Return to the Gardening in Oz Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Lawns
| | |
Posted by kotej (My Page) on Tue, Jan 10, 06 at 3:43
| I usually add Dynamic lifter to my lawn before evey new season and it seems to do the trick in keeping it green.
With the extreme heat we've been having, the grass is burnt and I've noted that the soil is so dry that even trying to hose it has no effect! This (thankfully) is only occuring in the middle of my lawn which slopes down.
I was thinking of trying a wetting agent but wonder if it's too late now that we're in summer? If not, what's a good one?
Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Lawns
| | |
| Are you actually permitted to water your lawn in summer? |
RE: Lawns
| | |
You are lucky
We have to do a lot of watering with a bucket no grass gets watered here!!!!....MM. |
RE: Lawns
| | |
| are you actually wasting valuable resources on do nothing for you lawn? this is the 21st century forget the lawn let it survive on natural rainfall and leave your clip on the ground as lawn food, put in more efficient resource users gardens! maybe grow some vege's feed youself some good healthy food. len |
RE: Lawns
| | |
I'm sorry you got such a negative response here, and I was pretty much part of that, but it is a fact of life that none of us should be wasting water on grass. Many of us are hurting in this respect, but getting used to the idea of dry grass.
You may be lucky enough to be in an area that has decent rainfalls, or can spare a little water from a dam or bore. There are things you can do to prolong the green-ness of your lawn. As you say - feeding it is one.
I think that sulphate of ammonia is a good lawn greening agent - perhaps better than dynamic lifter. Also - don't cut it too short! My neighbor cuts his when it is SHORTER than the cut length of mine. His is looking very bare and brown. Mine is currently 6" and in need of a mow back down to 3" and much of it IS green because of the rains we have had, the heavy water storing clay soil, the flatness of our block and the fact that parts of it are over our septic tank transpiration bed. Lucky us! Not everyone is so lucky. Even so - I am working on turning much of our 1 acre into garden beds, and mulching them heavily to conserve water during the summer.
Leave the clippings ON the grass - they return organinc material to the soil, and this helps conserve moisture.
Use a grass that stays green well through summer, or alternatively use one that goes brown in summer, sets seed and returns in autumn from seed. Then see to it that you do let it set seed for next season.
Check your local councils regulations regarding watering lawn. If it is definitely not permitted then only use your waste water from the bath or shower to water the grass, although even that might be put to better use elsewhere.
If you are permitted to wash your car - always park it on the lawn so the water runs off onto the grass.
Just a few ideas - hope they help.
Cheers, Jan |
RE: Lawns
| | |
| You should be able to use a soil wetter and the dry bit should come back to life - you may need to put some holes into the dry area so water can penetrate - use a pitch fork if you don't have any of those nifty lawn spike shoes. The holes will probably do more good than a wetting agent. I live in the country and have a lawn around my house - it is a good way of preventing fires burning up to the house, is much cooler and cleaner than bare earth, pavers or gravel and does not encourage termites like bark mulch. I water it regularly with big sprinklers to keep it green.
Get over it. |
RE: Lawns
| | |
| We also have a reasonable size lawn (if the green mix of weeds and grass can be called lawn) as the kids and dogs need room for running around, ball games, etc and as Robyn says it is better than bare earth. The kids also play in the gardens, up the trees, in the paddock, etc too. I water around the house area only as it helps stop dirt, etc being dragged onto the patio, paths, etc. We aren't connected to town water so have to watch our water but I don't consider watering this area as a waste. I would do as Robyn suggests and try aerating the area first if you worry about it at all as once this hot spell goes and we have some rain it should come back. |
|
|
|
|
