven’t had much rain recently apart from some isolated storms. The dry South Australian climate can be challenging to keep your lawn green and healthy but it is possible.

Taking a look at your watering process is a good place to start. Water early in the morning if possible so your lawn has a chance to absorb as much water as it can without evaporation. If you are able, a good soak 2-3 times per week is much better than watering more frequently for shorter times. Having more water less often encourages your turf to grow longer roots which then makes it more tolerant to heat and will be less susceptible to disease and weeds.

If you are watering and the water pools on the lawn surface, you might have compacted soil. This can be improved by aerating your soil which can be done by yourself with a pitchfork. If you have a big lawn area that needs aerating, we can provide this service for you as our aerating machine allows us to get this done quickly and effectively. Aerating breaks up the soil and allows the water and fertiliser to penetrate to the roots of your lawn where it is needed, once again helping your lawn to be healthier. You can also consider adding a lawn wetting agent to help the water absorb more readily and keep your lawn healthier.

Lawn mowing is an important job over summer as well. We recommend mowing more frequently but adjusting your mower height so that not as much of the grass blade is removed. Yes, we know that having to mow more often isn’t often fun but during the hot, dry Adelaide summer there is already plenty of stress placed on our turf. Unfortunately, cutting off more than a third of the blade can result in strain being put on your lawn. Having a sharp mower blade also helps as it causes less injury to your lawn. The good news is though that if you stick to the one third rule, you don’t necessarily need to collect your lawn clippings! Provided your lawn is well watered, the clippings will quickly break down putting valuable nutrients back into your lawn.

As always, the Instant Lawn Adelaide team are on hand to help with new installations, a regular maintenance schedule or a one off specialised service. For more information, give the team a call