Proper lawn maintenance plays a crucial part in any landscape design. A beautiful well maintained lawn can make the entire landscape look good, whereas a lawn that is not maintained can completely ruin it’s beautify. Discussed below are a few important lawn care tips that will help you maintain a fine-looking lawn.
Mowing:
This is the most sensitive practice in lawn maintenance because even small imperfections may cause intense problems to the lawn. The key principle in mowing is the height of the grass that has to be mowed. Depending upon the species the height that has to be mowed varies. Considering the widely adapted Perennial ryegrass should be mowed at 2.5 to 3.5 inches. The tall fescue can be mowed at 3.0 to 4.0 inches. Kentucky blue grass or any mixture containing Kentucky blue grass should be mowed at 2.5 to 3.5 inches. The Zoysia must be mowed at 1.0 inch. Mowing below these heights restricts the growth and increases the chances of getting damaged due to insects, drought and traffic increases. Inappropriate mowing also causes weed infestations. In places with moderate sun-light should be mowed 0.5 to 1.0 inch higher than the normal.
Thatch controlling:
Thatch is a tightly intermingled organic layer of dead and living shoots, stems and roots that accumulate just above the soil surface. Thatch is desirable in small quantities, whereas a thick layer of thatch must be avoided. Thatch layer forms due to over-fertilization, over-watering and soil compaction. Too much thatch interferes with water and air movement, reduces fertilizer and pesticide response, and increases disease and insect activity. Controlling thatch can be done by Detaching machines which are power rakes with sharp blades that cut the thatch to the ground surface. As the blades revolve, dead & live organic materials are torn loose and brought to surface. The organic material removed by the dethatcher must be raked, removed, and used as mulch or in a compost pile.
Aerification:
Aerification is the mechanical removal of soil cores, it relieves soil compaction, improving water and air movement into the soil, increasing rooting, and greatly improving grass health. Appropriate aerification will reduce thatch. This process is highly beneficial in compacted areas such as sport fields, heavily trafficked areas next to sidewalks, and areas with intense foot or pet traffic.
Rolling:
Rolling is not a turf maintenance practice.. Rolling is generally not recommended by turf specialists because heavy rolling of saturated or clay soils in spring will cause soil compaction and increase soil moisture stress the following summer. However, rollers do have some fetching in turf. Light rolling is effective immediately following seeding to insure good seed-soil contact. Rolling can also bring good sod-soil contact after sodding.



