A Beginner’s Guide to Lawn Care: An Amateur’s View
For the past year, you, the brilliant Lawns for You readers, have been reading the sage lawn care advice that pours forth from Duncan, our resident grass guru at Lawns for You towers. Well, we’ve decided to add another voice to the site, one to join his august tones and provide a different perspective. It’s a slightly different, and certainly much less experienced one, and it’s mine.
My name’s Colin Gray and I’ve known Duncan for quite a long time now. In fact, I’ve known him pretty much as long as I can remember. That’s what happens with parents I suppose… My Dad, Duncan, and I have worked for a while now on building Lawns for You as a resource for gardening and lawn care enthusiasts.
We’ve also been working on the retail side of the site, sourcing lawn care products for you, our readers, bringing together the best grass seed, lawn fertiliser and gardening supplies we can find into one place. Check some out here and here. And finally, we’ve been growing the face to face side of the company, working with more clients to fix real lawn and garden problems, as well as providing in person grass care and advice.
We’re pretty proud of our family business so far, and the free, and paid, lawn care information and services it provides.
It’s the start of a new season though, and that means changes, spring cleaning and growth, not only in the garden. My job with Lawns for You is primarily on running the website; I’m a web and podcast developer by trade (check out my company sites at Wild Trails Media (here ), and at The Podcast Host (find here), if you’re interested).
But, in running Lawns for You with my Dad, I’ve become a bit more interested in this lawn care lark. I’ve also just moved out to the suburbs, and so have a garden to look after for the first time in my life.
So, back to the new voice thing. I’m going to start writing articles for the site on Lawn Care from a beginner’s point of view. I’ve never really yielded a lawn mower in anger, nor sown a seed in my life. But, under the expert tutelage of my Dad, I’m going to start to learn, and I’ll hopefully teach you along with me.
I know a lot of gardening experts read Lawns for You for the extra-expert advice Duncan provides, but there are also a lot of novices and gardening amateurs out there. I hope that you fellow beginners will benefit as I ask the dumb grass maintenance questions and find the right answers via Duncan. Also, they say you learn the most from your mistakes. Well, have no fear, I’ll be making plenty of them.
Anyway, I hope you’ll enjoy reading about my gardening debacles, and benefit from my lawn care based suffering. I’d love to hear what you think, and what you’d like to learn about in particular. Drop me a line to let me know what beginner’s questions you’d like answered, or what you’d like me to cover.
It’s going to be an adventure – stay tuned!
Hi, we’ve shifted into a new house and the lawns are in a shocking state. Mostly weeds and dirt. There are patches of good grass though. I’ve put down weed n feed and then a grass greener and have been watering really well. It seems to be working ok. But is there anything else I’m missing? Should i be doing anything more to grow out the good stuff? Thanks for your help!
Hi Aleisha,
You have made a good start, but there are things to do that will speed the process.
The main way to produce a better lawn is to scarify then over seed with a good quality lawn seed at about 20 grams per square meter.
After the over seeding keep the surface moist, but not soaked, until germination, around ten days or so.
Regular mowing is very important, keeping the mower sharp, as more regular cutting produces a denser healthy sward.
I do not recommend weed and feed, even though it is easier, as it is much better for the grass, and kills weeds more effectively, to apply the weed killer at least two weeks after the fertilizer.
In the Winter use lawn sand to ensure you do not have a moss problem.
I hope this helps you. There is plenty more advice on the web site if you have a look round.
Duncan.
Hi saw your article a beginner’s guide I just wondered how your lawn turned out,??I live in a rented house with a nice (,ish)lawn but it had weeds and a few bare patches,in on it..I have only used so far in this month (September) organic manure by miracle grow wich greened it up amazingly!!!.I just wondered how I could get rid of the weeds and the bare patches??and help_tips u have would be amazing!!.many thanks Paul dearness