In a bid to assist gardeners defend their lawn and garden from the continued effects of the warm, dry conditions expected, the garden and lawn specialists have developed variety of spring survival skills with horticulturalist Adam Woodhams.
Whether it’s adding nutrient-rich organic interest soil or sharpening your lawn mower blade, these tried-and-tested horticulture tips can guarantee your precious plants thrive through spring and summer.
“This is a great time to reacquaint yourself with your lawn and garden and spruce up areas that have been neglected over the winter months,” Woodhams says.
6 ways to mow like a pro
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Mow before the heat of the day
For the most effective cut, mow mid-to-late morning when the condensation has evaporated. If you’re lucky to own had some rain, wait at least a day before mowing to realize a straight cut..
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Don’t scalp your lawn
“Scalping” means mowing off third of the grasses height creating your lawn less ready to cope with hot, dry weather. Grass regarding 3 inches (8cm) tall sometimes appearance higher, encourages a deeper root system, and helps prevent invasive weeds from spreading.
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Change directions
Switch up your mowing route to avoid putt unnecessary strain on your mower and causing grass to grow in the same direction – and eventually falling flat.
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Stay sharp
A sharp lawn mower blade keeps your lawn looking better while serving to your mower to run a lot of efficiently. You can also check the Top9Rated pick of riding mowers to find self-sharpening blade mowers, a new technology where the they use a dual set of blades where one actually sharpens the other as it mows, retracts as other set comes out, and so on. You’ll additionally accomplish a cleaner cut faster with a brand new blade.
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The one-third rule
Mowing lawn too short reduces its root system, that successively prevents it from growing robust and healthy. For a luscious lawn, a general rule of (green) thumb isn’t to mow over third of the whole leaf surface at any given time. This may mean mowing every four to 5 days during the spring and summer months when growth its at its more fast.
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Tune up your mower
A properly serviced mower can do the work faster and a lot of efficiently, decreasing wear and tear and increasing the time you spend enjoying your lawn instead of maintaining it.
5 jobs that get results
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Adding organic matter
Plants growing in soil which contains a high proportion of organic matter grow larger and a lot of vigorously, and tend to be a lot of immune to pests and diseases. Organic matter, which has that loose, crumbly texture, additionally acts as a sponge, absorbing additional water and releasing it during dry conditions. In late winter or early spring, dig the organic matter into your garden with a pitchfork, or unfold it on the surface and let the worms do the work for you
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The magic of mulch
Mulch is a vital part in a healthy garden, as it protects the soil and roots of your plants from the harsh summer sun. Mulching keeps the roots cool, adds organic matter to the soil because it breaks down (unless you utilize inorganic mulch like pebbles or gravel), and conserves wetness by helping to stop both soil and plants from drying out prematurely throughout those hot, rain-starved days. When removing weeds from your garden bed, use chunky bark (for trees and decorative shrubs) or straw mulch (fruit trees and vegie beds), going away some area round the tree base to avoid rot from developing.
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Pruning and trimming
Reinvigorate plants when an unseasonably warm winter by pruning back older plants before the onset of spring. this may stimulate new growth and increase their probabilities ought to El Niño continue through the latter a part of the year. Begin by removing dead, broken or diseased branches then trim overhanging or drooping branches until you get the specified look.
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Weed before seed
Many weeds flower and set seed earlier in their growth cycle when the rains taper off, creating it vital to get rid of them as shortly they emerge. you’ll also produce inhospitable conditions for weed seed to germinate by mulching bare ground and restricting your watering to the areas directly around the plants rather than waving the hose round the garden indiscriminately.
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Watering
Install a sub-soil or sub-mulch drip-line watering system and connect it to a computerised timer set to turn on a couple of times per week within the early morning. If you want to got the whole nine yards, connect the whole system to water filter jugs, chlorine and other impurities are not meant for plants. (Make certain to browse the manufacturer’s instructions before you put in it as too much water pressure will cause the system to fail.) now could be also a decent time to switch the batteries in your automatic tap timers and clear leaf litter from the trap on your rainwater tank.
