When you buy certain models of a Makita, Masport or Yard Force mower this Movember, Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 will donate $10 to $20 on your behalf to support men’s health.
Aerate
Aeration of lawns is vital, especially over high traffic areas of lawn. By creating small holes in the soil oxygen and water are able to better penetrate and operate in the soil and aeration also breaks up compacted soil that can make growth of the lawn difficult.
Aeration is simple and should be done prior to fertilising so that the nutrients have the best chance of reaching the soil and roots of the grass.
Simply stick a garden fork into the soil to a depth half the length of the prongs. Give the fork a gentle wiggle and pull it back out working your way across the lawn at a spacing equivalent to that of the prongs.
Worm Up!
There's one great way you can promote good health in your lawn and that's to encourage lots of worms to live there. To encourage them to stay or even more to come, maintain a healthy lawn by keeping it weed free, and the pest population low. Make sure you water the grass regularly to encourage a strong root system, while not overwatering. Provide a constant supply of organic material for your lawn earthworms to feed on. Some gardeners sprinkle cornmeal on the soil surface to encourage earthworm populations.
Regularly dethatch the lawn to prevent a thick barrier within the top layer of soil. Earthworms need access to the soil surface and condensed thatch prevents that.
Also, don't use pesticides that can harm earthworm populations.
If your lawn is lacking in these wriggly helpers you can always purchase earthworms or earthworm eggs to add, and then use the tips above to encourage them to stay.
Experts advise that for lawns, it’s better to buy earthworm eggs than adult earthworms. That’s opposite the advice for garden soil, where adults are preferred. Adult earthworms may not be able to tunnel into the turf’s soil quickly enough to stay alive. They can dry out too much on the soil surface and die. Egg cocoons are placed a few inches below the soil surface and can hatch anywhere up to twenty worms.
Johnson Brothers at Mona Vale stock worms, and worm farms:
Fertilise
Now is the time to watch for signs of hunger in your lawn. Colour loss, twisting leaves and abnormal sprouting of seed heads are the ones to watch for.
Fertilisers contain three essential nutrients; Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. These are the two that you need to build in your lawn:
- -Nitrogen; is used by plants to produce Chlorophyll and in turn food through photosynthesis (the greener the grass the higher the chlorophyll content) which is essential to the survival of the plant.
- -Potassium; strengthens the roots of a plant and helps protect it against temperature extremes.
A fertiliser that is high in both nitrogen and potassium will provide much needed nutrients to your grass.
Before fertilising, rake the lawn to remove leaves and other debris. It's recommended that you leave your lawn at least two days after mowing before fertilising. Wait about a week after feeding before you mow - and leave the catcher off the first time.
The best results are achieved by feeding three times a year – early Spring, early Summer (before it gets too hot) and mid to late Autumn. If you only feed your lawn once a year, do so in late Spring to early Summer.
Even coverage is very important so use a spreader (handheld or wheeled). Follow the directions on the pack for when and how to water after fertilising. Finally, don't store an opened bag of lawn food for more than 6 months.
Watering
It's best to do your lawn watering early in the day. If you water in the evening, the grass will stay wet overnight, creating humidity which could lead to fungal diseases. Aim for deeper moisture penetration by watering less often, more slowly and for longer, to encourage deeper roots.
When using a sprinkler, either fit a mechanical tap timer to turn the tap off after a certain time so you don't waste water or have a cooking timer in your pocket and set it to 5-10 minutes to remind you to move the sprinkler to another part of the lawn or turn it off. It's also good to invest in a quality lawn sprinkler with adjustable patterns so you don’t waste water on paths and drives.
Mowing Basics
When deciding how much to cut your lawn trim the grass so it feels comfortable with a little bit of spring under bare feet. Never mow too low as the grass may grow back faster, may develop patchiness and ultimately you’ll damage your lawn.
The best time to mow the lawn is in the morning or afternoon and avoid the hottest times of day to minimise lawn stress.
A quality cut comes from a well maintained mower. Service your mower regularly. Ensure the disc and under-deck are kept clean, the blades are clean and sharp and the engine oil and spark plug are changed as per the service book.
While mowing, empty the catcher frequently and don't allow the catcher to fill right up. The extra weight of the catcher can give the grass an uneven cut.
Last, for good lawn health, don't water immediately before or after mowing.
The Movember crew's work in mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer has never been more important – and they’ve never needed you more. So, get the fork out, get the weeds out, get the worms in and get yourself a mower and Mow for you Bros this Movember.
There's only one thing that's more satisfying than admiring freshly cut grass and that's knowing that your flash new mower contributed to men's health.
This Movember, buy a mow, save a bro.
Until 30 November, Mitre 10 & Home Hardware will donate $10-20 from the sale of selected mowers to Movember. Head in-store to find out more.
Tools And Products From Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 To Help You Keep Your Lawn Healthier During Movember
Movember Lawn Mowers - NB: More models and brands in store:
Yates Dynamic Lifter Concentrated Lawn Food 7kg: $25.00
Easy to apply, the small granules filter through the lawn to deliver nutrients to the soil and grass roots. Added Blood and Bone, fishmeal and seaweed organically enrich and improve the soil. Covers 250m². Improves soil health and aids in moisture retention. Suitable for all lawn types.
Amgrow Shirleys No.17 Lawn Food 5kg: $24.00
Suitable for Buffalo, Couch and Kikuyu grasses. Greens lawns fast. Trusted name for over 80 years.
Earthcore Oscillating Sprinkler: $23.95
15-Hole water sprinkler. Adjustment collar alters the coverage. Built-in filter. Cleaning pin included.
Wobble-Tee Clever Drop Sprinkler: $26.95
Waters 1.5 to 8(DIA)m. Sprinkler base can tilt to different angles for uneven surfaces. Low angle of trajectory for roof tops and windy areas. Base design suits corrugated iron roof tops for cooling.
Gardena Pyramid Sprinkler: $12.95
Gently irrigates plants. Area coverage up to 50 square metres. Spray diameter up to 8 metres.
Kaart Steel Mesh Garden Cart: $135.00
10" Pneumatic tyres with poly rims. 250kg loading capacity. Durable poly lining. Removable sides. 1000L x 485W x 830Hmm.
Cyclone Garden Fork: $70.00
Ideal for digging and cultivating most types of soil and great for aerating lawns.
Heavy Duty Tumble Compost Bin 105L: $109.00
Weatherproof UV-resistant plastic feet. Internal ventilation speeds up the process. Heavy-duty construction for year-round composting. Easy to open doors
Also: The Spring Outdoors Catalogue runs until December 31st, 2022: filled with great ideas to enjoy your Spring and Summer outdoors