5 Tips for a Greener Lawn

8 am. You wake up slowly, open your window, take a deep breath, open your eyes and… face disaster. Your lawn is yellowish, dry, sparse: in a word, pitiful, and its condition brings tears to your eyes.

You can, of course, reassure yourself by invoking ecology: studies have proven that mowing your lawn for one hour is equivalent to driving 1,300 km with a middle-class car in terms of pollutant emissions. So you are doing something for the environment by not maintaining your lawn? Why not? In this case, we can only advise you to invest in a herd of sheep that will do the work instead of your mower.

Otherwise, here are our tips for keeping your lawn looking great.

1. Mowing the lawn

While it is necessary to treat your lawn when it is damaged, it is even better to prevent it from becoming damaged. To do this, regular maintenance is necessary.

The first step to avoid a yellow lawn: is mowing. It allows the grass to grow better and strengthen itself. For this operation to be effective:

    – Mow at least once a week, or even every 4-5 days if you have the time.

    – You should mow your lawn throughout its growing season, which is when it is actively growing. This period extends from February-March to October-November and can be more or less long depending on the region and the climate.

Beware, your lawn will take on a yellow tint if the sharpness of your mower blade is poor:

    – Poorly sharpened, the blade cuts unevenly, even ripping off some blades of grass. This degrades the leaves and causes yellowing, aggravated when the weather is arid.

    – To remedy this, sharpen your blade, then continue mowing regularly. The grass should gradually regain its colour.

2. Fertilizing the lawn

For a lively turf, you need to nourish it with careful fertilization.

This is an essential step in ensuring the quality of your lawn, as the top layer of soil (which contains the roots) must be regularly replenished with nutrients.

Fertilize your lawn in two stages:

    – in February if you live in a warm region, in March if you live in a cold region: this first fertilization will give a very green colour to your lawn ;

    – then, in the fall, between mid-September and mid-October: this fertilization will allow the stems and roots of your lawn to grow solidly.

Note: It is best to fertilize your lawn when it is wet. Moist soil will absorb the fertilizer much better than dry soil.

3. Watering your lawn

Water your lawn regularly:

    – This is best done in the late afternoon or even at night if you have an automatic watering system. At these times of the day, evaporation is less critical, and water penetrates better into the soil.

    – Don’t space out watering too much. It is recommended to water once a week with large quantities of water, about 5 L per m². This will keep the soil moist and the roots longer, making the grass more resistant.

4. Aeration of the lawn

Aerate the soil. This prevents the soil from settling, which can suffocate the lawn. To do this, you can:

    – Run an aerator roller:

        ◦ It is bristling with spikes that sink into the soil, making small holes in it that allow it to receive air better.

        ◦ This roller is handy if you have a large lawn area. It saves time and saves you unnecessary effort.

    – Use aerator pads to attach to your shoes:

        ◦ Equipped with spikes, they allow you to aerate your lawn simply by walking.

        ◦ These skates are instead reserved for small surfaces.

5. Scarification of the lawn

Scarification is to remove the dead grass stagnant on the ground (also called thatch) to rejuvenate the lawn:

    – To perform this operation, you will need a scarifier:

        ◦ electric for large areas;

        ◦ manual for smaller areas.

    – This tool with teeth detaches from the ground the dead parts of the lawn that choke the living leaves.

    – A single operation per year is sufficient. Its use is useless for the first 2 or 3 years.

    – After that, it is necessary to use a rake to collect the waste.

Our following articles will give you even more tips for a greener lawn than the neighbours! Stay tuned!