It’s no secret that beautifully kept gardens will lift your spirits even on the dullest of winter days. With little to no sunlight and lower mud temperatures, lawns grow slower and lose their rich green colour. Luckily, Sydney’s climate isn’t like the northern hemisphere where gardens are covered in beds of snow and literally shut off − a few easy ideas prior to the onset of winter will ensure that you maintain a stunning lawn − even when the skies are grey.
Aerate The Lawn
To maintain a well-moisturised lawn, you will need to aerate it to let moisture into the soil. Aeration helps to loosen the soil by piercing small holes into it to allow water, oxygen and nutrients to breach through the roots of the grass − helping the roots to penetrate better into the soil for vigorous and robust lawn growth. The aerating action stimulates root growth more easily during the colder months.
Reduce The Amount of Water
Keep in mind that when air and soil temperatures fall, excess water can increase the occurrence of rotting turfs, shallower roots and plant diseases. Watering prudently ensures that your lawn remains well cared for − and you save a little extra on your water bills! Bonus!
Increase the Height of Mowing
Grass grows slowly during winter, so you may want to increase the height of cutting the grass to avoid causing damage to it. Generally, in winter, you may want to mow your lawn just once every month – this can change depending on how quickly the grass grows. Most experts recommend a height between two to three inches. Don’t let your grass grow too long because it can look unkempt and shabby.
Don’t Forget to Fertilise
Many homeowners make the mistake of ignoring their lawns during the onset of winter, but they live to regret it when they have additional work to do on their lawns during the warmer months. While lawn productivity reduces during the cold spell, nutrients are always a necessity. Specialised winter fertilisers are available to protect your lawns – May is the perfect time to use them, just before winter kicks in. Winter fertilisers tend to have higher levels of iron, which maintains the good health of lawns in winter. Keep in mind that the fertiliser should also contain potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.
Prune Trees and Shrubs Before Winter
Winter presents a lack of direct sunlight, which affects the growth of your lawn. Thick shrubs, bushes and trees will reduce whatever little sunlight is available. All you need to do is to prune your bushes, shrubs and trees just before winter – so that your lawn is not blocked from sunlight – allowing it to grow better even when it’s cold.
Preparing your lawn before winter ensures that the dull winter months will not affect your lawn growth too much – so that you can enjoy a beautifully manicured lawn all round the year – increasing the aesthetical (and monetary) value of your property drastically