When it comes to taking care of your lawn, you want to ensure you’re following the right practices. By making the right care choices for your grass, you are increasing your chances of a performing lawn that not only looks good but is healthy too.
But did you know, not all lawn care practices are necessarily good? In fact, some of the amateur care practices circulating can go against the good of your lawn, rather than support it.
At J&B Buffalo Turf Supplies, we have years of experience in the industry under our belt. This means through our time of supplying quality turf supplies; we’ve come to distinguish the bad lawn practices from the good.
While there are some failed practices out there, we can help steer you in the right direction.
To get a healthy, vibrant lawn, read below about the lawn care practices you should AVOID.
Cutting your lawn too short
Are you chasing a manicured lawn with short, levelled grass? If you are trying to replicate a bowling green in your backyard, cutting your grass short may seem like a bright idea. But, before you get carried away in trying to achieve the same aesthetic, we beg you to reconsider!
While the appearance may seem appealing, cutting your grass as short as possible will do more harm than it does good.
Being too short dries out your lawn and forces it to struggle in bouts of full sun and drought. Additionally, short grass is more vulnerable to weeds.
We recommend you refrain from cutting your grass any lower than a third of its total length. By doing this, you can keep a lovely, neat aesthetic without putting your lawn in danger.
Mowing your lawn with a blunt blade
A big mistake many lawn owners can make is neglecting their lawnmower.
Not checking or paying attention to the blade of a lawnmower can result in the use of a blunt blade. The practice of mowing the lawn with a blunt blade is something that should be avoided! It may adjust and alter the height of your grass and cause damage as well.
The blunt blade tears at the grass instead of cutting it, causing it to look shredded and even discoloured.
To avoid mowing with a blunt blade, we recommend checking the condition of your mower blades whether they are sharp, needs replacement or have simple cleaning maintenance. This will provide you with a much more efficient and healthier mow.
Overwatering your lawn
We all know that grass requires a healthy amount of water to grow and survive. Not only does it keep the soil moist, but it refrains the roots from drying out and eventually wilting.
But did you know too much water can actually work against your lawn? By overwatering your lawn, your grass can turn brown and die out. Plus, it can also encourage weed growth! Not to mention, it is a waste of water.
To avoid overwatering your grass, you must consider the weather, season and any water restrictions.
As a standard rule, your lawn should only really require an inch of water each week to maintain regular health. However, this may change as hot, dry weather can require more water and rainy, cloudy days may need little attention.
Overfeeding your lawn with fertiliser
Just like water, feeding your lawn with fertiliser is an essential element in your seasonal lawn care.
Fertiliser acts as food for your turf, meaning you need just the right balance for it to perform well. This is why you mustn’t overfeed your lawn.
Too much fertiliser will not help your grass. By overfeeding it, you are giving it an overload of the salts that make up the fertiliser, causing a build-up. This will deter your turf from absorbing water, burning out the grass as a consequence.
To avoid this, we recommend you get into a regular fertilising routine.
This includes applying for no more than an application every six weeks. Follow the recommended amount as stated on the label instructions.
Using your grass too much without care
If anybody knows how appealing grass is, it is us!
As one of the leading buffalo turf suppliers in Sydney, we understand the appeal, but we also understand that heavy foot traffic can be overwhelming on the grass itself.
This is why it is vital to allow your turf time to recover from heavy use.
In high-traffic areas, where the grass is often worn out by foot traffic or vehicles, you must remember that your grass needs a break, just like you! This means giving it some care to relieve any significant soil compaction that may have been caused by excessive day-to-day use.
When grass shows signs of heavy wear, it is recommended you aerate your lawn and close it off from use. This is important to do every so often to give the soil room to breathe, allowing nutrients and water to penetrate the roots.
After doing this, block it off from traffic, so your grass has time to recover and jump back to its peak.
Now that you know the lawn practices you should avoid, it is time to order your grass!
At J&B Buffalo Turf Supplies, we offer popular turf varieties at great prices, including Sir Walter, Sir Grange and TifTuf.
Plus, we have an excellent turf care section on our website, giving our customers a guide they can refer to once they’ve installed their new turf.
For more about our services and great prices, visit our website or give us a call on 1800 668 786.
