Three Simple Habits for a Healthier Lawn

The Three Habits to Build

Work through each of these and you'll cover the basics that keep any warm-season lawn in top shape.

• Mow little and often The single best mowing rule to follow is the one-third rule: never cut away more than one-third of the leaf blade in a single mow. Letting the grass get long and then scalping it back stresses the plant and thins coverage over time. Mow more frequently and take less off each time, and your lawn will grow thicker and recover much faster from kids, pets and general foot traffic.
• Feed three times a year Your lawn needs a steady supply of nutrients to hold its colour and strength across the seasons. A straightforward schedule is to apply a quality granular fertiliser around the start of October, again in mid-January, and once more at the start of April. Those three applications keep the grass well fed through the growing season and help it carry some reserves into the cooler months.
• Pull small weeds by hand If you only have a handful of weeds, hand removal is quick and effective. The key is to get the whole plant out, roots and all, so it can't reshoot. Do this while weeds are young and you'll spend far less time on it than if you let them establish.
• Use a selective herbicide for larger weed outbreaks When broadleaf weeds have spread across a bigger area, a selective herbicide is the most practical solution. Products designed for broadleaf weeds will target the problem without harming your turf, as long as you follow the application rates on the label carefully. Always read the directions before you spray.
• Get ahead of weeds with a pre-emergent Pre-emergent herbicides stop weed seeds germinating in the first place, which means far less hand-pulling and spraying later. Applied at the right time of year, they can protect your lawn from common nuisances like oxalis, bindii, clover, summer grass and winter grass.
• Protect against grubs preventatively Lawn grubs can do serious damage before you even notice them. A preventative insecticide applied once can provide up to six months of protection, keeping grub populations under control before they get a chance to chew through your root zone.