Summer can be challenging for lawns as high temperatures, hot sun, drying winds and a lack of rain have a negative effect on growth. Following a few simple tips can help keep lawns looking good for summer entertaining and that all-important backyard cricket.

Lawns have copped a lot of undeserved blame in recent years for being water guzzlers. The drought hardy varieties recommended to grow in most parts of Australia are waterwise and allow gardeners to have a gorgeous lawn without incurring high water bills.

Maintenance

Soil is the key to establishing a good lawn as good soil equals a good lawn. If you don’t have the luxury of starting from scratch or have inherited a lawn in dire need of love, a top dressing of lawn compost such as Seasol Lawn Top Dress Mix throughout the warm months will improve the water-holding capacity of the soil, which in turn saves water and improves lawn growth. Also use Seasol Liquid Compost hose-on, the no-dig option, to revitalise soils. It helps to improve the soil structure, increasing microbial and worm activity as well as moisture and nutrient retention.

Weeds will continue to grow through summer so keep an eye on them and remove before they flower and seed. Remove them by hand in the cool of the day (early morning or evening).

Irrigation

Even with good soil and drought-wise lawn varieties, summer is the season when lawns dry out quickly. A regular watering regime keeps lawns lush and green. Maintain the routine of watering less often but for a longer period to ensure roots grow down into the soil in their search for moisture and nutrients and check water is soaking into the soil. If it’s pooling on top or running off then the soil may be water repellent. Applying a soil wetter such as Seasol Super Soil Wetter & Conditioner will help to get water to the lawn’s roots. Watering in the early morning when it’s cool, allows the lawn time to absorb and use the water and makes best use of your irrigation system. Watering late at night can cause the lawn to remain wet overnight, which could cause fungal diseases. Continue to apply Seasol each month to help its heat and drought tolerance.

Note: Always observe water restrictions, which may dictate watering times and frequencies.

Feeding

To keep your lawn at its best through summer, continue the feeding regime as per spring. Apply PowerFeed LawnFeed or PowerFeed Buffalo LawnFeed three months after the spring application. If there’s no water available to water lawns during summer, don’t fertilise. Where possible continue to liquid feed with Seasol for Lush Green Lawns or Seasol for Buffalo Lawns to help build a resilient lawn.

Tip: Do not apply products when the temperature exceeds 25℃ as you may burn the foliage.

Mowing

The growth of many lawn varieties starts to slow as the temperature and heat rises. Leave the lawn longer after each mow