Weeds thrive in certain soil conditions, making it challenging for gardeners to maintain a healthy lawn. However, you can make simple adjustments to make it less inviting to these invaders
Weeds can be a gardener’s nightmare, thriving in certain soil conditions and making it difficult to maintain a lush lawn all year round.
However, Simon Akeroyd, head of estates and landscapes at Painshill Park Trust, shared a simple technique with Yell that not only suppresses weed growth but also promotes stronger, healthier grass.
By applying lime to your lawn, you can balance the pH levels of the soil, creating an environment less favourable for weeds, which typically thrive in more acidic conditions. It’s best to apply lime during the winter months, spreading it evenly at a rate of about 50 grams per square metre.
This makes the soil more alkaline, encouraging grass to grow stronger and outcompete weeds, reports the Express. This adjustment creates healthier conditions for grass, making it more resilient to weed invasions, resulting in a greener, fuller lawn with fewer weeds to manage.
Other methods include aerating and scarifying your lawn, which encourages stronger grass growth, making it harder for weeds to take hold. “Feeding and aerating your lawn play key roles in promoting healthy growth,” Simon explained. “One of the most effective ways of improving the quality of the lawn in autumn and part of the autumn lawn care maintenance programme, is to aerate it.”
Aeration is a crucial process for ensuring plant roots get enough oxygen, which is vital for their growth and health. This can be achieved by maintaining well-drained soil, preventing water build-up, or improving the soil’s structure with organic materials to boost air circulation.
Simon explained: “Aeration helps to relieve compaction, increases drainage, which will reduce moss problems and increases airflow in the soil, which promotes healthier roots system and therefore a better and denser sward of lawn on the surface. You can then brush top dressing into the holes left by the fork to improve the quality of the soil in the rootzone of the lawn.”
