© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
YOUR GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL LAWN CARE
With Tommy B
We all want to achieve that PERFECT GREEN LAWN and having a Carpet
Green Lawn can be one of the most central focal points in our overall Garden
Design. Your lawn is like a ‘canvas' that connects and showcases all the
different features in your garden; therefore the quality of the lawn will
determine the overall visual flow of the garden and will have a huge impact on
the overall appearance.
This Lawn Care Guide will
help you if are planning a
new lawn or working to
improve and care for an
existing one. In this guide
you will discover the most
important things you need to
take into consideration, if
you
want
to
achieve
a
beautiful carpet green lawn.
To achieve and maintain a carpet green lawn all year round requires some
maintenance, but taking action at the right time and with the right product is
key to saving a LOT of time, hassle and money when it comes to Lawn Care.
Spring and Autumn are critical times in your annual Lawn Care Programme.
Spring is a good time of year to address issues like moss and weeds. Factors
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
that really affect the appearance of your lawn during the Summer time.
Autumn is the time of year where you get the opportunity to give your lawn
exactly the right Lawn Feed it needs to survive the Winter and by applying
Lawn Feed at the right time you also ensure a healthier lawn for the next
season and it also ensures far less work for you!
TOP TIPS BEFORE WE START!
Before we get into the nitty gritty of what you have to do and what you need to
know, there are 2 tips I would like to give you at this point.
1. Know Your Size: From talking to clients on a regular basis about their
lawns, I find that one really important and hugely overlooked factor is to
knowing the ‘size’ of your lawn. This is fundamental when it comes to
knowing how much lawn seed, treatment product or fertilizer to use. If
you don’t know the size of your lawn and you are ‘estimating', it can cost
you a lot when it comes to product wastage and if you are not applying
the correct amounts of feed or treatment product for the amount of lawn
you have, how can you expect to get optimum results and you can
actually burn the lawn.
2. Use a Spreader: Getting an even green lawn can be easily achieved
when you know the tricks of the trade! One thing I would advise you to
pay particular attention to is to evenly distribute any fertilizer you apply.
Ideally you would apply this with a ‘Spreader’ so you can get a nice even
coverage when spreading the feed. Some fertilizers now come with a
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www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
self spreader on the container which makes it easier for small lawns, but
obviously if you are treating a larger area, a good ‘Spreader’ is only the
way to go.
STARTING FROM SCRATCH WITH A NEW LAWN
Ok, let's get started. First let's look at the fundamental factors that will help you
achieve success with your Lawn when starting a new lawn, plus I have
included a 'New Lawn Checklist' for you at the end of this guide.
If you are starting a new lawn, it is important to understand that one of the
most fundamental factors when it comes to achieving a good lawn is good
topsoil; it is the most essential ingredient when creating a good lawn.
Soil preparation is a key factor in lawn success. Try to use the best topsoil you
can get your hands on, as poor topsoil will only ever give you a poor lawn.
The soil needs to be non-compacted and stone free, before you sow the lawn
seed. To achieve this, avoid working the soil when it is wet, this will enable you
to have a soft fluffy consistency in your topsoil.
For most lawns the 'No. 2 grade' seed will have the best mix of seed to create
a tough enough finish for wear and tear, but also produce a nice soft green and
is very suited to weather conditions such as in Ireland. Apply at one and half
(1 1/2) ounces per sq. yard.
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
Please note when spreading new lawn seed, it will also need an application of
fertilizer the same day as the lawn seed. Apply ‘Growmore’ or 10-10-20 at a
rate of 2 ounces per sq.yard.
I do not recommend watering lawn seed especially in a large area, it is far
better to let the lawn seed adjust itself environmentally and germinate
naturally. I have added a summary on what to do with new lawns near the end
of this guide as a easy reference checklist.
TOP 3 ESSENTIALS FOR LAWN SUCCESS
Now, let's have a look at the Top 3 fundamental factors you need to pay
attention to when planning for success with your Lawn.
1.DRAINAGE
One of the most important factors you need to take care of if you want to have
a great Lawn is drainage. You will need to make sure the soil is free draining or
you will have a host of problems later on. If the drainage is poor you may need
to put in drainage piping and stone to drain the water around the roots of the
grass.
If the underground drainage is sufficient, then it is merely an issue with poor
drainage on the top 5 –6” of the lawn, so spiking or aerating the lawn can
alleviate this problem. Spring and Autumn are good times to ‘spike’ the lawn,
with a fork or aerator (manual or petrol).
This will ensure the soil is not heavily compacted, it improves the drainage and
also helps root development. This in turn promotes better nutrient absorption.
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
If the soil type is of excess clay, then putting in horticultural grit into the holes
after spiking will help keep the lawn aerated longer and will improve the soil
profile.
Persistent weeds like rushes are a symptom of poor drainage and aeration.
These can be treated with Dichophar spray at the rate of 250 ml per 20 litres
of water. This spray will also treat weeds in the lawn but tends to have very
little effect on clover.
Please note, you cannot use a weed or even a moss treatment on ‘young
lawns’ (ie) lawns that are less than 12 month old.
2. SOIL PH:
If your soil is very acidic then an application of Lime will help release
unavailable nutrients in the soil. Beware
however to always do a soil test before you
apply Lime.
Easy to use kits are available from your local
garden centre.
3. ASPECT:
You will also need to pay particular attention to the ‘aspect’; (ie) is the site
exposed to extreme weather or shaded by buildings, or trees. This will have an
impact on weeds, moss growth and the overall ability of the lawn to ‘perform’.
If your proposed lawn is in a shaded location, or you have areas within your
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
lawn that are shaded for example; by large trees, it is advisable to use a
specific lawn seed in those locations which will thrive in shaded conditions and
it also helpful to cut the lower branches off the tree and let more light at the
lawn.
COMMON PROBLEMS
Now, let's look at some common problems you are likely to encounter with an
existing lawn and I have also put together a 12 month lawn care programme
for you at the end of this guide so you have a plan of action you can easily
refer to all year round.
BARE PATCHES
If you have noticed any bare patches in your lawn, September is an excellent
time to re-seed those patches. This can also be done in early Spring - however
doing it in September – early October is my preferred option as the ground is
warmer and the seed ‘takes’ very well. Make sure you also use a fertilizer with
the lawn seed (something like Growmore).
WEEDS
The most common weeds in grass include Clover, Creeping Buttercups and
Plantain. Weeds need to be actively growing to treat them successfully. Early
March or again in Autumn is a good time to do this with a product called
Dichophar.
CLOVER
This is common in lawns that are compacted and low in feed. As most clover
weed killers have been removed from the market, Dichophar weed killer spray
would be more effective as a clover treatment.
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www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
CREEPING BUTTERCUPS & PLANTAIN
These are also common weeds; plantain can also appear as a result of the
lawn being compacted. You can spray these weeds with a weed killer such as
‘Dicophar’. This is designed for lawns, so it will kill the weeds but it will not
harm the grass.
SCUTCH GRASS
If you have SCUTCH grass in the lawn you will need to do a ‘weedlick’
treatment. This is done by making a 1:1 mix of Roundup and water and
painting the mixture onto the individual scutch grass leaves.
MOSS
Moss is such a common problem in lawns. There are usually 5 main reasons
for Moss in the lawn:
1. Poor drainage
2. Low PH
3. Soil Compaction
4. Too much shade
5. Cutting the lawn too low
If poor drainage is the issue which can be common in countries that get a lot
of rainfall, just like Ireland, you should probably consider draining the lawn
using drainage pipe and chippings and follow the advice on aeration as
described in the ‘Drainage’ section earlier.
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
If low PH is the problem - a simple PH test is also advisable. This is simple to
carry out with a home PH test kit available from your local garden centre. If the
PH is less than 6 – 7, apply some lime in mid Spring to raise the PH levels.
If compacted soil is the problem – follow the steps to aerate it.
If shade is the problem - once you have raked off the moss, you may see
some bare patches, so you can apply some suitable lawn seed in those areas
to fill those in as advised earlier.
If cutting the lawn too low is the problem – you know you need to start off
the season with a high cut and slowly take the mower settings down. Never cut
your lawn too low in Spring or Autumn, your first cut should just be the light top
off the grass
HOW TO TREAT MOSS IN THE LAWN
You can treat Moss once any signs of frost has gone, usually the best time is
early Spring and again in Autumn. You can use a ‘combination product’ such
as: ‘Weed, Feed & Moss Killer’ once the frost is gone, which will treat the
weeds and the moss and also feed the lawn all at the same time.
Alternatively, you can use a product designed specifically to treat just the
moss, such as: ‘Moss Buster’ or ‘Sulphate of Iron’. These are applied using a
knapsack sprayer.
Give the lawn a light cut using a high setting and after about 3 days, spray with
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
Sulphate of Iron, mixed with lukewarm water.
Then after approximately 10 days you will need to rake off the dead moss, and
the lawn will need a bit of a ‘tonic’, so you can feed it by applying ‘Aftercut’ with
a spreader. This is one of the few lawn feeds that is suitable to use in
February.
Usage: Sulphate of Iron – 1/2 kg to 5 litres of warm water, apply using a sprayer
Moss Buster –
1/2 kg to 5 litres of warm water, apply using a sprayer
FEEDING THE LAWN
Once you have dealt with any weeds, or moss problems, you will need to
make sure you feed the lawn regularly.
You can feed with a product called 'Signature Organics'. You can use this
product after your third cut of the season and repeat the application 4 –6
weeks later – never apply this fertilizer if drought conditions are present.
Please see 12 month Lawn care programme at the end of this guide for
detailed instructions and month by month breakdown of how to care for and
feed your lawn.
READY TO GO LAWNS
I am pretty sure some of you would like an INSTANT well - established carpet
green lawn without having to wait years for it! Well, of course you can just use
an instant roll out lawn. Remember this is a mature top quality lawn and it is
several years ahead of a lawn starting off from seed, so perhaps it is the
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
perfect solution for your carpet green canvas!
Ok, so we have covered most of the fundamentals you need to keep in mind if
you want to achieve that carpet green lawn, in the next section I have listed a
summary of the top 10 tips for new lawns and then I have complied a Lawn
Care program chart, so you have your 12 month checklist to hand!
CHECKLIST FOR NEW LAWNS:
1. TOPSOIL: Good quality LOAM Topsoil. You simply will not get a good
lawn without good topsoil. So if you are laying a new lawn, make sure
you make this a priority and import some good quality topsoil, ideally with
a PH of 5.5 - 6. Make sure the topsoil you get is free of weeds like:
mare’s tail, scotch grass, dock leaves, Japanese knotweed. If any of
these are present it is best not to use this topsoil but should this be your
only source you will need to spray with Roundup & Altrix mixture, on
the growing vegetation 3 –4 weeks before you move the soil.
2. DRAINAGE: For a quality lawn to grow it will need to be free draining,
therefore if there is an issue with drainage of surface water this will need
to be dealt with by putting in drainage piping and clean stone chippings
to take the water away from the roots of the grass.
3. AERATE: Make sure when you layout your new lawn that the soil is not
wet when you are working it, as this will cause the soil to compact.
4. SEED: In general No. 2 grade seed will have the best mix of seed to
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
create a tough enough finish for ware and tare but also produce a nice
soft green. Apply with a spreader.
5. FERTILIZER: Apply a fertilizer such as Growmore the same day as the
seed to provide a rich base for the lawn to grow.
6. WATERING: Unless your lawn is really small, watering lawn seed is
impractical. Natural germination is by far the most suitable type of
germination. Lawn seed is generally safe in the ground for several weeks
without watering and will germinate naturally when conditions are right. *
If the first flush of growth coincides with a period of drought, you will
either need to water the lawn consistently morning and evening, or
alternatively, if the area is very big and consistent watering is impractical,
you may have to sacrifice the first flush of growth and reseed at the end
of the drought period.
7. ROLLING: Roll the lawnseed the day you put it in with a light roller as
this will connect the seed to the soil. If hot weather is predicted a light
rake of the seed before you roll it will be necessary.
8. CUTTING: In general when the lawn is 2 – 3” high you can give it a very
light cut, to encourage the process of thickening the grass. The weather
should be dry when this is done to avoid scarring the surface of the lawn
and disturbing the young grass seedlings.
9. FEEDING: A good lawn needs at least 5 feeds per year so after about
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
your 3rd or 4th cut you can begin your lawn-feeding program. Once you
use a good quality lawn feed it will encourage the lawn to grow steadily
rather than force it to grown quickly so this is also advantageous when it
comes to the frequency of cutting!
10. WEEDS: If you have followed the simple guides / recommendations
provided the only weeds that will grow are annuals and these will cut out
after 3 to 4 cuts.
I hope you have found this Lawn Care Guide useful. Once you know what you
need to do and when you need to do it you should have a beautiful carpet
green lawn in no time!
Don't forget your 12 month Lawn Care Guide is on the next page, so you have
your all year round plan of action on one page!
If you are not already in our VIP Gardening circle, and receiving our weekly
tipsand emails, you can join for free by clicking on the link that takes you to the
webpage. JOIN THE VIP GARDENING CIRCLE HERE
Talk to you soon,
Tommy B
PS … don't forget, next page for your 12 month Lawn Care Programme!
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
12 - MONTH LAWN CARE PROGRAMME
MONTH:
TREATMENT:
RATE:
January
None
None
February
Aftercut (Late Feb)
March
Aftercut
3.5 Kg
per
100m2
3.5 Kg
per
100m2
April (if
moss/weeds
present)
Lawn Weed Feed & 20 Kg
Moss killer
per
500m2
April (if
moss is not
present)
May (if soil
is moist)
Spring Signature
Organics
June
Aftercut
July
Signature Organics
August
Autumn Signature
Organics
September
Autumn Signature
Organics
October
None
20 Kg
per
700m2
20 Kg
per 700
m2
3.5 Kg
per 300
m2
20 Kg
per 700
m2
20 Kg
per
700m2
20 Kg
per 700
m2
None
November
None
None
December
None
None
Spring Signature
Organics
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
OTHER:
REMINDER:
Rake off any dead Get
leaves
Lawnmower
Serviced
Spike any
Don’t fertilize
compacted lawn
if weather is
frosty
Don’t cut lawn
Treat weeds
too low
and edge the
lawn for great
visual
Rake out moss
As rate of
from lawn 10
growth
days after
increases
treatment
lower height
of mower
Spray any weeds Keep blades
with Dicophar
edged on
mower
Don’t use if soil is Lightly spike
in drought
the lawn
Ideal in dry
conditions cut
every 5 days
Cut every 5 days
if possible
Raise height of
mower
Rake dead leaves
off the lawn
Re-sod damaged
areas. Rake dead
leaves off lawn
Rake dead leaves
off the lawn
Rake dead leaves
off the lawn
Edge lawn to
give a great
look
Treat weeds
with Weed
Spot Killer
Rake out any
dead moss
Spike / aerate,
add sand to
holes
Finish
mowing this
month
No Mowing
No Mowing
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