10 ways to maintain a beautiful lawn

To look lush and green, lawns require regular maintenance. Here are some simple tips to help keep your lawn looking great all summer.

1. In a cold climate, plant grasses that form deep-rooted clumps, such as tall fescue, as they can withstand periods with low rainfall.
2. When establishing a lawn, water well to ensure the grass puts down a strong root system. Once it is growing well, it can be left to survive on minimal water.
3. Cutting the grass too short weakens it, slows the growth, makes it less drought-tolerant and more susceptible to attack by various pests and diseases. Try to keep your grass about three centimetres high.
4. Don't mow during very hot or very wet weather.
5. Take the catcher off the mower, or use a mulching mower, in order to leave the grass clippings on the lawn. The clippings break down, returning nutrients to the grass.
6. Hold off fertilizing lawns until good rains fall. Lawns that are fertilized regularly require more water to support lush growth.
7. For an economical lawn food, use chicken manure pellets. Apply in spring or autumn when the lawn is growing, after rain. Water in well.
8. To even up the surface of your lawn, use river sand as an economical top dressing. Spread the sand with a lawn leveller so the grass is still visible. Water well.
9. Aerate the grass to reduce weeds, help prevent compaction and improve drainage and water penetration. Use a garden fork or rent a power aerator from an equipment rental company.
10. To discourage lawn weeds that prefer acidic soils, spread garden lime, which is alkaline, over the grass. Water in well. The optimum pH for lawns is 5.5 to 7.5.

If you decide to grow a lawn, you can save water by learning which grasses do best in your area and climate and how to look after them.