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Lawn care calendar

September • As a general guide, don’t cut your lawn January


March
• March is an ideal time to sow a new lawn
or lay instant turf.
• Grass growth slows as the weather
starts to cool, so lift your mower blades.
• Avoid watering the lawn in the evening
sulphate of ammonia and thirty parts of
sand. A good handful per square metre is a
suitable application rate.
• Hydrocotle needs to be treated with
Yates Hydrocotle killer.
BOSTON
GREEN
LEISURE LAWN
• Lawns burst into growth in early spring, shorter than 3–4cm. • Go to the beach! But install an irrigation at this time of the year as days are often June a premium brand which is
which means you’ll need to mow weekly, • A well-fed lawn can survive considerable system first. If you want to maintain a warm and humid, while night temperatures • Clear up the last autumn leaves and affordable to everyone
unless your climate is still frosty or very wet. drought and, even if it does go brown, it will perfect lawn in summer, you’ll need to are sharply declining. Grass that remains then heave a sigh of relief! and suitable to sow
• If you’ve planted spring-flowering bulbs quickly regenerate when it rains again. water it at least three times a week and wet overnight is more susceptible to fungal • Mow only on dry or sunny days.
throughout the country
in your lawn, mow around them for the next • Mow with a catcher or rake your lawn to mow it twice a week. attack. Water in sulphate of ammonia or • Identify problems with overhanging trees
six weeks. This allows the dying foliage to prevent grass clippings rotting in large • Trim the edges to keep your lawn several handfuls of lime per square metre and perennials – these can cause unsightly
replenish the bulbs for next year. clumps on the surface of your lawn. looking good. to help your lawn resist fungal diseases. bare patches that can persist for several AVAILABLE AT YOUR
• Feed your lawn. Feeding helps it to stay • Repair any bald patches now, before • If red thread appears, a boost with seasons. Thin out tree branches to allow FAVOURITE GARDEN OUTLET!
greener for longer in summer and builds the weather dries out. You can buy patch fertiliser will sometimes get rid of the April more light to reach the grass. If lawns have
strength so fine grasses can withstand packs of grass seed from garden centres. symptoms. Adding fertiliser will make the • Rake up tree leaves as they start to fall. to compete for food in the company of large
disease. Use a slow-release fertiliser for the • Deal to lawn weeds now. If you don’t grass grow more, so you will also need to Fallen leaves, if left in soggy piles, can cause tree roots, they won’t survive. Consider
best results – these are balanced to give an want to use chemical means, you’ll have to mow it more often. serious damage to fine lawns. resowing with a tougher, seed mix such as
even feed and sustain your lawn for longer. dig them out using a sharp knife. • Feed your lawn to strengthen it ahead Yates Lush Sun ‘n’ Shade, Tui Shady Places
• A little fertiliser is better than a lot. If February of winter. or Burnet’s Sun & Shade Easy Lawn.
you’re using a nitrogen-rich lawn booster, December • Need to fix worn or thin patches of • It’s not too late to repair or sow lawns
make sure it’s watered in well or it can burn • Mow, mow, mow. At Prebble Seeds in grass? Sow seed now (or later in autumn if but don’t leave it any longer. Buy a roll of July
your lawn, resulting in bald patches. Christchurch, their Lush Lawn instant turf is your climate is dry). Lightly fork the soil instant turf to repair worn or thin areas, • Your climate will dictate your lawn care
sometimes mown daily during the height of before any bare patches are re-seeded. or scatter grass seed over bare patches. requirements. Don’t mow wet or frosty
October the growing season. • Deal with weeds before they set seed. lawns as this tends to mash individual grass
• Regular mowing is essential. As the • To keep lawns green in summer, soak McGregor’s Weed Out for Lawns controls May blades, rather than cutting them cleanly.
weather gets warmer, your lawn will grow well at least three times a week. broad-leaf weeds and prickles without • In late autumn, the main task is raking • Don’t walk on frosty or waterlogged
rapidly. For a perfect lawn, mow at least • Watch out for Porina moth and grass harming the grass. leaves. A build-up of leaves will soon kill lawns as this can leave ugly marks that take
twice a week and remove the clippings grub damage. Each egg the moth lays is • Thatch can be a problem in fine lawns large areas of grass, leaving them bare and months to recover.
(these attract earthworms and encourage programmed to become a destructive when a layer of fibrous material forms desolate until mid-spring.
fungal disease). lawn-devouring grub. Emerging from their between the green leaves and the soil. • As lawn growth slows, a fortnightly August
• If your lawn is still very wet, identify burrows in mid December, these grubs can Thatch makes grass roots vulnerable to mow may be all your lawn requires. • Weed control can begin with the first
drainage problems. Use a corer to open up destroy large areas of lawn. drought, but it can also act like a sponge, • Moss can be treated with a moss killer. sign of spring growth. When a lawn is
the soil and add sand to improve drainage. • Diazanon prills (grains) are an effective keeping the soil saturated and encouraging Moss and the fine-leafed weed hydrocotle healthy, most weeds simply can’t compete.
• Late October is the best time to give deterrent against grass grubs and porina disease. Rake at least once a month to can become a problem in shady or wet • Regular mowing is one way to keep the
your lawn an extra feed of slow release but they are also toxic to animals and break up this layer. Top-dressing your lawn lawns. Mowing too close can also cause weeds away; weedkillers are another.
fertiliser to strengthen it ahead of summer. humans and should be used with care. with coarse sand, or a sand and soil mix, this problem. Removing moss is difficult Never spray on a windy day and make sure
Neem granules can also offer protection. can also help. but, if you don’t want to use a moss killer, pets and children are kept away from your
November • Red thread is a fungal growth that can • Brown patch or fusarium disease is raking heavily to remove moss and lawn during and after spraying. Wear gloves
• Lift your mower blades up a notch or invade lawns in mid-summer. If you spot most prevalent in warm, moist weather. increase light and air flow helps. A simple and a mask and carefully wash hands and all
two. Lawns that are cut too close will burn
and be hard to re-establish before autumn.
a mat of red and brown threads, spray with
Thiram and Bravo.
Treat with a fungicide. Moss killers will also
control mild attacks of this disease.
moss killer can be made by mixing one part
of sulphate of iron with three parts of
equipment immediately after use. Always
store weedkillers in a locked cupboard.
CREATE A LAWN
FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE

BURNET’S
“The Ultimate Lawn Series”
PO Box 58-510, Auckland. Email:
prebauck@prebbleseeds.co.nz
PO Box 11-186, Christchurch. Email:
prebchch@prebbleseeds.co.nz
www.prebbleseeds.co.nz
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