Lawn Care 101: Achieve a Great-Looking Lawn

A well-kept lawn can certainly make your yard the envy of neighbours and passersby alike, not to mention it’s a lot nicer underfoot for you as you enjoy long summer days outside.

Although a patch of grass can be left to its own devices to some degree, it does require some lawn maintenance to keep it healthy. If you want to be the proud owner of some luscious lawns, you’ll need to put in a little bit of effort. Trust us, it’s worth it!

Not all lawns are alike, so there are a few considerations to make when sorting your lawn care and putting practices in place to get your grass looking top notch. 

This guide will cover everything you need to know for the most enviable lawn in the neighbourhood. We’ll cover what you need to do in each season, the landscaping gear you need to get the job done, plus some top tips to get the best growing results. 

The importance of a well maintained lawn

If you have a lawn (or are thinking about laying one!) you will no doubt be wanting it to look healthy, and be suitable for enjoying over the warmer months. 

Whether it’s for outdoor entertaining, somewhere to play backyard cricket, or a spot for the kids and pets to run around on - lawn maintenance is important to keep it healthy.

A neglected lawn can easily become overrun with weeds, full of patches and riddled with bugs like fungus gnats that damage the root and stem, causing disease in the lawn. 

Good moisture levels and drainage are really important not only for lawn health, but also for your property. Excess water can cause pooling which can intern cause damage to structures as well as banks and even retaining walls. 

A healthy lawn will absorb excess rainfall, provide oxygen, and thrive with even growth and less thatch. 

How to take care of your lawn

The best way to take care of a lawn is to stick to a regular lawn maintenance schedule. Just like any other plant, grass has different care requirements at different times of the year, so we’ve put together a helpful list of the things you need to do in each season. 

Seasonal lawn care to-do list 

Lawn Care in Spring

• Raking and weeding

This helps to get rid of any dead grass and weeds that popped up over winter time so you can start with a clear patch when you reseed. This gives the new seed ample space to grow. 

• Aerating 

This is the process of putting small holes in the lawn to help oxygenate, and assist with distributing nutrients.

Make sure your lawn is cut short, and that the soil has been watered well before you start, so that you can see any missed areas. 

This job is usually done using a special aerating tool that has rows of spikes that drive into the ground. 

• Fertilise

This is the process of distributing fertiliser over a lawn to add nutrients which helps your lawn to stay healthy by promoting new leaf and root growth.

You can use either organic types (good for use around kids and pets) or synthetic (good for quick results). 

Regardless of the type you use, it’s best to use personal protective gear when handling fertiliser such as dust masks, gloves and glasses so that you don’t expose yourself to chemicals or bacteria. 

For liquid fertiliser, you’ll want to hire  a lawnboy sprayer to makes this distributing process quick, especially for larger lawns while minimising contact with chemicals. 

For pallet fertiliser or granular fertiliser , hire a fertiliser spreader to get an even distribution across your lawn. At Hirepool we have two different fertiliser spreaders, a pushable fertiliser spreader for small to medium sized lawns, and a towable spreader for larger grounds. 

• Reseed the lawn

Spring is the best time to reseed the lawn to fill any patches by sprinkling grass seed. 

Once your soil is prepped, sprinkle the grass seed on, put a small layer of soil on top, then push the seeds down using a lawn roller so the seeds don’t blow or wash away. 

Water the area, then ensure the patch stays damp (but not too wet) as you start the process of watching your grass grow!

Don’t mow the area until the grass is well established otherwise it can pull the roots out.

Lawn Care in Summer

• Deep watering

The heat of summer can dry your lawn out to a desert-like state so it’s important to water deeply to retain moisture and keep the grass alive. 

A sprinkler system on a timer is a good idea, and it’s best to water in the early morning or later in the day to avoid the direct sun causing evaporation.

• Weed control

You can either hand pick weeds or use a sprayer and weed killer designed for lawns. Things like dandelions will be sprouting during summer. There are also weed and feed options which are a two in one solution.

Use personal protective gear like masks, gloves and glasses to avoid breathing in weed killer or risking contact with your eyes and skin. 

Lawn Care in Autumn

• Dethatching 

This is the process of removing thatch which is the layer of roots and stems between the lawn and soil. Too much thatch can stop water and nutrients getting to the soil and can cause lawn diseases. 

The fastest way to do this is to use a dethatcher which uses steel blades to cut out thatch. A professional grade dethatcher is a hefty investment, so unless you’re in the business of lawn maintenance, it makes sense to hire one from Hirepool instead. 

Remember to protect your ears with earmuffs whilst using motorised equipment, and always wear sturdy footwear. 

• Remove excess leaves

Get rid of excess leaves before they rot and encourage pests by using a leaf blower which will speed up the process and keep your hands clean!

A Power broom is also ideal for cleaning up leaves, litter and general garden rubbish.

• Aerating

The end of Autumn is a good time to aerate again. With the impending winter rain on the way, you want to ensure your lawn is able to drain efficiently to avoid pooling. 

Lawn Care in Winter

• Weed control

Broadleaf weeds can take advantage of a weaker lawn through winter, so use a sprayer backpack to distribute weed killer quickly in larger areas.

• Control winter lawn diseases

Poor drainage can cause fungal diseases like mushrooms to appear on your lawn. Although these are mainly just an eyesore, some types can be harmful to pets and kids so it’s best to remove them. 

You can pull them out by hand, but if they continue to come back you can use a sprayer in combination with a fungus control product.

Winter can be harsh for lawns and gardens in NZ. Check out our detailed guide for more tips on preparing your lawn and garden for winter. 

Top tips for lawn care

Watering

• Early in the day is best

Lawns should not stay wet overnight as it can lead to fungal diseases in your lawn. Watering early in the day will allow the moisture to absorb into the lawn, ready for the day ahead which is especially important in summer.

• Aim to water less often

Rather than watering multiple times a day, aim to water the lawn slowly in one session and over a longer time frame so the water can absorb well, rather than creating a soggy yard by saturating it. 

• Avoid watering before lawn mowing

Watering before lawn mowing can result in difficulty getting an even cut and it can also clog up your lawnmower. For this reason it’s also best to mow lawns on dry days. 

• Tackle large lawns using a water tank

For very large lawns or commercial grasses, consider a water tank which will speed up the job due to its large capacity plus it allows for even watering

Lawnmowing

• Don’t mow too low 

Mowing your lawn too low cuts off too much of the blade which can stunt growth. Cutting too low in summer exposes the soil to the sun which can dry the lawn out too much causing dead patches to form. Check out our foolproof guide on the best way to cut lawns and edges. 

• Mow your lawn in the morning or late in the day

Lawn mowing in the middle of the day when the sun is out can put too much stress on the lawn, so it’s best to stick to times when the sun is down.

• Service your lawnmower regularly

Servicing your lawnmower regularly will help to ensure your grass gets an even cut and reduces the risk of spreading lawn diseases. 

Dull lawnmower blades can rip at the blades of grass causing the lawn to weaken. 

Servicing will also help with extending the life of your lawn mower, by improving functionality and keeping rust away. 

Do your servicing when the lawnmower is off and cold, and remove the spark plug before starting (where relevant). 

• Give it a clean by using a brush to remove built up dirt
• Ensure the blades are clean and sharp - you can do this by using a file or special sharpening tool 
• Replenish the engine oil 
• Check the air filter and spark plug are in good working order 
• Empty the catcher sweeping out thoroughly with a brush
• Add lubricant to the wheels

If you don’t have time for servicing, consider hiring a mower to save yourself time. Our mowers are serviced between each hire so you’ll never have a blunt blade slicing through your beautiful grass. 

Fertilising

• Remove leaves and debris

Ensure the lawn fertiliser gets right down to the soil by using a leafblower to first remove all leaves and debris that might be sitting on top. 

• Fertilise after mowing 

Your lawn will need time to absorb the nutrients from the fertiliser so it’s best to mow first then fertilise, rather than disturbing the lawn fertiliser by mowing over it.

• Use a fertiliser spreader

To ensure you get even coverage with your fertiliser over every part of the lawn, you can use a spreader which controls how much is dispersed without you having to touch the lawn fertiliser. 

Levelling a lawn

Part of levelling a lawn is reseeding, which of course is best done in spring time! 

Fixing your lawn is easy, especially with the right tools. 

• Mow and assess

The first step is to mow and use a weedeater on the lawn so you can easily see which areas need some help.

• Dethatch

Dethatching will help to loosen the lawn up ready for digging. 

• Spray and dig up grass in spots that are unlevel 

In order to level the ground, you will first need to remove the grass from the sunken or raised area. It’s a good idea to spray your grass with weedkiller before you dig it up, to kill off weeds. If you need to level a large area, save your back and use a mini excavator.

• Add topsoil and compost 

Fill any gaps as needed by adding topsoil and compost to sunken areas.

• Use a roller to flatten 

Flattening the topsoil and compost with a roller will allow you to see if you need to add more to the area in order to get an even finish.

• Hose the area 

Giving the ground a good hose down will also help with assessing whether you need to add more topsoil as it will help to compress everything down to the level it will actually sit at. 

• Re-soil where needed and re-seed 

If after rolling and watering you still see some uneven ground, you can add more soil, then reseed the area to get your new lawn growth underway!

Seeding a lawn from scratch

If your lawn is very uneven and in need of grading, or the patchy grass is beyond repair then it may be time to seed a new lawn from scratch. Our range of mini excavators and skid steer loaders will save you time and effort while creating a smooth and level surface for sewing new grass seed. Check out the DIY done smarter video of this project below.

For more lawn care tips and advice, check out the Lawn and Garden section of our DIY hub. Get your lawn looking top notch by hiring the right landscaping tools from Hirepool. Simply book the gear you need online and pick it up from your local branch. We even offer trailer hire to make gear transportation a breeze.