Tips for keeping your lawn looking good

[Jason]

It's February and many parts of the country have experienced a hot and dry summer. 

Many of the lawns in my neighbourhood are really struggling. Many are brown, choked with weeds and in desperate need of some love and attention.    

What are your tips for keeping your lawn looking great at this time of year?

Jason

[ProjectPete]

Fake grass!

But seriously, I'd love to know too. I've still got grass out the front and besides my secret "gypsy grass" blend, I'd love to hear some other tips of keeping track healthy and green in summer. And hopefully a cheaper way to do it...

[MartyH]

Don't mow your grass too low. Keeping plenty of lawn will help keep what little water you do receive in the soil and reduces stress on the grass leaves. But do try to keep mowing as often as possible to keep the weeds at bay. And don't water often, but when you do water deep. Once a week should be enough. That will encourage deep roots. A wetting agent will help retain water too. 

[AHoy]

Keen to hear some more tips.

My lawn is a bit neglected and patchy. There’s areas that don’t have much grass at all – the ground is dry and really hard. I imagine I have to break up the soil before planting some seed. What’s the best way to do it? And how do I ensure the grass seed I buy matches my lawn?

Tony

[Kermit]

It sounds like your ground has been compacted from heavy use and you need to aerate the soil so water can penetrate. You'll obviously want to do it after some good rain or a good water. Wait until autumn and then give aerating and feeding a go, followed by regular deep watering. 

[Isobel]

Yes, time to feed the lawn now. Feeding the lawn in early autumn will help strengthen it before the cold weather arrives. It will also help keep it looking green for longer.

[CathD]

Apparently now is the time to loosen up the soil underneath your lawn. This allows more air down into the soil (and the grass roots) improves water penetration and also makes it easier for grass roots to grow. Just use a garden fork and push it down about 10cm deep, levering a little back and forth to open up the holes. 

[Shane]

Just read that now's the time to start to get stuck into bindi and clover. Apparently they can start to take over the lawn in late winter when the grass is growing at its slowest.

Clover competes with the lawn for water and nutrients and can also shade the grass, slowly depleting it of sunshine. July is also the time to start controlling bindii, while the plants are still young and before they have had a chance to flower and develop their prickles.

[Baretta11]

If you can water your lawn then that's half the battle.
I live in Victoria, so don't have some of the weeds mentioned like bindi but clover is easy to remove from a grass lawn with a selective herbicide.
I live in the country but am a very avid gardener and planted a new fescue lawn about 5 years ago. It certainly struggled this last year as the dam went dry and all I could water was the plants themselves and nothing else and that was with precious tank water!!
As a farmer, I'm well rehersed with the use of selective and non selective chemicals and spray out all the weeds that try to sneak in, including dandelion, capeweed and poa. In fact just sprayed out the poa 5 weeks ago and still have to wait another week before it's safe to resow the bare spots with fresh seed, as the chemical I used was a residual called Atrazine but it has done what it was meant to do, kill the poa and leave the fescue lawn to grow. I also regularly spray Roundup around the driveway, edges etc.. too

[Jason]

How is everyone's lawn looking after a long summer?

It might be time to fertilise your lawn. An autumn feed is generally regarded as the most important of the year as it encourages thick growth ahead of the cooler weather. 

You might find this useful - https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/lawn/how-to-fertilise-your-lawn

Jason