Vibrant emerald green lawns are the envy of many gardeners, but achieving such splendor is easier than you might think – it’s not just a matter of mowing and occasional watering. Yet many unwittingly sabotage their green spaces by making simple mistakes.
So what are the most common mistakes to avoid in order to have a pristine lawn? Oliver Johnson, a gardening expert at HomeAdviceGuide.com, shared his wisdom on typical mistakes homeowners make when it comes to lawn care and how to avoid them.
Oliver also offers some easy-to-follow maintenance tips to ensure your lawn stays in tip-top condition, the Express reports. One of them, according to the guru, is over-watering, which he warns can be “disastrous”.
Too much water can cause waterlogging and stunt root development. If conditions are moist, adding more water may not be necessary.
But as the UK braces for a heatwave in the coming days, Oliver advises watering around an inch a week to keep the grass hydrated without drowning it.
Another major mistake is cutting the grass, which Oliver describes as a “recipe for disaster.” Cutting the grass too short may seem like a way to save time, but it actually “stresses the grass” and makes it vulnerable to disease, drought and insect invasions.
Chris Bonnett, founder of Gardening Express, has issued a stark warning to gardening enthusiasts about the “worst mistake you can make” when cutting tall grass: cutting it too short. This common mistake can lead to root damage, weed growth and damage to lawnmowers.
Bonnett recommends keeping grass at a height of about three inches to preserve its top growth, which contributes to the strength and resilience of the grass.
When it comes to fertilising your lawn, it’s essential to find the right balance. Using the wrong fertilisers or the wrong amounts can “cause damage” and be “harmful”, according to expert Oliver.
Additionally, a critical yet often neglected aspect of lawn maintenance is aeration, considered “crucial” for “healthy growth.”
Aeration, the process of creating holes in the soil to improve water and nutrient absorption, is especially vital for compacted or clay-rich soils. This can be accomplished with a hand-held aerator or even a simple garden fork.
