How to make your lawn green and thick: 9 Tips

There are few things more appealing to a property than a lush lawn. If you follow these 9 tips on how to make your lawn green and thick you should have a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood.

1. Get your soil right

Start with the correct soil. This can be a challenge if you have an existing lawn so you might have to enrich it with fertilizer and dressing over time. When applying fertiliser, try to use an organic brand with a slow-release. This is better for the long-term health of your lawn.

When planting a new lawn do not use poor quality soil as this will make your life much more difficult. If you are in any doubt as to what you need to do to improve your soil quality consider a soil test. This is not expensive and will save you time and effort over time as you will know exactly what is needed to get your soil healthy.

2. Feed your lawn

In order to grow thick and lush, your lawn needs the correct nutrients. Try to avoid synthetic fertilizers where possible as they have a short-term result and your lawn will come to depend on them.

There are three main nutrients needed by your lawn. Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. These are indicated (in that order) by NPK on the fertilizer and it will give you the ratio of each ingredient. Again, it helps to use a test to understand exactly what your lawn is lacking. If your lawn is already in fair condition, a good general organic fertilizer will be ideal. Alternatively you could try a weed and feed.

Timing is also important. Simply adding fertiliser regularly will not help much and will cost you money. The most important time of the year is just after winter, as the temperature starts to rise again. Thereafter, you can reapply roughly 4 to 6 weeks apart.
Alternatively, simply use the grasscycling (mulching) philosophy to feed your lawn naturally.

3. Aerate

Apart from water and nutrients your grass also needs air. Over time the soil becomes compacted and this reduces air to the roots. Aerating the lawn once or twice a year will allow air and nutrients to get into the soil. Lawn with lots of traffic or clay soil might mean this needs to be done more often.

4. Dethatching

Over time, a layer of thatch builds up. This results from dead leaves, grass clippings and other organic material. Thatch also slows down nutrient and water absorption. It is necessary to remove this thatch from time to time to improve the health and appearance of the lawn. There are a number of great scarifiers available on the market that will make the task quick and easy.

5. Weed prevention and removal

A healthy happy lawn that is mowed regularly will generally not have a major weed problem. Take action as soon as you notice any weeds to prevent them from becoming an issue.

6. Overseeding

If you already have bare patches from past neglect or weeds you should consider overseeding. This is simply adding seeds to the existing lawn to fill in the empty spaces. Choose the correct grass for this, water it well and maintain it for fast and effective results. 

7. Hydrate

It goes without saying that a new or existing lawn needs water to thrive. If you have a particularly long dry spell you might have to get the sprinklers out. This is especially true in the hot summer months.

8. Mow correctly

While all the practices above are important, correct mowing is critical if you want a lush green lawn.

The first most important thing to do is to mow regularly. This will vary from one area to the next and depends on the time of year and the type of grass. The golden rule is to never cut more than a third of the height in one go. If it has been left to grow longer than this then rather do 2 or 3 mows. A dramatic cut will stress the lawn and it takes a while to recover.

Equally important is to use a quality lawn mower with sharp blades. Blunt blades will harm the lawn and cause damage. Always ensure that your blades are sharp for a lush happy lawn.

_

If you follow these steps it will not be long before you have a verdant patch of lawn that not only looks green and thick but is healthy and hardy. Once you have the basics tight it will be a breeze to keep it looking good.