A lush green lawn is a sight to behold – and the envy of every neighbour. However, it takes more than just watering and mowing to achieve that perfect green lawn. With the right care and attention, it is possible to transform even the most lacklustre lawn into a verdant oasis. In this blog post, we’ll provide you with 10 simple steps to get a greener lawn.
Step 1: Know Your Lawn
Before you start any lawn care routine, it’s essential to understand your lawn grass type. Different types of grass require different types of care. In Perth, the most common grass types are Couch, Buffalo, and Kikuyu. Understanding your lawn type will help you determine the best watering and fertilising schedule.
Step 2: Water Your Lawn Correctly
In Perth, watering your lawn is crucial. During the hot summer months, it’s important to give your lawn enough water to prevent it from drying out. However, it’s equally important not to overwater. Overwatering can lead to root rot and other fungal diseases. As a rule of thumb, water your lawn deeply once or twice a week rather than lightly every day. Make sure to check with your local reticulation company to be sure your gardens and lawns are getting the water coverage and amount they need!
Step 3: Fertilise Your Lawn
Fertilising your lawn is essential to ensure it remains healthy and green. It’s best to fertilise your lawn in the spring and summer months, when the grass is actively growing. Choose a fertiliser that is suitable for your lawn type and avoid using too much fertiliser as it can burn your lawn.
Step 4: Mow Your Lawn Regularly
Here are some lawn mowing tips for a healthy lawn. Mowing your lawn is necessary to keep it looking neat and tidy. However, it’s important not to cut your lawn too short as this can cause stress to the grass and make it more susceptible to disease. In Perth, it’s recommended to keep your lawn between 2.5 to 4 cm in height.
Step 5: Aerate Your Lawn
Aerating your lawn is an essential step in maintaining a healthy lawn. Aerating helps to improve water and nutrient uptake, reduces soil compaction, and promotes deeper root growth. In Perth, it’s recommended to aerate your lawn in autumn or spring.
Step 6: Control Weeds
Weeds can quickly take over your lawn and cause it to look unsightly. It’s important to remove weeds regularly and use a selective herbicide to prevent them from coming back. Be careful when choosing a herbicide as some can damage your lawn. It’s important to know the best methods for weeding lawns to keep them healthy and vibrant.
Step 7: Repair Bald Patches
Bald patches in your lawn can be caused by a variety of factors, including pests, disease, and poor soil conditions. It’s important to address the underlying issue before repairing the patch. Once you’ve identified the problem, reseed the area with a grass seed suitable for your lawn type.
Step 8: Provide Shade
In Perth, the hot sun can quickly dry out your lawn, causing it to turn brown. Providing shade to your lawn can help prevent it from drying out. Plant trees or install a shade sail to provide your lawn with the necessary shade. A good tip is to plant ground cover instead of lawn in areas which get zero sunlight, like at the base of trees, rather than trying to keep a lawn alive without sunlight amid roots and debris.
Step 9: Remove Lawn Clippings
Leaving lawn clippings on your lawn can prevent sunlight and air from reaching the grass, causing it to turn yellow. It’s important to remove lawn clippings regularly and dispose of them correctly.
Step 10: Hire The Experts
Achieving a green lawn takes time and effort. By following these 10 simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to a lush, green lawn.
If you’re struggling to get your lawn looking green and lush, it’s worth seeking professional help. Our garden and lawn care experts in Perth can help you keep your lawns and gardens looking healthy and lush with our garden maintenance services in Perth.
Contact us on 08 6263 4645 today to book in a service – your lawn and garden will thank you for it!
Here are our answers to some frequently asked questions about getting a greener lawn in Perth:
Q: What type of fertiliser should I use for my lawn in Perth?
A: The type of fertiliser you use will depend on your lawn type. In general, a slow-release fertiliser with a balanced NPK ratio is suitable for most lawns in Perth. It’s best to fertilise your lawn in the spring and summer months when the grass is actively growing.
Q: Can I mow my lawn when it’s wet?
A: It’s not recommended to mow your lawn when it’s wet. Wet grass can clog up your lawn mower and make it harder to cut your lawn evenly. It’s best to wait until your lawn is dry before mowing.
Q: How can I tell if my lawn needs aeration?
A: If your lawn is looking thin or patchy, it may need aerating. You can also perform a soil compaction test by pushing a garden fork into the ground. If the fork doesn’t go in easily, it’s likely that your soil is compacted and in need of aeration.
Q: How do I repair bald patches in my lawn?
A: Bald patches in your lawn can be caused by a variety of factors, including pests, disease, and poor soil conditions. Once you’ve identified the problem, reseed the area with a grass seed suitable for your lawn type. Keep the area moist until the grass seed has germinated and established.
Q: How can I prevent weeds from growing in my lawn?
A: Regular mowing and fertilising can help prevent weeds from growing in your lawn. However, it’s also important to remove weeds regularly and use a selective herbicide to prevent them from coming back.
Q: How can I provide shade for my lawn?
A: Planting trees or installing a shade sail can provide your lawn with the necessary shade. However, it’s important not to plant trees too close to your lawn as their roots can compete with your grass for water and nutrients.
Q: Do I need professional help to get a greener lawn?
A: While it’s possible to achieve a green lawn on your own, seeking professional help can save you time and effort. Lawn care experts in Perth can provide you with a personalised lawn care plan and recommend the best products for your lawn type. They can also help diagnose and treat any issues with your lawn.
As the weather changes, trees and plants can come under stress. During these times, it’s crucial to know how to take care of your precious fruit trees.
An important part of this is pruning your fruit trees.
For inexperienced gardeners, pruning can feel intimidating — once a branch is pruned, there’s no going back! However, it doesn’t have to be as scary as it seems.
As part of our regular garden maintenance services, we prune a lot of citrus and fruit trees in Perth, citrus fruit trees seem to be especially popular with our clients. So we thought we would provide a few tips on how to take care of them through proper pruning!
In this blog post, we’ll run you through some essentials you need to know to keep your fruit trees pruned, healthy and happy along with a few of our “garden geek” tips.
Why Should You Prune Fruit Trees?
Pruning your fruit trees is important to ensure trees stay healthy and happy. This is particularly true during winter for most types of fruit trees.
Essentially, the pruning process is about promoting growth for your trees. Branches that you cut back will re-grow, in turn encouraging the tree to produce more fruit.
Pruning also helps the tree’s general health and can make it more aesthetically pleasing.
Pruning trees helps to:
develop and maintain ideal tree shape and size
allow more sunlight into the centre of the tree
improve air circulation around leaves and branches
reduce the risk of disease
remove dead branches — these can harm the tree and become a safety hazard!
When Is The Best Time For Pruning Fruit Trees?
There are several types of pruning and many types of fruit trees. Pruning is recommended at different times of the year depending on the climate, why you are pruning, and the type of fruit tree.
In most cases fruit trees are pruned in winter, or early spring, when the tree is dormant (not actively growing).
Dormant pruning
In Perth dormant pruning is typically performed in the colder months (June to August).
This type of pruning aims to protect the structure of a mature tree, or help a young tree form a basic shape. It stops branches from crowding together or crossing over one another.
Dead, diseased or broken branches can also be removed. These are not just unsightly, they drain the plant’s energy!
Summer pruning
Summer pruning is often done around December in Perth, to keep vigorous trees to a manageable size.
Summer pruning is also useful to maintain a pleasing shape.
The other reason for summer pruning is that some types of fruit trees, like apricots and cherries, become more disease prone if pruned in winter.
During Summer pruning, you usually remove any suckers (shoots that grow low down on the trunk). These often grow as a response to compromised roots.
Cut them as low as possible to discourage reshooting. This helps to conserve the tree’s energy for more productive growth.
Inner-facing branches are removed to improve sunlight and airflow to the centre of the tree. Other branches can be shortened, both to balance the tree’s appearance and to prevent them getting too long and thin – these types of branches are prone to breakage when loaded with fruit.
Other seasonal preferences:
Citrus – prune tips all year round as needed
Figs – prune in winter
Apples and pears – deciduous trees are pruned while dormant
Grapes – prune hard in winter, trim in the warm months
The life cycle of a fruit tree
How often you should prune also depends on the age of the tree.
Pruning in year one is to form the tree’s shape and encourage growth. Trim the central trunk down to where there is an outward-facing bud, about 75cms above ground.
The next year remove inward-facing branches and lower shoots. Reduce upward shoots by half to allow for new branches.
By year three your fruit tree will have its shape. Cut the best branches in half – this strengthens the tree to carry fruit.
By year four you won’t need to prune heavily after fruiting. Large branches can be reduced by one-third and the top pruned to keep the height manageable.
After five years, pruning your mature tree once a year after fruiting is all that’s needed.
If you want to hand over the fruit tree pruning to the professionals, have a look at our tree pruning services and get in touch.
What Tools Do You Need to Prune Fruit Trees?
When pruning fruit trees, your main tool will probably be sharp secateurs. You might also use a tree lopping tool for larger branches, or a pruning saw if making major structural changes.
Before pruning, and even between pruning individual trees, disinfect the blades of tools you use with a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water (don’t make it any stronger!)
This removes traces of tree sap and other contaminants, reducing the risk of disease being carried from tree to tree by tools.
How To Prune Fruit Trees — A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you understand the “why” and have all the tools you need, it’s time to learn the steps to a perfect pruning.
Step 1: Clean Up the Deadwood
Firstly, examine your tree for branches that are dead or broken. These can be a hazard during extreme weather and a danger to your tree, encouraging disease and stunting growth. Cut these away to help your tree (and your property) stay healthy!
Step 2: Trim out Sprouts and Suckers
Your next step is to trim unnecessary growth like water sprouts and suckers.
Water sprouts are vertical growths caused by stress or damage — for example, from severe weather, soil compaction, drought, or disease.
Growing from dormant, buried buds in the bark, water sprouts appear on the trunk and branches of a tree, sapping the tree’s energy. They can ruin its shape, allowing pathogens and disease in and weakening an otherwise strong structure.
Suckers look similar, but grow around the base of the tree from the root system, stealing nutrients and ruining the ‘look’ of a tree. They’re also best removed to conserve the tree’s energy.
Step 3: Cut Back and Thin Out
At this point, it’s time to begin the main job.
First, thin out the branches of your fruit tree to allow more light and air into the canopy. This will help your tree produce more fruit!
Next, cut back any wayward branches running sideways, downwards or crowding over each other.
Step back and take a look at your tree. If branches are spaced out evenly and spreading out from the middle of the tree, then you’re golden.
If you can still see branches competing or crossing over each other, check if any are growing from the same spot or next to each other from different points on the tree.
In either case, keep the healthiest branch with the best angle from the tree (branches should sit at approx. two o’clock or ten o’clock position). Remove the weaker competing branch.
Finish up your thinning out process by giving all branches around 15-30cm of air space. (Smaller branches can be left a little closer together.)
Step 4: Topping and Skirting
Another aspect to pruning fruit trees is topping and skirting.
Topping
Pruning the top of a tree to make it easier to harvest from is controversial. It is best to only do this when necessary (for example to help a tree recover from storm damage) and if you are confident the tree can recover.
Topping trees can lead to unbalanced root-to-crown ratio, disturbing the tree’s ability to produce energy and photosynthesise. A tree may also be shocked by topping and grow erratically. These problems can lead to tree death.
Skirting
This is the process of cutting back branches hanging low to the ground. Well-developed trees should be skirted to about 75cm above ground level, leaving enough room for the branches to droop a little when bearing fruit, without dragging on the ground.
Step 5: Heading Back
Heading back is the process of shortening a branch or new shoot to encourage growth, and is performed on the outer edges of the tree. Think of this as giving the tree a haircut!
Heading back keeps a tree looking neat, and helps branches grow solid and strong.
For best results, cut back approx. 20-30% of last year’s growth — this could be anywhere between 5cm and 1.5m depending on the tree type and maturity.
FRUIT TREE PRUNING TIP
Remember, when pruning any tree it’s best to cut as close to the branch as possible!
Fruit Tree Pruning Shapes
For an extra special touch, shape your fruit trees in a way that suits the overall look of your garden. This will make your trees look well-cared for and give your garden a consistent aesthetic.
Natural
Natural shaping is a “hands-off” philosophy that says that a fruit tree will fruit quicker and more strongly if left without pruning. Those who are fans of natural gardening techniques may prefer this option.
Trees can grow very tall using this method, and fruit may be difficult to harvest. Suckers and sprouts may also become a problem.
Open Centre
The “open center” shape is best suited to stone fruit such as plum, nectarine, apricot or cherry trees. This may also be referred to as a “vase shape”.
Often, stone fruit will grow this way naturally to begin with — in this case, select three to five of the strongest branches as a foundation and prune away any branches that cross over or compete with each other.
If your tree is shaped differently, prune branches into the vase shape described by choosing the strongest branches as a basis.
Prune branches in a way that leaves open space at the centre of the tree — this lets in more light and allows for better airflow.
Central Leader
A central leader shape is where the central trunk or “leader” forms the basis of the tree’s shape.
The central leader is emphasised by pruning all branches on the lower section of the trunk. To achieve this, trim all branches from around 9m down to the soil level.
If you are wondering what you should do in your garden this month to help it thrive and prepare it for the winter season, read on.May is the last month of Autumn here in Perth, the weather is cooling down and as gardeners, we’re getting ready for the winter months. In this blog, we will cover what needs to be done this month to get your garden ready for winter…
What to do for lawn care in May.
1. Now is a great time to apply foliar fertiliser to your lawn to give it the boost it needs to thicken up and help it combat any weed growth and invasion.
2. It is also a good time to start mowing your lawn at a ‘longer’ or taller setting to help it catch as much light as possible during the winter months.
3. Weed removal. During winter, lawn growth slows right down but, unfortunately for gardeners everywhere, weeds start to sprout and increase thanks to the increased moisture. To keep on top of weeds, the winning strategy is to manually pull them out by their roots or mow them before they have a chance to seed. Of course, an alternative (that we prefer to avoid) is to use a chemical weed killer. If you do choose the chemical path, contact professionals or make sure to wear protective clothing and equipment.
Yes, the ‘by hand’ method will always be more time-consuming but it is effective – along with being much better for the health of the soil and planet.
What tasks you should do in your garden in May.
For all you green thumbs out there, now is the time to take cuttings from your natives to propagate them, planting your cuttings directly into some quality propagating mix for best results.
Some other garden tasks are:
Prune spent flowers in ornamental plants such as roses, salvia, buddleia, etc.
Prune hydrangeas back
Prune trees and taller shrubs. It is a great time to prune them back to open the foliage so the winter rain can penetrate the soil more evenly – this will also make them less prone to winter storm damage with less foliage and branches able to be affected by wind.
What should you plant in your garden in May?
May in Perth is a great time to plant new natives and trees to give them a chance to establish during the rainy season. With the increased and more consistent watering, they will be stronger and more able to resist the heat and drought come summer. We all know the extra time and care it takes to keep new plants healthy and growing during the Perth summer heat! You can also plant dormant stocks, bulbs and trees during this month.
For those with edible gardens, some ideal vegetables to plant in May are:
Strawberries
Potatoes
Leeks
Onions
Chives
May is a great time to get out in the garden with the cooler days, so grab a hat and some gardening tools and spend some time preparing your garden to thrive during winter.
If finding time to garden is too hard right now, have a look at our Garden Maintenance Packages to see how our expert gardening team can help you out – and you can enjoy a happy healthy garden without picking up a single gardening tool in May!
Do you want to create a garden that’s as beautiful as the great outdoors?
We thought so.
Well, if you want to make the most of your garden, you will need to spruce up your landscape.
To ensure you can enjoy your garden come rain or shine, here are 5 useful garden maintenance tips.
1. Tidy up
If you want to give your garden a new lease of life, it might be as simple as giving it a through tidy-up.
You can do so by raking the leaves, removing fallen tree branches, mowing the lawns, pulling up any weeds, pruning the hedges and giving your porch, deck and paving a much-needed pressure or power wash.
You can also freshen up your landscape by repainting the deck, mulching the garden beds, and topping-up any gravel you might have lost from rain or summer games which got out of hand.
You will be surprised at the difference a really good cleanup can bring to your garden!
Garden Cleanup BeforeGarden Cleanup After
2. Add more trees or shrubs
Nothing brings the great outdoors to your garden quite like lush trees and shrubs.
Yet, don’t go overboard or you could make the garden appear too crowded and cramped.
While they can be a beautiful addition to your garden, they will need maintenance in the future.
Nature does an amazing job of self-nurturing and uses incredibly smart and well-honed systems to keep things green and growing. But our carefully designed home gardens tend to work outside nature with our desire to have them green year-round and use of plants which aren’t native to our location. So sometimes nature needs a little help to provide the nutrients needed to maintain a healthy garden (especially when all leaves and green wastes are removed on a regular basis to maintain a tidy garden)
The Why’s and How’s of Fertilising your garden in Perth.
One of the effective ways to do this is by using the right fertilisers as part of our regular gardening activities.
