How To Prepare Your Lawn For Summer

The hottest months of the year are known to take their toll on even the most tolerant of plants, let alone the lawn – but what can you do to keep it in shape?

Depending on where you live in Australia, the arrival of summer can mean different things. For some parts of the country, there’s a tap in the sky that is essentially turned on for at least three months, while for others, this season means endless days at the beach in an effort to keep the kids occupied during school holidays. 

In turn, summer garden care requirements also vary, as your local climate will have an enormous influence on how it reacts to the weather changes. An example of this in real world terms is that some lawns may be scorched bone-dry, some receive a lack of sunlight thanks to cloudy conditions, some remain underwater thanks to too much rain, or some even receive a combination of all three. 

Either way, getting your lawn appropriately prepared for summer is something that all homeowners need to think about, and there’s no better time to get started than now – but what seasonal considerations apply?

Five Tips On Getting Your Lawn Ready For Summer

Understandably, preparing a lawn for spring gets a lot of hype in gardening circles as winter has a well earned reputation for being a bit rough on plants. While we retreat indoors, our green associates don’t have that option, so homeowners are usually out in force once the last frost is behind them – but what about the arrival of summer?

Like it or not, paying extra attention to your lawn in spring will ensure that you have a robust lawn for summer, and one that’s resilient to the effects of the sun, pests, weeds and the heavy foot traffic that time spent in the backyard or front lawn can bring. For a few of the basics of pre-summer lawn care, take the time to address the following. 

Aerate Your Lawn – When done during spring, lawn aeration helps to relieve surface compaction, promotes root growth, improves the uptake of nutrients, and prevents the buildup of thatch below the surface. In simple terms, the process helps to prepare your lawn for summer and ensure that it’s as healthy as it can be before the sun arrives in full force. 

Remove Any Thatch – Thatch is a layer of grass blades, stolons, rhizomes and other organic matter that has not yet broken down or decomposed. If you let thatch build up, it can harm lawns by restricting the roots’ access to water and other nutrients.  In addition, thatch can also harbour insects and lawn diseases, so make sure you address any lingering winter build up.

Smart Water Schedules – Moist soil has an insulating effect, which is especially important to take note of once summer arrives. Although it may defy logic on the surface, keeping soil damp via a morning soaking actually helps to retain this moisture, and encourages strong root growth that can sustain the lawn during the hottest months of the year. 

Mow With Care – Mowing your lawn on a regular basis is essential, but aim to mow in a different pattern each time, never cut more than one third of the grass plant, and always use a mower with sharp blades. This will help to strengthen the roots and make the plants sturdy, but leave the lawn grass a little longer during summer to help retain moisture. 

Get Fertilising – By fertilising your lawn before the hottest months of the year, you’re adding all kinds of nutrients and microbes to the soil, and encourage it to develop the strength that it needs to make it through the stress brought on by the heat of the upcoming summer. Try an organic and chemical free plant food like Biotic Booster for a safer family alternative. 

While healthy soil invites your turf to thrive, it can also act as somewhat of an open invitation for lawn weeds to make themselves at home as well. To further complicate matters, the ideal lawn should have at most one or two species of grass in order to achieve a consistent and aesthetic greenspace. To safely banish unwanted invaders in your lawn, opting for a chemical free alternative can get the job done while still keeping members of your household safe. 

Introducing A Safer Way To Spray 

Bioweed is an organic, non selective weed killer that works fast on contact with the weed, in order to rapidly desiccate and burn even the most stubborn of plants. It can be used anywhere around the house including garden beds, veggie patches, paths and driveways, and is safe to use around children, animals and even native wildlife. 

The best part? Bioweed is the brainchild of well established agricultural leaders greenPRO, and is backed by over twenty years of research and development. Owned and manufactured in Australia, the primary ingredient of Bioweed is actually sustainably sourced pine oil, and is even approved by NASAA, ACO and APVMA for use around organic farms and food production. 

If you’re on the hunt for a nature friendly weed killer, or simply want to know more about eliminating weeds safely – check out other tips and tricks in our online advice forum, or contact us for any further queries.