How to Prepare Your Lawn for Maximum Growth and Lushness

If you have been to an abattoir or a farm, you will find that all animals raised for commercial purposes have one thing in common: they undergo a fattening phase. This fattening phase is what makes them ready for the market and makes them a buyer’s choice. So, what does this have to do with preparing your lawn?

Everything! Like every natural process, there is a time for “fattening”; and to get the best from your lawn, you should “fatten” the soil in preparation for the next 1 year. Lawns are best prepared in the fall when the weather is quite clement and nothing really interferes with the processes in the soil.

Now that you know this, how do you go about “fattening” your lawn?

1. Get Rid of the Thatch

Getting rid of the thatch is usually the first step to getting your lawn ready. In case you are wondering, thatch is the brown build up caused by dead grass stems and crowns. Usually, this isn’t noticeable until you look closely at the grass.

Please note that thatch in itself is good as it helps the soil stay moist and acts as mulch. But as with all things, too much of it is bad for your lawn. So, when should you do this? When it is about 5mm thick. You can do this using a ground rake and hand cultivator. If the turf is wide and you want to save time, get a dethatcher that can be fitted to the mower.

2. Add Fertilizer

This is the feeding stage. All you have to do is add some fertilizer. If you want the best results, you will need to do these four times a year. But if not, concentrating on “feeding” your soil during autumn is the best option, this is because lawn grasses concentrate more on root growth in autumn than on leaf growth.

You can be sure that if the root is healthy, chances are that the grass leaves will also be healthy. Look specifically for fertilisers used before winter –some call it “winterisers”. These are fertilisers that are primed to help facilitate good growth and help sustain the grass through the harsh period of winter.

If you prefer organic fertilisers, you could easily spread 2mm of compost on the lawn or other organic alternatives.

3. Aerate the Soil and Eliminate Weeds

Aerating the soil is best during the fall. So, in addition to dethatching and adding fertilizer, aerate the soil. You can do this by getting an aerator that you will attach to your mower. If the lawn is hilly or tough, you can use a core aerator machine. These help bite up small chunks of soil, thus loosening the soil in compacted regions and providing the required free flow of air.

Also, get rid of the weeds during this period too. You can do this by applying herbicides if the weeds are extensive. However, if they are concentrated in a small area, you can weed them out using your hands.

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