Most of us learn how to take care of our properties from our friends, family members, and the internet.

But not every source of information will be entirely correct, accurate, or suitable for your situation.

Which is why many people make a lot of common mistakes when it comes to mowing their lawns. Curious about whether you’re guilty of these? Read on to find out.

You cut your lawn too short

If you’re going on holiday or loathe lawn mowing, it can be tempting to cut your lawns short. After all, if you cut them short, it’s a while before you’ll need to cut them again. While you might benefit from a more extended break between cutting sessions, you’re doing your grass a lot of harm.

Cutting your lawns below around 7-8cm can make your grass vulnerable to disease and insects. You’re also putting your lawnmower blades under a lot of stress, as well. The best thing you can do for your lawn is cut it a little and often, and you improve your chances of a healthy, lush lawn.

Suppose you’re still not interested in cutting your lawns regularly. In that case, there’s always the option of a lawn care service provider who can do it for you.

You’re overwatering

If your lawn is your pride and joy, you may spend a lot of time with a hose or watering can, giving it a long, deep drink. However, like most things in life, you can have too much of a good thing. An overwatered lawn can often be a diseased and damaged lawn.

You may think that keeping your lawn thoroughly hydrated is in its best interests, but it isn’t. A healthy patch of grass is one that receives deep and infrequent watering so that it grows longer roots in search of water. If it can always access water near the surface, it’s more likely to have a shallow root structure. Then, if you fail to water your lawn as frequently as you usually do, it’s less likely to thrive.

You didn’t test your soil

You may think you know all the lawn care tips you need to know, but how much thought have you put into soil testing? Given that your grass seems to be just fine, it may not cross your mind. But maybe it should.

The better your soil health, the better your grass health, promoting a more beneficial lawn mowing experience. You can purchase DIY soil testing kits, which allow you to find out your soil’s pH level.

Your lawn will measure on the pH scale between 0 and 14. Below 7, and your soil is acidic. Above 7, and it’s alkaline. Your goal should be to keep your soil’s pH level in the middle. If you find that it’s too acidic (or at six or below), you can add crushed lime to your soil. If it’s too alkaline, you can balance it out by adding peat moss or even sulphur.

It’s worth retesting your lawn annually in spring so that you can make adjustments accordingly and keep your property in tip-top shape.

You didn’t sharpen your lawnmower blades

Have you noticed that your lawns look hacked rather than cut? Or what about brown and yellow jagged edges? When you mow your lawns with dull blades, your grass is more likely to be ripped out rather than sliced cleanly.

Regardless of whether you have a ride-on lawnmower or a walk-behind mower, it’s crucial to sharpen your blades regularly. There is plenty of helpful tutorials online for how to sharpen mower blades. Alternatively, you can take your lawn equipment to a specialist who can take care of it for you. 

You didn’t get rid of thatch

When you haul your lawnmower out of storage, all your thoughts are on making sure it has enough fuel and whether the blades are sharp enough. You may not be thinking about thatch and the implications it can have for your lawn.

Thatch is a layer of organic matter that forms on your lawn. It consists of lawn clippings, leaves, roots, stems, and other materials that can become quite top-heavy on your grass. A little bit of thatch can provide your lawn with much-needed nutrients. However, more than half an inch and your grass may struggle to soak up water, nutrients, and sunshine.

So, before your lawnmower roars to life, do a quick inspection of your lawn. How’s the thatch looking? If it’s thicker than you expected, consider hiring a dethatching machine or renting a power rake. You can then mow with far more confidence.

You didn’t rely on the experts when you actually needed help

It’s okay to admit you need help. When your backyard looks more like a jungle than a lawn, it’s essential to seek help. You may not have the experience or know-how to tackle your grass, but someone who provides lawn care services for a living does.

Why not get in touch with a lawn mowing company that can make a dramatic difference to your lawn? You then don’t need to worry about making any more common lawn mowing mistakes.  

When you look out your window at your struggling, sad-looking lawn, you probably wish it could talk. If it could explain what was wrong with it, then you might be able to fix it!

Two things that lawns commonly require are dethatching and aeration. Give them these two things, and you may just be able to eliminate a problem you thought you’d never solve. Read on to learn what dethatching and aeration are – and whether doing them might be right for your unique situation.

What is Dethatching?

To understand dethatching, you first need to understand what thatch is. It’s a layer of dead and living plant material that can build up on your lawn. It tends to sit between the soil’s surface and the plant.

Too much thatch can promote disease and insects. Before you know it, you’ve got a weed problem, poor growth, and a lawn with a face only a mother could love. Eventually, without action by you or a lawn care company, your grass can die.

Of course, having thatch is not always a bad thing. Having a small amount of mulched leaves or grass clippings can be beneficial for your lawns. But some materials take a long time to break down. In the meantime, your grass is choking while the thatch grows thicker.

So, How Do You Dethatch Your Lawn?

You can go about it in one of two ways. If you don’t have the time or inclination to worry about your lawn’s issues, contact a lawn care service provider. They will have the expertise and, of course, the time to handle the problem for you. Before you know it, your lawn is looking at its best.

But DIY is in our DNA, or so the TV ad goes. So, you may want to tackle the dethatching process yourself. In that case, the best time of year for you to begin is during autumn.

Your lawn is going to look dreadful at first, but it won’t always. Follow up the dethatching process with fertiliser and by oversowing grass seed. Experts also have dethatching machines that can tackle the task far faster than hand tools can.

Getting Stuck in

To get involved in the dethatching process, use a spade to dig a small sample section of your lawn from the soil to the tip of the grass. By doing so, you can see how thick that thatch layer is. Any more than an inch, and you’ve probably noticed that your grass colour is not the healthiest, or your lawn seems weak.

If it measures over two inches, then the task will probably require the helping hand of an expert. It might take more than one session to remove, and if you remove too much, you can damage your grass beyond repair.

You can also go about it in three ways – by yourself or with help. You can use a vertical mower, a power rake, or a short-tined rake. The type of tools you use can depend on how bad the thatch is. A rake is ideal for light thatch or a small lawn. A power rake with rotating tines would suit thin thatch on a large lawn. A vertical mower may suit scenarios where you’ve got a lot of thatch that you need to remove.

What is Aeration?

Soil aeration is the process of opening up your soil to let in oxygen. To know your lawn requires aeration, it pays to know what happens if you don’t do it. Soil can become dense, flat, and compacted over time. You may struggle with drainage and healthy grass growth, among other problems.

A way to tackle that problem is by using manual or automatic aeration machines to add a little bit of oxygen. The process of aeration allows for better, deeper, healthier root growth, which results in healthier grass. Your lawns can then absorb water better, which can solve problems you’ve had with surface water.

If you leave this task in the capable hands of a lawn care company, they may even be able to use a seeder to fill in those bald spots and give your grass growth a helping hand.

If you prefer to handle it yourself, then you’ll be pleased to know it’s probably more straightforward than you might have thought.

How to Aerate Your Soil

Firstly, it’s important to aerate your soil at the most appropriate time of the year. This will be in early to late spring. Make sure your soil is moist enough, such as the day after it has rained. Alternatively, you can water the lawn before you begin.

You can use a plug aerator or a spike aerator – both of which involve creating holes in your lawn. A spike aerator requires a solid tine or a fork, while a plug aerator removes a ‘plug’ section of your grass with each move. If you are buying tools for this task, make sure you follow the instructions. Otherwise, hire a gardening expert who can assist.

Once you’ve aerated your soil, you’ll be able to benefit from water being able to flow freely through your soil and reach the roots for healthy grass growth.

Dethatching and Aeration – What Comes Next for You?

If your grass is not looking at its best, have you thought it might require aeration or dethatching? Of course, there could be several things wrong, but these are two of the most common.

If you’re not sure what to do next, contact a lawn care expert. They can offer some advice and may even be able to take care of the problem for you.

As you stare out over your clover-covered lawns, with bees buzzing all over its white flowers, you may be wondering, what weed spray kills clover?

Given that clover is one of our country’s most crucial pasture plants, it might seem cruel. Why kill something that we rely on for stock feed and nitrogen-fixing abilities?

As much as our farmers adore it, many of our urban-dwellers do not. So, having a way to give it its marching orders before it takes over can offer much-needed peace of mind to homeowners. Read on to learn what your options are regarding the removal of clover.

What is White Clover?

There are bound to be many plants in your garden that you can’t identify. White clover may even be one of them. Clover is a creeping weed that takes up residence in garden beds and lawns throughout New Zealand. It’s also an excellent way for kids to pass the time – looking out for those elusive four-leafed clovers.

White clover has distinctive, small leaves and creeping stems. It is also commonly accompanied by bees who love to feast on the clover flower heads. Now that you know what it is, you can set about removing it.

Why Get Rid of White Clover in Your Lawn?

If you’ve got an overabundance of white clover, that often means your lawns are poorly fertilised. White clover loves fixing nitrogen levels, and it does this by spreading far and wide over your once-healthy lawn.

It’s the spreading that’s the problem. Many homeowners want lush, green lawns – not clover-covered ones with white flowers. It’s a personal choice, but people ask what weed spray kills clover because they just don’t like having it take over.

In saying that, it’s worth being aware of the benefits of clover before you send it packing. Clover can feed the honey bees, crowd out weeds, and provide free fertiliser for your lawns.

What Weed Spray Kills Clover?

Fortunately, you aren’t short of options if you’re wondering what weed spray kills clover. Depending on your brand preference, there are various options at your local garden store. One of the best weed sprays for taking care of clover is a selective herbicide. It doesn’t affect your lawn but will take care of your white clover with no problems at all.

In saying that, how well you follow the instructions of that weed spray can make all the difference to your outcome. We recommend getting in touch with a lawn care expert if you’re not sure. Some clover weed spray also advises that you spray it when weeds are growing, such as in Spring and Autumn.

Killing Clover in Garden Beds

Killing clover in lawns with weed spray is one thing, but killing it in your garden bed is another. You may require a product that won’t harm your shrubs but will take care of the clover. Some people also prefer herbicide granules that penetrate deep into the soil.

These products, like those for your lawns, work best during times of weed growth like Spring and Autumn.

For Driveways and Paths

Having clover on your driveways and paths is a frustrating problem to have, but it’s not a permanent one. There are plenty of selective herbicide products on the market that can tackle the clover that seems to grow wild on your pathways. Some of these products can tackle clover and other weed types while preventing growth for up to a year.

Killing Clover Naturally

Not everyone likes the idea of using weed spray around their sensitive plants – or even at all. In that case, you do have options. Clover tends to grow out of control when your grass isn’t fertilised. So, it makes sense to get rid of it by making it feel unwelcome.

Fertilise your lawn during Spring or Autumn. Your grass will have all the energy it needs to thrive. You can then mow your lawn high, rather than short. Your lawn prefers a bit of length, while your clover prefers it to be short. Give your lawn what it needs, not your white clover.

Leave it Alone

If you’re tired of fighting a losing battle against your clover, then lose. Clover may take over your lawn, but it can offer a myriad of different benefits that may make it worth your while to keep. Believe it or not, clover used to feature in many lawn seed mixtures.

You can manage it by mowing your lawns as you usually would and adding fertiliser to your lawns on a schedule. Over time – or maybe not – the clover may decide to leave on its own.

Leave it to the Experts

For any homeowner who refuses to give up, the alternative to weed spray and battle of wills is to leave it to the lawn experts. They know all the ins and outs of lawn weeds and can offer advice and solutions to send them packing.

You may not have the time or inclination to achieve that bowling green-like lawn, but there is always someone who does. Why not get in touch with a lawn mowing service provider to assist?

We’re the cordless generation. We have cordless vacuum cleaners and entertainment systems, and now we’ve got the mighty cordless lawnmower. But how do you know whether a cordless electric lawn mower is for you? 

Well, in the same way that we love our cordless vacuum cleaners, there are plenty of convenient features a cordless mower can offer, as well. Read on to learn what you can expect from this mower style, why use a cordless lawn mower, how easy it is to transition from petrol to electric, and more.

What is a Cordless Lawn Mower?

Before we launch into the nitty-gritty of the cordless electric lawn mower world, let’s first take a moment to describe what they are. Some people call them cordless, but other people just refer to them as electric lawn mowers or battery-powered lawnmowers.

In essence, they run on electricity and/or batteries, rather than petrol like their gas-powered counterparts.

Depending on the brand, they can either be on par price-wise with gas mowers, a little bit more expensive, or more affordable. Their batteries can often dictate how much they cost, so there’s no set rule for the pricing structure.

What Are the Benefits of a Cordless Electric Lawn Mower?

Whenever you buy anything new, you often tend to look at the benefits. What is going to be your reason for hitting the buy-now button on such a product? Well, there are several. Everyone is different, though, so a benefit for you might be a nuisance to someone else.

The most significant benefit to the environment is, of course, that an electric lawn mower produces zero emissions. You can mow your lawns with the peace of mind that you’re not harming the environment.

You also save money at the petrol station. Our petrol is not the most expensive in the world, but a dollar saved here and there can certainly add up. All you need to do with a cordless lawn mower is charge the battery using your home’s electricity supply.

As a result of not having a petrol-powered lawnmower, you also get to enjoy no maintenance and no mess. If that’s not enough to convince you that an electric mower is for you, then nothing will!

Switching from Petrol to Electric

You might think that switching from a petrol mower to a cordless lawn mower is easy enough. Sell off your gas guzzler and buy an electric model that you like, right? Well, not quite.

Remember, you would have purchased your current petrol mower based on its power to navigate your lawn. The larger the lawn size, the larger the motor had to be. And a similar rule applies to an electric lawnmower.

Their battery size can determine the lawn size they are suitable for. And, unfortunately, if you’ve got a large, rugby field-sized lawn, then you may find that a cordless electric lawn mower may not be up to the task.

Fortunately, that is changing. It won’t be long until there are few differences in power between electric and gas-powered mowers.

Most electric and cordless lawn mowers for sale run on 18-volt and 36-volt batteries. They can also have more than one battery, partnered with brushless motors.

So, How Do I Choose, Maintain, and Understand Lawn Mower Batteries?

It would have taken you some time to understand how your petrol mower worked, so a cordless electric lawn mower is no different. It will take time to learn what you need, what works for you, why use a cordless lawn mower in the first place, and how to maintain one.

The good news is, no matter which brand you buy, you will receive a charger and a set of instructions for how to use them. It pays to read these instructions thoroughly and maintain your battery as per these, rather than what you believe you know from other battery-powered appliances.

For example, you might think that leaving your battery on a charger while you’re not using it is best practice. However, overcharging and running a lithium-ion battery completely flat can decrease its lifespan – and can even be dangerous.

Never let your battery run lower than around 20 per cent, and disconnect it from the charger once it reaches 100. 

Some other excellent rules to live by with cordless lawn mower batteries are:

• Use mower manufacturer-approved batteries

• Store batteries away from liquids and metal objects

• Remove the battery when storing the mower

• Keep it dry and clean

• Protect the battery terminals from dirt, water, and dust

Is a Cordless Lawn Mower for You?

Buying a new lawnmower is a significant investment. That’s why it’s essential to take your time. Set a budget, take into consideration your lawn size, and decide if the benefits of a cordless electric lawn mower are persuasive enough. Don’t forget; you can also ask lawn mowing experts what their preferences are.

We are fortunate not to have too many pests to ruin our gardens and lawns, but grass grubs in NZ are certainly proving to be some of the most devastating.

Whether you want to learn how to get rid of grass grub, or you simply want to understand the grass grub lifecycle in NZ, then read on. We’ll give you the lowdown so you can act swiftly and give those ghastly grubs their marching orders. 

What are grass grubs?

Awful. That’s what grass grubs are. Awful. Out of all insects in New Zealand, they are considered one of the most significant pasture and lawn pests that we have. They start as eggs from bronze beetles, turn into larvae, then emerge as adults from their pupae. 

In grass grub form, they are little, squirmy, white insects that live around 15 centimetres below your lawn’s surface. When they are adults, they are large bronze beetles that congregate around your prized shrubs and fruit trees.

How do you know you have grass grubs?

Given that grass grubs live around 15 centimetres below the surface of your lawn, how do you know you have them? Surely if they aren’t on the top of your lawn, they aren’t a problem? A common sign that you need to start controlling grass grub pests in lawns is a patch of yellow, dying lawn.

Of course, many things cause a lawn to die, but in the absence of any other problems, grass grubs in NZ are likely to be the culprit.  

The grass grub lifecycle

Learning how to get rid of grass grub is a combination of understanding the grass grub lifecycle and acting fast. Towards the end of spring and into summer, around November and December, grass grub eggs are laid in the soil. After two weeks, they hatch and start feasting on the roots of your grass.

While they’re snacking on your luscious lawn, they’re growing rapidly. When they reach their peak size, they are around 25mm and have left devastation in their wake. At this point, you may notice that you’ve got an irregular, patchy lawn that’s beginning to turn yellow and die.

Anywhere from October to December, grass grubs turn into their adult form, bronze beetles. You might think that beetles are less of a problem, but they just cause another set of issues with which you’ve got to contend.

Once they are adults, they gather in huge numbers and feast on your shrubs and fruit trees. As if it weren’t bad enough that you were killing your lawn! Now, it’s time to act and figure out how to get rid of grass grub once and for all. 

How to get rid of grass grubs

The moment we’ve all been waiting for – how to get rid of grass grub. What people find quite tricky about dealing with this ghastly grub is that they work away behind the scenes. You don’t know they’re destroying your lawn until they’ve done it.

Fortunately, there’s a way to both discover the grubs and send them packing. Firstly, you can often notice that grubs might be an issue when your lawn is suddenly the bird population’s favourite in your neighbourhood.

Heavy grub infestations are a banquet for the birds, which can lead you to need to fix the damage of both the grubs and the birds.

To confirm that you do, in fact, have grass grubs, grab a spade and dig a neat square out of your lawn about the same width as the spade. Tip the lawn square upside down and look for grubs. If you notice two or more, then it’s time to look for grass grub killers.

There are many grass grub killer products for sale in New Zealand, so we’re quite fortunate in that regard. Still, finding the right one is not all that easy. You can visit your local garden store, and ask for recommendations. There are plenty of safe options out there that you can apply before you even have a grass grub problem.

You can also purchase a dedicated spray for shrubs, trees, and foliage affected by bronze beetles. So, talk to your local lawn care provider or garden store expert about what you might need to tackle the problem.

When to treat grass for grubs

You can take action on grass grubs in NZ while they are a problem or before they are a problem. Many grass grub killers are recommended for application from February to late autumn, but also from spring to summer. 

Make sure you water the granules into the soil, and it’s even better if you are expecting moderate or heavy rainfall. If rainfall isn’t on the horizon, then deep watering is a requirement so that they can take full effect.

The best time to notice grass grubs in NZ, so that you know when to treat for grubs, is from December to March.

Goodbye to grubs

If your lawn is your pride and joy, then staying on top of any potential grass grub problem is necessary. While a lawn care service provider can assist, there’s also no harm in being aware of the signs that these little critters could be a problem. Check your lawn, buy grass grub killers, and jump into action.

Are you tired of the grass always being greener on the other side? The sheer number of lawn care myths out there can make it impossible to achieve that luscious, green lawn you’ve always wanted.

You browse the internet looking for lawn improvement tips, only to find out that you’ve just made your lawn worse!

So, rather than check out unreliable sources, get your information from a lawn care source you can trust. (We’re talking about us, by the way). Here are some of the most common lawn myths debunked.

Myth: I shouldn’t leave my lawn clippings on my lawn

As long as you haven’t let your lawns grow too long between cuts, there’s no harm in leaving your lawn clippings on your lawn. In fact, it’s an environmentally-friendly and free way of giving your grass some extra nutrients.

A thin layer of lawn clippings will quickly and efficiently break down into your lawn, while also saving you endless trips to the compost heap with the grass catcher.

However, it’s essential to make sure your clippings are well spread out. If it has been too long between cuts, then put them in your compost heap or use them as mulch. 

Myth: I have to rake leaves

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year, with trees boasting an impressive array of golds, browns, and reds. But as winter sets in, those once-stunning leaves end up as rotting, dead plant material all over your lawn.

You won’t find too many people who say that raking is their favourite chore, so the good news is, it doesn’t have to be a chore. As long as the layers of leaves aren’t too thick on your lawn, you can leave them where they are. Mow over them to break them up into smaller pieces, and let them work their mulching magic.

Myth: It’s fine to water my lawn at any time of the day

You have the power to water your lawn at any time of the day, but that doesn’t mean you should. Some parts of the day are better than others—the earlier in the day you water, the better. Most lawn care experts will tell you that between 6 am and 10 am is the sweet spot.

If you water your lawn when the sun is shining, the water can evaporate before it has had a chance to reach the roots. But if you water it at night, you are putting your grass at risk of fungus and other nasties.

Myth: If I mow my lawn short, I won’t need to mow it as often

Mowing lawns is not everyone’s favourite job, which is why lawn care companies in NZ exist. Still, if you prefer to do it yourself, you might think that cutting it short is the solution. The shorter you mow it, the longer it will be before you need to do it again, right? That’s yet another lawn care myth.

Mowing your lawns too short is called scalping, and it’s certainly not in your best interests. Not only can it weaken your grass, but it can even kill it. The grass can’t get as many nutrients as it needs, and weeds can take over. It’s a good idea to keep your lawns at around 7cm during the mowing season. 

Myth: I have to water my lawn every day to keep it healthy

This is one of the most common lawn care myths debunked. You don’t have to water your lawn every day to keep it healthy. In fact, it’s preferable if you don’t.

Your lawns will thrive with deep, infrequent watering. By watering infrequently, your roots can grow deeper, giving your lawn a chance to survive in summer when rainfall is less frequent.

Myth: The more fertiliser, the better

Don’t get us wrong; fertiliser is something that can improve your lawn’s health. In saying that, it’s all about moderation. You can, in this case, have too much of a good thing. Using too much fertiliser can turn a once-healthy lawn into a barren wasteland.

It can end up burning your grass and turning it yellow. Then, if you continue to use it, the grass can go brown and die. At this point, the only thing left to do is dig it up and start again.

Here’s one of many lawn improvement tips you can work with. Whenever you buy new fertiliser, follow the instructions for use. You can also go for more natural methods, like leaving lawn clippings and leaves on your lawn.

Fact: Rely on the experts

It’s all too easy to fall for lawn care myths. After all, there is going to be the odd occasion where some of those myths actually worked. But instead of risking it, why not get the experts involved?

Get in touch with an experienced lawn care team who will be more than happy to talk you through common lawn care myths debunked. You can then enjoy how the grass isn’t greener on the other side, but rather, on yours.

If you are a homeowner, you probably have heard about robotic lawnmowers. It is a high-tech device that can take care of your lawn without your assistance! Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? No wonder there has been so much buzz around these automatic mowing systems when they appeared on the market.

Although it sounds like a heaven-sent gadget for easy lawn and garden maintenance, it has its own share of lovers and haters, and boy, it sure has a long list of pros and cons! Read on to find out if it is a good fit for you, and see whether you’re making the right choice if you’re planning to purchase one.

How does a robot mower work?

The better question perhaps is, how does a robotic lawnmower know where to go without venturing off into places where it shouldn’t be? Before you let it loose in your property, you will need to adjust the boundary wire or barrier. It’ll utilise an electric wiring system that makes an invisible perimeter. Because of this mechanism, the robotic lawnmower stays within this barrier and knows where to go. The initial adjustment may take some time; however, when it’s properly configured, your little robot will do the job as expected.

What are the advantages of a robotic mower?

There are so many advantages to this emerging lawn and garden tool since it started appearing in the market. A lot of manufacturers are notably exploring the space, and there are so many people — even those with green fingers or work on their lawns extensively — who have taken an interest in them.

• No more manual work for you

The main advantage of this nifty device is that it takes care of the lawn instead of you or your lawn mowing guy. You won’t need to do this chore anymore; if not completely, you can at least reduce the frequency of cutting the grass. Just relax or do other work around your house. At the end of the day, you’ll still see a perfect looking lawn. This point seems obvious, but for those who hate mowing the lawn, it is the number one reason to buy a robot mower.

• Advanced technology 

A robotic lawn mower is one of the best high-tech gardening devices you could rely on! It’s packed with great features — depending on the model — which might include a navigation system for creating mowing patterns, sensors to detect barriers, and remote control for your convenience.

• Easy to store

It is a small device that doesn’t require much space. You won’t need a large tool shed to keep it. You can just keep your little robot mower in its charging station. Your toddler’s ride-on car might even be bigger than this little device!

• Quietly operates

Did you often disturb your neighbours with the noise generated when cutting the grass with your old lawnmower? Well, once you begin to use a robotic one, you and the people around you will enjoy the peace. Such devices work silently, you can program them to operate at any time of the day or night.

• Safety first

If you have little children or pets at home, safety is probably a big concern for you! You have to stay alert with any motorised tool within your backyard. A robotic lawnmower is arguably safer because it has built-in safety features. Due to its sensors, it “feels” objects that get on its way and avoids collisions. These little robots are also designed to automatically cut off when they are lifted. 

• Anti-theft

The makers of these devices already knew from the start that security will be a huge issue. Some have enabled GPS tracking as a feature, while some models connect to your smartphone. Most robotic mowers require a PIN so it virtually becomes useless when stolen. Without a PIN, the mower won’t operate.

What are the disadvantages of a robotic mower?

There are so many benefits in acquiring such a great home device; it’s hard to believe that robotic lawn mowers have drawbacks as well. These are the things you need to be aware of before you decide to buy one. 

• The price

Because it’s a fairly new technology, robot mowers are expected to have outrageous prices. Parts (blades, batteries, etc.) and maintenance may be costly too, especially if you need to repair or replace them. Lots of people just can’t afford to buy and maintain this device, and at this point, it’s only ideal for people who have money to burn.

• Setup may be time-consuming

It takes a lot of time to set up a robotic lawn mower. Before using this gadget, you have to install a perimeter guide wire, and it’s quite time-consuming even when you’re getting someone else to do it. However, you can’t skip this step; it’s what makes your little robot do its job correctly. Getting the installation wrong would even present bigger problems and consume more time for you.

• Results are not immediate

At first may be hard to see the difference when cutting grass with a robotic lawnmower. The way the robotic version works is that it cuts a few centimetres of grass with each pass then does it again several times to cover the entire area you’ve set it to mow. It is, after all, rather small and slow. With a traditional lawnmower, you can finish the work much faster and see instant results.

• Battery life

A robot mower works slow and cuts in random patterns, and as expected, it uses up battery all the time. If your lawn is big enough, there is a chance that your little robot will run out before mowing the entire area. Additionally, some batteries only last a few seasons particularly because you’ll be using them, say, six months a year on an 800 sqm property.

• Parts may be hard to find

Another thing that may be a cause of concern to those who are considering buying one is that since it’s a fairly new technology, maintenance and upkeep may be more of a hassle. It’s like buying a Euro car in New Zealand and not being able to find the exact parts you need, or when they’re available, they would cost you an arm and leg.

Remember that it still cannot replace the skills of an expert

A robotic mower, like any other robot, cannot replace getting an actual person to do any job. It may have sensors, but it doesn’t have the subjective eye that your lawn mowing operator has. Your Crewcut guy will instantly know what to cut or what not to cut, and how much he’s cutting — which can be a huge deal to some customers. There’s no way you can tell a robot to make the cut a little shorter or taller precisely the way you like it!

Should I get a robotic mower?

Overall, a robotic lawn mower is a nice product to have that may be helpful especially if you have the budget for it. You can spend a day on installation and then let it do a part of your outdoor tasks for you (to a certain extent). You’ll need to consider parts and maintenance as well, but if money isn’t your top concerns, then by all means, go ahead.

Author’s bio

Archie Adams was a builder for more than 40 years. After his retirement, this enthusiastic electrical tradesman decided to work in the garden and write for a blog HomeMakerGuide.com to keep himself occupied. An impressive fact to note is that almost everything inside his house and within his property is a result of his hard work and skilful hands.

Technology has undoubtedly made our lives a lot easier. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t provide its fair share of frustrations, such as when the lawnmower keeps dying. 

There are few things as exasperating as being in the mood to tackle lawn care, only to find the lawnmower stalls when cutting grass. Some people even find that their lawnmower starts then dies, only to show no further signs of life.

In most cases, a lack of maintenance is to blame. We expect to be able to pull the cord and have our outdoor equipment roar to life. That’s rarely the case, especially if it has been tucked away in your tool shed over the winter months.

Rather than admit defeat immediately, it’s worth trying to find the answer to your burning question: why does my lawnmower only run for a few seconds then dies? It could be any of the following reasons.

Your carburettor is clogged

My what is clogged? There may be a lot you don’t know about your lawnmower, and that’s okay. The more you use your lawnmower, the more you get to understand what it’s made of. You will find that most, if not all, small gas-powered motors contain a carburettor. Its job is to mix a specific ratio of gas and air together to ensure your mower runs right.

When you leave fuel in your lawnmower for an extended period, some components of the fuel can evaporate. What’s often left behind is a sticky, thick, and even gummy substance. So, when you notice that your lawnmower stalls when cutting grass, or it starts then dies, this might be the issue.

You give your lawnmower enough gas from the primer bulb or choke to start, but then the blockage starves the engine of gas, and it cuts out. You may be able to clean the carburettor with a specific cleaning fluid, or a full carburettor replacement may be required.

In the future, consider investing in a gas stabiliser to keep your fuel fresh. Then, the next time you go to use your mower after a hiatus, you’re unlikely to face the problem of your lawnmower continuously dying.

The fuel cap vent is clogged

If your lawnmower keeps dying, the carburettor is always the first part to check. But it’s not always the cause of the problem. If your lawnmower starts then dies, a blockage in the fuel cap vent is also a possible problem.

Before you start mowing your lawns, you probably fill up the fuel tank. Then, as your engine consumes the fuel, it gets lower. To combat this, most mowers have a small vent in the cap that lets air enter it. If this becomes blocked, air can’t get into the tank, and you can experience a vapour lock.

A vapour lock can prevent fuel from being able to flow to your carburettor. Your mower then stalls when cutting grass. There is a quick and easy way to determine if this is the problem. Loosen the cap slightly, then try starting the engine. If it starts with no issues, you may need to replace your fuel cap.

Your petrol is bad or old

One of the first things to do when buying a new lawnmower is to read the user manual. It’s not the most riveting of novels, but it can stop you from making grave errors when it comes to lawnmower care and maintenance.

For example, some mowers function better with different fuels. There are even fuel types available at your local petrol stations that damage carburettors. Only ever use the fuel recommended by your mower manufacturer. 

Still, even using the appropriate fuel doesn’t mean you won’t strike any problems. For example, if your lawnmower keeps dying, then your fuel may be old. Old and bad fuel can lead to a gum residue in your carburettor. 

You can prevent this from becoming a problem by emptying the tank of fuel before storing it for long periods. Alternatively, add a fuel stabiliser product.

The spark plugs are worn or damaged

Spark plugs in a lawnmower may only be a small part, but they have a huge impact on how your machine runs. If you find that your lawnmower keeps dying, or keeps stalling while cutting grass, then inspect the spark plugs.

Look for signs of damage or wear. Something as simple as a cracked porcelain insulator can mean an electrode has been damaged or burned away. If you discover heavy carbon buildup as well, then it’s time to replace them.

If you have a spark plug tester floating around your garage, then put it to good use. Test it to see if it’s defective or still working. When the engine is cranking, you should notice a spark between the terminals to show that it’s in good working order. If you don’t see a flash, the spark plug is defective.

Is it time to call in the experts?

Lawnmower maintenance can be hard work. Sometimes, it can even feel like you spend more time maintaining the mower than the lawns! Therefore, you may see the value of hiring a lawn care company to assist. Rather than worry about carburettors, fuel stabilisers, and spark plugs, all you have to worry about is how you’ll spend your free time. Get in touch with a trusted lawn care expert today.

Every parent wants their child to pull their weight. After all, you don’t want to be picking up after them forever! So, alongside doing the dishes and making their bed, you may also put them behind a lawnmower to take care of yard maintenance, too.

But the age-old question remains: When is a good time to ask children to mow lawns? Here’s everything you need to know about getting the kids to muck in.

The right age for them to start mowing your lawns

Children can begin helping out around the house at any age. In fact, many parents establish chores lists and star charts so kids can gain independence and earn pocket money. When it comes to lawn mowing, though, there is a recommended age for them to begin.

Children should not get behind a push mower until they are at least 12 years old. The American Pediatric Society recommends this as a starting age. However, if you do not believe your 12-year-old can safely manage a lawnmower at this age, then you may like to wait until they are a bit older.

If you have a ride-on lawnmower, then wait until they are 16 years old before giving them this responsibility.

How to know if your child is ready to mow your lawns

Not every 12-year-old will be ready to mow your lawns, and that’s okay. There are signs to look out for to ensure they are able to handle such an important task.

For example, they should have the maturity it takes to use a push mower, and both coordination and strength. See what they are like pushing the mower when it’s off. Do they have full control of the handle? Is it light enough for them to push?

If you’re feeling confident enough to give them the green light, then you must make sure they know how to do the job safely. Supervise them mowing until you’re sure they can manage the task on their own. 

Explaining lawn mower safety carefully

Children may not entirely understand the dangers involved with lawn mower use. Blades can spin as fast as 2750 RPM, if not faster, which can be a recipe for disaster if put in contact with fingers.

Before you give your children the freedom to mow your lawns, make sure they know how to operate it safely. Put all protective shields in place and make sure your child wears non-slip, steel-capped footwear. Safety goggles and hearing protection are also must-have accessories.

You can then run them through particular hurdles they may come across while mowing, and what they can do about them. These might include:

• Watching out for obstacles

• Picking up toys, rocks, sticks, and other potentially-damaging objects before starting

• Avoiding mowing in reverse as much as possible

• Taking care while mowing on slopes

• Being aware of everyone and everything around you

• Mowing across the face of slopes

Run through a pre-mow checklist

Children may be quite excited about the prospect of being able to mow the lawns as their parents do. But what they may not see is that there is quite a lot to think about and do before the lawn mowing task begins.If you think it would help, create a pre-mow checklist for your child so that they can safely operate the mower.

1. Ask a caregiver to check the fuel and oil levels

2. Ask a caregiver to make sure the blades are sharp, and the spark plugs are clean

3. Ask a caregiver to check the filters

4. Clear the lawn area of any obstacles

5. Put on safety goggles and ear protection

6. Put on non-slip, steel-capped shoes

7. Ask a caregiver to turn the mower on

Your child should also only operate a push mower or ride-on mower that automatically turns off. Some ride-on lawnmowers stop when you get off the seat, while push-mowers can stop when you take your hands off the handle.

Always put safety first

Children can gain a sense of independence by carrying out household chores. It also allows them to earn their own pocket money and feel a sense of importance. Still, not every child is going to be up to the task of lawn mowing. If that’s the case, then come up with something else they can do, instead.

Put them onto the task of weeding or gardening, or even get them to focus on inside tasks. You can then leave lawn mowing in the capable hands of a lawn care company that can take all the stress off of your shoulders.

There are few things as devastating for the property-proud Kiwi than watching your prized lawn turn an alarming shade of brown, then die. Could you have done something differently? Would the hiring of a lawn mowing service have prevented it from happening? There’s no point in dwelling on the what-ifs. Jump into action with this step-by-step guide to reviving your dead lawn.

Step 1: Find Out Why

Lawns don’t die for no reason. One day, you could have a perfectly lush patch of grass, and days later, it could be turning an awful shade of brown. How did it happen? Finding out why can reduce the risk of it happening again.

Some of the more common reasons for a dead lawn include:

• Pests

• Poor preparation

• Improper installation techniques

• Poor watering and feeding

• Wrong grass type

It’s also worth looking at the crown of your grass to make sure it is, in fact, dead and not dormant. Under drought conditions, some grass varieties can make a rapid transformation from green to brown but do not die. If the crowns are discoloured or dry, you definitely need to pay attention to a step-by-step guide to reviving your dead lawn. There’s no coming back.

Step 2: Prepare Your Lawn Area

Mark out the patch of grass you are going to sow because it’s time to prepare the site. The first step is to eradicate weeds and old grass with a herbicide product. There is a range of organic and pet and child-friendly options in your local garden stores. Alternatively, you can ask a garden expert near you for assistance.

Cover off the area to keep animals and children off the grass until the herbicide dries. It’s also worth checking the weather forecast so you can benefit from a sunny, warm, or wind-free day with no rain on the horizon. Allow a week before you move onto the next phase of your revival process.

Step 3: Remove Thatch

Sometimes, the revival process of your lawn doesn’t have to be a monumental undertaking. If you are only dealing with a small section of dead lawn, remove decomposing plant material from the surface of your soil where the brown grass is. More than half an inch of thatch can impact your lawn’s ability to get much-needed nutrients, air, and water.

Step 4: Till Your Soil

Once your organic herbicide has taken effect, it’s time to start soil tilling. This process aerates the earth and offers the opportunity for you to incorporate organic compost if your soil lacks fertility. Till your land to a depth of around 12 to 15 centimetres (5-6 inches) with a tilling tool.

Step 5: Test Your Soil & Fertilise

If you are not entirely sure why your lawns died in the first place, then there’s quite a lot of risk in planting your new grass and hoping for the best. Therefore, before you get too carried away, buy a soil test.

The soil test establishes how much phosphorus is in your soil, which is essential for root development. If there isn’t enough phosphorus, then you may need to purchase nutrients for your land before planting. Otherwise, you can also buy a grass starter fertiliser to give your new lawn a helping hand.

If you’re not sure how to begin, talk to your local lawn mowing service provider. They are masters of healthy, happy lawns.

Step 6: Start Planting

Once your soil is healthy enough to give your new lawn what it needs, it’s time to purchase climate-appropriate grass seed and sow it. Spread the seed over your prepared area, making sure your seed-to-soil contact is on-point.

Once you’ve spread out the seeds, put a thin layer of soil on the top. From this point, you will need to keep the soil damp but not overly wet.

With daily watering for two to three weeks, grass will start to grow. Know whether the roots have taken hold yet by giving a strand of grass a gentle tug. If there is resistance, the roots are establishing. If the soil moves, that process has not yet happened.

While your new grass is growing, minimise traffic to the area. Avoid mowing your new lawn until it’s about 1.5 times higher than the regular cutting height recommendation.

When All Else Fails, Hire the Experts

Following a step-by-step guide for reviving your dead lawn can result in some immaculate new lawns. However, not everyone has the inclination or time to bring their yard back to life or plant a new one.

Why not look up a local lawn care company that can both plant your lawn and keep it in tip-top shape for its lifetime? The only thing you then have to worry about is enjoying your new back yard to its full potential.

Us Kiwis love many things — rugby, cricket, backyard barbecue — the usual suspects. But we also love a good lawn. And nothing quite beats a striped piece of grass.

Now you might think that only rugby grounds like FMG Stadium Waikato or Forsyth Barr Stadium can achieve that perfectly striped appeal. After all, they have professional equipment and all the time in the world to make their grass look the picture of perfection.

But what if we told you that you, too, could add stripes to your lawn? It might be time to talk to your local lawn expert about how to make it happen.

Preparing Your Mower

If you take care of your lawn care by yourself, then the first step to achieving that beautifully striped lawn is preparing your mower. After all, the sharper the blades, the better the presentation of your yard.

Take your lawnmower to a sharpening expert, and make sure the blade area is free of debris. Lawnmower blades that aren’t sharp can rip grass out by its roots, and also leave it with untidy, ragged edges.

If you’re hauling your mower out of storage for the first time in a long time, it also pays to freshen the fuel, replace the oil, check the filters, and test the spark plugs. 

Choosing a Pattern

It’s easy to get envious of your neighbours with their perfectly striped lawns. While you could copy them, why not do one better? Believe it or not, lawns stripes are just the beginning.

You can also try your hand at a chequerboard pattern, waves, or diagonal stripes. Your local lawn care expert might be able to offer some helpful tips, but we’ve included a bit of base information below, too.

Stripes

To achieve the perfect striped effect on your lawn, head to your local hardware shop in search of a lawnmower roller system. These attach behind your mower and bend the grass blades in the direction you are mowing.

Pay attention to the size of your lawnmower, as the roller system has to suit your mower. You can then fill that roller with water or sand based on the type of lawn and soil you have. You’re now ready to produce stripes.

Mow around your lawn’s perimeter and pick a side to start mowing parallel to the grass edge. Once you get to the end of the lawn, lift the mower deck and face it in the opposite direction. Mow parallel to the last strip you mowed, and keep changing direction until the entire lawn has stripes.

The Chequerboard Effect

If you and your neighbours are vying for the title of the best lawn in the street, then stripes won’t cut the mustard. Why not take that battle to the next level with a chequerboard? If you can master lines, then you can certainly master a chequerboard.

Mow your lawns as if you were trying to achieve stripes by themselves. Then, mow perpendicular straight lines through the finished stripes. Lift your mower at the end of each line, and face it in the opposite direction.

Diagonal Stripes

Do regular lawn stripes bore you? Add a bit of attitude to your grounds with diagonal ones. Create your standard striped lawn pattern, then mow diagonal lines through the stripes from beginning to end. Lift the deck of your mower with each turn.

Wavy Stripes

Stripes are cool and all, but do you know what’s even cooler? Wavy stripes. Show the neighbours that you really take pride in your lawns by mowing a wavy stripe pattern. Follow the same practices as you would with achieving straight stripes, but follow a curve. You can then raise the mower deck with each turn.

How Do You Create Stripes?

You now know what products you need to create lawn stripes, and the process for making it happen, but what about the actual result? How are the defining stripes formed?

When you attach a roller to the back of your lawnmower, you’re allowing the lawn to be pushed in a different direction to the grass on either side of that strip. Turfgrass species have a darker and lighter side, so the stripes are all in the lighting. With the grass on an angle, it lets off a darker colour than if you had angled it the opposite way.

What is the Best Grass Type for Lawn Stripes?

Even with the best lawnmower and roller in your garden shed, you may not always be able to achieve the perfect patterned patch. That’s because not every grass type is going to be suitable for striping.

Cool-season grasses, like fescue, browntop, or ryegrass (mostly for farms), offer a better finish. Essentially, the thicker the grass and the longer it is, the more distinctive the stripes are.

Lawn Striping for Aesthetics and Lawn Health

If you’re on the fence about whether to try lawn striping for yourself, then it might be helpful to know that it can be both aesthetically pleasing and beneficial for lawn health. When you cut your grass with sharp blades, it’s stimulated to grow. 

Weed growth is discouraged through stronger roots, and a denser lawn surface grows as a result. The more grass you have, the more impressive your stripes.

What’s more, changing the direction of your cut with each mow allows even cutting. If blades are missed in one haircut, then they will be cut in the next mowing session with a change of direction. Could it be time to talk to your local lawn care service provider about how to add stripes to your lawn?

Make hay while the sun shines, or so the saying goes. But when the sun is shining, making hay involves cutting grass, and should periods of drought really be the time for lawn mowing? Probably not.

Believe it or not, there are both ideal cutting conditions and non-ideal cutting conditions. How do you know when isn’t the best time to mow your lawns? Read on to find out.

When it’s too dry

Drought conditions can be trying for anyone who is living through them. Not only do farmers struggle, but homeowners, too. It can be tempting to stay on top of yard maintenance by doing a quick run over the lawns with a lawnmower, but it’s not only not necessary, but not helpful.

Lawns can become quite stressed by a lack of water, particularly if you’re a frequent waterer who has spoilt your garden with offerings of water every day. When water restrictions are in play, or rainfall is lacking, lawns can go into shock and become easy to damage.

Not only does walking or playing on the lawns become a damaging activity but so too does fertiliser application and lawn mowing. With a lack of moisture, growth is slow, and rejuvenation and damage repair processes are slow, also. Your lawn needs time to bounce back.

If your lawns are still growing, and drought conditions haven’t quite taken hold, then some homeowners may still feel the obligation to keep their patch of turf looking picture-perfect. With drought conditions, there’s a right and wrong way to go about mowing.

Mow no more than a third of a grass blade’s length. For example, if your average piece of grass is 9cm, mow no more than three centimetres from the top.

Infrequent mowing can help your grass to avoid poor soil conditions, fungal growth, and death.

When it’s too wet

We now know that you shouldn’t mow your lawns when it’s too dry, but did you know that soggy lawns are also a no-no for lawn mowing?

After rainfall or even a scattering of morning dew, your ability to mow your lawns properly can be greatly diminished. The weight of the moisture can cause straight blades of grass to bend over, and this means a straight cut is not often easy to achieve.

What’s more, clippings clump together and don’t distribute evenly over your lawn. The result can be messy.

Alongside inconvenience and a poor cut, diseases are also a common problem. If you mow your lawns when they are too wet, you may find yourself with sad-looking grass in the weeks to come. Freshly cut wet grass is vulnerable to organisms that carry disease.

When your mower blades are dull

The beauty of hiring a lawn care company in New Zealand to mow your lawns is that you never have to worry about lawn mower maintenance. But if you are yet to look at the costs of lawn care and the pros and cons, then you may find yourself still battling to tame them yourself with substandard equipment.

When was the last time you sharpened your lawn mower’s blades? Mowing your lawns with dull blades can cause grass nutrient deficiency, not to mention a chewed lawn rather than a cut one.

If you are adamant that you are going to mow the lawns yourself, then make sure you sharpen your blades at least twice per year. By doing so, you can reduce water loss and increase the process of photosynthesis.

During lunchtime

It can be tempting to shoot home on your lunch break from work and haul out the mower. But don’t. Noon tends to be one of the hottest parts of the day, which means cutting the grass can put unnecessary stress on it. To help lawns stay green, mow when they’re dry, but once the heat of the day has passed or is yet to start.

At inappropriate hours

To you, mowing at 9.30 pm isn’t a problem. It’s still daylight, you’ve just got home from dinner with the family, and you want to make the most of the remaining decent weather. But you’ll surely find that your neighbours don’t agree with your decision.

Most councils in New Zealand stipulate the most socially acceptable hours for mowing your lawns. For example, no maintenance noise is permitted before 6.30 am and after 8 pm during the week in Auckland. On weekends, keep that lawnmower in the shed until 7.30 am and after 6 pm.

Be courteous to your neighbours who may have young children, or who may not appreciate the sound of a mower roaring to life while they’re trying to relax and watch TV in the evening.

Say ‘no’ to the mow

We’re all about lawn mowing. It’s literally our bread and butter. But we’re also about mowing at the most beneficial time for lawns and when it suits those around us. If it’s too dry, too wet, too hot, or too late, say no to the mow. Your lawns (and neighbourhood) will thank you.

With heavy use over the summer period, any average lawn can find itself damaged beyond repair. Bald spots, uneven patches, and even holes can all offer a less than impressive image – and one that can bring down the overall presentation of your home.

Many might think they have to suffer with what they’ve got or simply believe it will surely fix itself over time. However, starting from scratch can often be the best, or only, course of action. You can hire a lawn care professional to take care of it for you, or you can take note of these helpful tips below. Here is how to prepare a new lawn you can be proud of.

Step 1: Prepare the ground

Fortunately for those who don’t want to spend every waking moment preparing a new lawn, section sizes in New Zealand are getting smaller. Where once a house would take up a mere 11.85% of a property, it now takes up 46%. You can then take care of all your lawn care requirements often in less time due to a smaller lawn area.

Less time doesn’t mean less care, however. Once autumn or spring hits, bring out the weed killer to take care of your old lawns, weeds, and any plants you want to get rid of. Once they have dried and browned off, remove them so that you effectively have a blank canvas.

Follow this process up with a lawn preparation mix from your local garden centre. Such a product offers much-needed fertiliser and nutrients for your soil to produce healthy grass.

If you’ve never been all that happy with the lumps and bumps in your lawn, then now’s your chance to correct them. Rake, fill, and roll your earth until it’s the picture of perfection!

Step 2: Plant your lawn

Whether you hired someone to help with lawn care, or you took care of the labour-intensive part yourself, it’s now time to plant your lawn. You’re one step further to that picture-perfect yard you’ve always wanted.

Before you sow your lawn seed, water the soil. It also helps to choose a fast-growing lawn seed variety or one that suits your regional conditions. There is a myriad of different options from which to choose, such as tall fescue, fine fescue, couch grass, rye, or a mixed blend. If you’re not sure which will suit your needs the best, consult a lawn professional.

The fast-growing variety of lawn seed you choose can ensure you see growth in as little as seven days, provided the weather holds up and lends a helping hand!

Believe it or not, there is a certain way to sow grass seed that can see you enjoy premium growth. Always sow your seeds on a fine day with no adverse weather conditions on their way. Make sure you read the instructions on the grass seed thoroughly before you begin, as well.

Sow your seeds east to west, then north to south, to increase your chances of more even growth. Pull your rake out of the tool shed and use it to rake your soil lightly for even coverage.

Your grass seed is now going to begin its germination period, so lightly water the soil and do so daily. Your soil should always be moist, but not so much as to create puddles, for this can cause your seeds to bunch together.

Once your lawn grows, it can be tempting to haul out your lawnmower to enjoy that freshly mown grass smell. However, your new grass needs time to develop its root structure. Wait until you have a minimum of five centimetres of growth. You can then call a lawn care company to start regular mowing and lawn care in the weeks and months to come.

Step 3: Care for your lawn

You put all this time and effort into the growth of your lawn, so now it’s up to you to maintain it. The healthier and more luscious your lawns are, the less likely they will fall victim to troublesome weeds, such as broadleaf.

Use a new lawns slow-release fertiliser to promote growth. In spring and autumn, all-purpose fertiliser can help with ongoing health and vitality. Watering and continuous nourishment can also be the key to keeping pests, weeds, disease, and insects at bay. Not everyone has time for lawn care, however, so hiring someone to mow your lawns can take a lot of the stress off your shoulders.

It’s time for lawn preparation

Lawns you’re proud of are a labour of love. They take time, care, maintenance, and ongoing attention. If you’re not happy with how your lawns look or feel, then why not take action? Spring and autumn conditions are ideal for new growth, and there’s no better time to get that lawn you desire than now. Follow these three steps above, or consider hiring someone in lawn care to take care of them for you.

It’s a common scenario. The weekend has arrived, the sun is shining, the kids are outside playing, and either mum or dad has fired up the lawnmower. After an hour or so of lawn mowing, the mower is trundled back into the garden shed, and nostrils fill with the sweet scent of freshly mowed grass.

Nothing spells summer with more clarity than such an aroma!

Until you come to understand that such a smell means your grass is in agony. When we are injured, we remove ourselves from the painful situation, make audible sounds of pain, and reach for a bandage. When grass goes through the painfully traumatic process of having a part of it run through a mower blade, it responds with odour. Every time you mow your lawns or have a lawn care expert do it for you; your grass is in pain.

How your grass is is pain

Grass, like you and I, is alive. And, just like you and I, it responds to injury. It has only been in the last 100 years that scientists discovered leafy plants such as grass have self-defence chemicals called Green Leaf Volatiles (GLVs). Those plants release the chemicals when something happens to them. Whether birds are pecking at the grass, or your lawnmower is taking away half its height, your lawn is reacting with its pain response every time. 

Your lawn torture is polluting the air

We’re not about to tell you to stop mowing your lawns. Towns and cities throughout New Zealand would be overgrown and out of control within weeks. But it’s interesting to note that the emission of green leaf volatiles contributes to the world’s greenhouse gas problems, as outlined in a CSIRO and Monash University study in Australia in 1998.

The chemicals are gases such as ethanol and methanol, and scientists believe grasslands throughout the globe are the leading producers of those gas types. As if your mind isn’t blown enough by the fact that lawn mowing contributes to greenhouse gases, the grass also releases oxygenated hydrocarbons. These, which contain alcohol and leaf aldehydes, offer that fresh smell that humankind has appreciated and loved for years.

Why do we love that sweet smell of freshly mowed grass?

You might be uncomfortable enjoying the smell of grass now that you know you’re enjoying pain, but you aren’t the only one. In fact, people swear by the smell for making them feel better and boosting their moods. Why we enjoy it, though, is something that scientists still don’t fully understand. They are, however, willing to give it a good guess.

We aren’t a grass-eating species, so we aren’t enjoying the smell from a hunger perspective. However, the release of the GLVs could make us associate it with the things we do like to eat and drink. This theory was compared to results in a study involving Chinese people and tea. They enjoyed the scent of tea that was almost ready for harvest because it’s something they like to drink. 

We use this information at a near-primal level to ascertain whether something is ripe. Fresh-cut grass is ripe, and we potentially could be drawn to it for that reason. We don’t want to eat it, but we’re affected by it all the same.

When your lawn is torturing you

Lawnmowing season is a great time for many people. You get to be outside enjoying the beautiful sunshine - and hopefully with a book and beverage in hand. Those who hire someone to take care of their lawns will feel more relaxed than most. 

But while you’re breathing in that sweet smell of grass, your allergic neighbour is taking cover. Grass, in general, can bring about wheezing, coughing, sneezing, itching, and general allergy discomfort. 

It’s not the grass, or even the smell, that often causes those allergies to begin with. Sometimes, it’s the blades of the mower stirring up mould, dust, and debris, that lingers in the air. 

Getting rid of grass and opting for gravel won’t solve the problem. Grass pollen can travel for miles, so if your own lawn doesn’t bring on allergies, then someone else’s will. For those who don’t get to enjoy the sweet smell of grass in earnest, it’s worth chatting to your local pharmacist about antihistamines. You can then brave the sunny weather full of confidence and enjoy that pleasant - albeit terrifying odour - like everyone else.

Around half a million families in New Zealand rent their homes, which means they are paying the homeowner to live in a property that’s not theirs. In most cases, the arrangement is straightforward. The renter treats it like their own and respects it, pays the bills, and hands over rent payment to the landlord or an agency.

But what is often less clear is who takes care of the yard. Who should pay for lawn care – the tenant or the landlord? The answer may surprise you because it’s not straightforward.

Lawns and gardens

You will find in most tenancy agreements that it’s up to each tenant to tend to the gardens and mow the lawns. How that is achieved is up to that tenant. They may like to call in lawn care experts to take care of them, have their family do it, or handle it themselves.

The lawns and gardens, outlined by the Government’s Tenancy Services, refer to the mowing of lawns and the weeding of gardens. In essence, they must be properly maintained. If you do not own a lawnmower, or you don’t know the difference between a weed and a waterlily, then it’s a good idea to arrange for someone to take care of them for you. This would be completed at your cost, not at your landlord’s.

Trees, shrubs, and hedges

The tenant is in charge of mowing lawns and tending to the gardens, but what about shrubs, hedges, and tree trimming? In most cases, this is up to the landlord. Tree trimming, hedge pruning, and shrub maintenance are at the discretion of the homeowner.

They can hire someone to take care of it when the tenant believes it’s required, or they can come in and do it themselves with permission from the tenant. The maintenance of trees, shrubs, and hedges also involves the removal of green waste once the job is complete.  

Tenancy agreements

So, we now know that a landlord will take care of hedges, trees, and shrubs and that tenants are tasked with lawn mowing and gardening. But when do those roles change or could change? If there are going to be any changes in responsibilities, they will be (or should be) outlined in the tenancy agreement.

Sometimes, landlords like to take on the full responsibility of yard care, or prefer to outsource the entire task to experts while wearing the costs themselves. Other times, they request that those on the tenancy agreement manage all parts of yard maintenance, but with permission for any dramatic changes.  

Each tenancy agreement will differ, and it’s up to the landlord and renter to agree with how best to keep the yard in tip-top shape.

Any changes

What happens if a tree has become dangerous, but is protected? Or what if the hedge is dying, taking over the neighbouring property, or is limiting sunlight onto the property? Even though trees, bushes, or hedges might be causing problems, a tenant can’t grab a weed whacker or chainsaw and go in guns blazing. Instead, they must talk to the landlord, have them agree to maintenance, or have them carry it out themselves.

Every now and again, situations may arise where a tree is protected under the Resource Management Act 1991. Before a landlord or tenant cuts a tree down, they must check its status with their local authority. If it is protected, then the landlord may need to apply for a special permit or court order to trim, maintain, or fell a tree.

Best yards for rental properties

As a landlord, it probably doesn’t cross your mind how to structure your lawn care while renting out your home. However, if you purchase a property with that intention, then think about the best yard changes you can make to benefit yourself, a property manager if applicable, and a tenant.

The more thought you put into your yard, the more peace of mind you can enjoy while a tenant lives comfortably in your property. Think about the value full fencing can bring to your home, and how it allows you to open up your property to pet owners.

It’s also worth considering low maintenance plants such as tussocks and succulents and laying weed mat with stones or bark, rather than soil.

Some landlords may also like to consider addressing any plants that thrive too quickly. Otherwise, they will spend a lot more time and money than they might care to, ensuring it’s not inconveniencing the tenants.

It’s a team effort

Both tenants and landlords have a responsibility for the maintenance of a property. The tenant must care for the lawns and gardens, but hedges, shrubs, and trees fall under the responsibility of the landlord. 

Given the complexities of the laws and grey areas in tenancy agreements, there’s every reason to look at your options surrounding outsourcing to a lawn care expert. A skilled gardener, lawnmower, and tree trimmer can take care of everything to benefit both parties. You can’t put a price on that convenience. 

As the saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side. But why can’t you have the greener grass? Why should you always be envious of what your neighbour has? In this guide, we run through a few tips and tricks that will see you on the right track to having a lawn that makes your neighbours envious of you. Read on to discover the secret for thick, lush, and green grass.

Start with soil

You could have the most beautiful home on your street, but if the foundation is wonky or not quite right, it definitely won’t stay beautiful. Cracks will begin to show, and your existence in that home will be nothing but miserable. The same rules apply for grass with poor soil. If you don’t have the best foundation for your grass to grow, then you’ll never be able to enjoy thick, green grass. 

You will need to carry out a soil test to determine whether your soil needs anything to produce healthy grass. The best pH level for dirt is between six and 7.2. If your soil’s pH levels show that it’s too alkaline, you can bring the pH level down with sulphur.

If it’s too high (acidic), then lime application can help to correct the problem. If you’re not an expert in pH levels and how to fix them, then it’s a good idea to hire a gardener or lawn expert who can rectify the problem before focusing on your lawn. 

Overseed your lawns

In many cases, you can fall into the trap of having too much of a good thing. When it comes to grass, that’s not always true. If you’re trying to achieve the same thick, lush grass as your neighbours, then overseeding is key. 

This process involves adding grass seed to your lawn that thickens your existing turf or fills the gaps on a thin lawn. It’s essential to choose a grass seed that’s appropriate for your area. Someone who knows a thing or two about lawn mowing can help you select the best seed type. 

Don’t underestimate fertiliser

Many people assume that fertiliser is only for gardens, but it’s also a valuable addition to lawns as well - especially if you want them to be healthy, strong, and green. With continuous rainfall and irrigation, soil can lose its nutrients, which ultimately affects your grass health. Frequent fertilisation can lead to thicker lawns that are healthier, greener, and boast vigorous root growth. 

Mow properly 

Lawn mowing is not something that everyone takes pride in - and that’s okay. That’s why lawn mowing companies exist - to take care of something that you don’t want to. However, if you desire green, attractive lawns, then you need to do one of two things: care how you mow or pay someone who cares how they mow. 

How you undertake lawn mowing can make all the difference to your lawn’s appearance. The fastest way to achieve thin, brown, and unattractive grass is by lobbing off more than a third of your lawn’s height in one pass. Instead of leaving your lawns until they are at an unmanageable height that requires immediate and drastic action, mow a little bit but often. 

It also helps if your lawnmower blades are sharp as torn or shredded grass invite lawn diseases that turn lush green grass blades into dead, brown ones. 

Each time you mow your lawns, change your pattern. Cutting in different ways can ensure your grass is straight and thick, rather than angled and a little bit wiry. 

And if you still have no luck…

Not everyone is blessed with the time, talents, or inclination to succeed in premium grass growth. You might be short on time, have other commitments, or you’re just not that into lawn care - and that’s not an issue! Fortunately, you can skip all those steps above and hire an expert in lawn care to take care of it for you. 

Hiring someone to manage your lawns for you can save a lot of bother. They can establish a treatment plan to get your grass back on track, then follow it up with regular care that you can’t offer. You’ll have that thriving, lush patch of green grass in no time.  

The grass may be greener on the other side, but it doesn’t have to be that way forever. Start taking pride in your lawns today, or consider hiring a lawn care expert who can. You can then enjoy your yard all summer long while being the envy of your neighbours for once.

Welcome to the jungle! Here’s what to do when your grass, lawn, or backyard has become overgrown and a little unruly.

When you lead a busy lifestyle, have children to care for, a demanding career or something else is taking up your time; everything else falls by the wayside. Even something as simple as remembering to check the mailbox becomes an arduous task – let alone wading through the wasteland that now appears to be your back yard. 

However, there is going to come a time when you need to get on top of it. Your property price could suffer if you decide to sell, and it could soon become a haven for rats, mice, and other small critters who need somewhere to live. The first sight of a rat will surely have you on the phone to the Rotorua rubbish dump, or somewhere similar, that can take all your unwanted trash, garden waste, and tree trimmings.

However, knowing how and where to start is half the battle, so here is a step-by-step guide for combatting your overgrown lawn and section – one waste removal trip at a time.

Step One: The Clean-Up

As eager as you might be to get stuck into the lawns with your mower, you’re not quite there yet. If you go gung-ho with your lawnmower now, you could risk chewing the kids’ favourite rugby ball into confetti-sized pieces, or ruining the dog’s best tug rope – and your mower – in the process.

Therefore, the first step is the clean-up. Get on the phone to the Rangiora rubbish removal centre, or somewhere else nearby, such as Whakatane rubbish collection, rubbish collection businesses in the Waikato, Upper Hutt, or wherever else you might be in the country.

In essence, you need to phone your nearest waste removal or rubbish dump centre to find out how best to take in your rubbish – and what they will accept. Once you know who will take it and what they will take, you can have a sense of order as you go about that first step.

Cleaning up your yard, depending on the enormity of the mess, can take some time. If your lawns are quite long, then you’ll need to actively search every part of it for misplaced children’s toys or anything else that the mower wouldn’t appreciate running over. Rocks, too, are a big no-no for mower blades, so be aware of those.

Once you’ve bagged, tagged, and dragged your rubbish to your trailer in preparation for a trip to the rubbish dump, you’re practically ready for step two!

Step Two: Trimmer Time

It’s kind of like hammer time, but with a weed trimmer. Purchase or borrow a weed trimmer to attack any part of your lawn that now sits above knee height. When your lawns are at this height, a mower is not yet capable of mowing them to a high standard. With the weed trimmer, you can trim them down to half their height.

You then have to wait a few days so that your lawn can repair itself. Depending on how overgrown your lawns are, you might need to attack them with the weed trimmer again, then wait another few days after that second round of lawn repair time.  

Step Three: Time to Mow

Your weed trimmer has allowed your section to take on the general look and feel of a yard, so well done. You can now move in with the mower and get stuck in. Cut what’s left of the lawn down to a third of what it currently is. Don’t be afraid to overlap each pass to be sure it’s uniform and even.

Once you finish that mowing session, get out your garden hose and water the lawn before allowing it to rest for a few days. Phew, this overgrown lawn business sure takes a lot of time!

Step Four: And Mow Again

It can take a considerable number of mows to have your lawns looking as good as new again. It’s recommended that you mow them every three to five days until you’re happy with their height. If you cut a different direction each time, you can also enjoy straight-bladed grass that looks attractive once it’s back to full health. Always water your lawns after each mow, unless you’re expecting rain.

You’ve Won

As Townie from The Water Boy once said: “you can do it!”

And you can. All it takes is smart thinking with waste disposal, patience with your lawnmower, and tender, loving care to allow your grass to heal and repair itself. Before long, your overgrown jungle will be a peaceful and immaculate oasis. And remember, there is always a garden tidy-up and lawn mowing expert on-hand to help when the going gets tough.

Freshly-mown lawns are certainly satisfying to look at, but who wants to go through the arduous process of making them so? Whether you lack time, desire, or the right tools to get the job done, sometimes it’s easier to call upon lawn mowing service providers.

The beauty of hiring someone to mow your lawns for you is that it doesn’t matter where you live. Whether you’re from Auckland, Manawatu, Taranaki, or anywhere else in the country, there is always going to be someone close by who can mow your lawns and tackle all those other lawn care tasks too.  

So, what are you waiting for? Read on to learn the average lawn mowing price in NZ, what’s involved in lawn care when you pay someone to take care of it, and much, much more. You can then make an informed decision and decide if you’ll haul your own lawnmower out of storage, or you’ll pay an expert who takes all the hassle and stress out of the job. It’s undoubtedly going to be a no-brainer. 

Why hire a lawn mowing service provider in New Zealand?

New Zealanders work an average of 37 hours per week, which doesn’t leave a lot of daylight hours for outside maintenance tasks. What’s more, the little time you do have away from work, you won’t want to spend that on lawn mowing, tree trimming, and other tedious jobs. Wouldn’t you prefer to go see a sports game, a movie, or for once, just have a sleep in after five days of early-morning starts?  

The beauty of hiring someone to take care of your lawns is that you don’t have to lift a finger. Go to work, come home, take care of your washing and dishes, and let the lawns magically mow themselves. You can set the frequency of the mow and outline any other requirements you have, and your chosen lawn care expert in New Zealand will sort the rest.

For many, outsourcing maintenance, and even cleaning, is worth more than the money it costs. Time with family and friends is a far more valuable asset than a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly lawn mowing cost in New Zealand.

What’s involved in a lawn mowing service?

The beauty of hiring someone to mow your lawns, instead of doing it yourself, is that you can work with your local lawn contractor to determine what other services you might like.

You can start with lawn mowing, but as you build a relationship, your chosen lawn mower service provider may offer additional services, such as tree trimming, rose pruning, gardening, garden tidy-ups, weed spraying, and hedge trimming.

These services are often dependent on what the lawn care provider offers, and each franchise and business differ. If you don’t see a service advertised, then ask. If they don’t provide it, they will surely refer you to another lawn care service provider who can.

How often should you hire someone to mow your lawns?

The million-dollar question is: how often should you mow your lawns? Or, how often should you get someone in to mow your lawns? There are many deciding factors in this question. It can depend on where you live, your climate, the weather conditions for specific days, weeks, and months, and how neglected your lawn has been in the past.

Lawns tend to thrive in spring and summer, so weekly or fortnightly is a common request by homeowners. In the colder months of the year, monthly is even more common. Lawn care service providers will often inform you of their schedule requirements and what they recommend for your lawn.

Even if you’re on a set schedule, you should also feel confident to call your local lawnmower to see if they can squeeze you in more often, or for a one-off cut in-between.

The frequency of their services can also depend on your lawn’s height. If it has been some time since you last mowed the lawns yourself, and they are now overgrown, then it can many regular lawn mowing sessions to bring them back to a manageable standard. If you cut them down to a reasonable height in one go, you may be damaging your lawns beyond easy repair.

When you make contact with your chosen contractor, talk to them about your lawn height. They can then be more accurate with their pricing and outline how they can combat the problem for a picture-perfect yard.

DIY or hire a lawn care expert in my area?

When you’re trying to find average lawn care pricing in New Zealand, you might start to wonder whether it’s a task you can tackle yourself. However, can you really put a price on convenience? Actually, you can, and you’d be surprised at how little difference there is between hiring someone to mow your lawns, and doing them yourself.

You can put a reasonably hefty price tag on your time. Any time you spend mowing your lawns is time you’re not spending with your family and friends. You also have to find a lawnmower for sale that’s reasonably affordable, and that process is not easy either.

Once you buy the mower, you have to purchase fuel for it, pay for tuning costs, and servicing as well. If there are any mower repairs, then you have to do these too. And what about storage? The average property size is only getting smaller, which means that fewer people have garages and tool sheds in which to put their mower. No one wants to end up with a lawnmower in their laundry or living room.

It all sounds like a bit of a hassle, doesn’t it? It might be easier to find someone in lawn care to hire who can do the job without you having to lift a finger.

How much do lawn care services cost in New Zealand?

Then, we get to the nuts and bolts. How much do lawn mowing services cost in New Zealand? That’s the million-dollar question.

Every lawn care provider will establish different costs that work for them. Some set their prices based on whether they use a ride-on or push mower; if they have to travel out of their way, and the condition of the lawn.

A small lawn can be in the vicinity of $25, $30, $40, or $50. A medium or large yard, on the other hand, can be over $50 including or excluding GST, depending on how the person you hired had structured their invoice or quote.

Pricing can also differ depending on whether it’s a one-off lawn mowing service or you become a regular customer.

Pricing may also vary and become a set hourly rate if you have a property with steep slopes or you require mowing services on a lifestyle block, farm, field, business, or somewhere other than your residential address. It’s worth talking to your local lawn care expert about their rates and conditions for service. As a bare minimum, you can expect a charge of $25 including or excluding GST, and with possible travel costs.

How do I pay someone to mow my lawn?

Something that might put many people off hiring someone to take care of their lawns in the payment method. The unknown is a terrifying thing, but you can rest assured that lawn mowing pricing structures and payment methods are straightforward. You just have to ask to find out!

For one-off mows, the lawn mowing contractor will often require a bank transfer or payment once they arrive (if you are home at the time). For those who will be using a regular lawn mowing service, you are likely to receive a regular invoice with specific terms. Those terms can differ depending on the contractor mower.

When it comes to GST, some lawn mowing workers offer inclusive pricing, but others don’t. If you are not sure, or if it’s not clear, don’t be afraid to ask. Not all lawn mowing contractors in your area are GST registered as there is a minimum annual income you need to reach before you are legally required to do so.

What is involved in the costs of lawn care?

You may be wondering how someone who offers lawn care services sets their pricing, and don’t be afraid to ask. Often, supply and demand come into play, but it can also come down to the services they are offering and your unique situation.

If you require a service that your lawn care provider has to outsource, then this may come at a higher cost. You may also pay less for some services if you initially hire someone to mow your lawns. The more you can pack into one visit, the more competitively priced the costs of lawn care will be.

Where you live may also feature in the pricing structure of lawn mowing. If you are on the outskirts of a township, you live rurally, or your contractor has a per-kilometre rate, then these may appear on your invoice as well.

The best thing you can do is talk to your preferred lawn care provider. They can outline all costs with complete transparency so that you can avoid any unexpected fees.

What other services could I get at the same time?

So, you’ve decided you want to hire someone to mow your lawns, but the price of lawn mowing services is more worth your while if you add other services in a single visit. What can you get? Lawn mowing services are wide and varied, and it can often depend on who is providing them. 

Commercial lawn care, water blasting, tree trimming, lawn mowing, hedges, and section tidies are many of the outdoor services available from lawn care providers throughout New Zealand. However, it’s not out of the question to find some who will offer gardening, weed spraying, repairs, lawn repair, fertilising, and more. When you find the right lawn care provider for you, ask the question.

How do you choose the right lawn care provider for you?

You may never know by looking at someone that they are going to provide high-quality lawn care services, but you can certainly improve your chances in a few easy ways. The first thing you can do is ask for recommendations. Talk to family and friends and other people who hire someone to mow their lawns.

If they like the job they are getting from their lawnmower, then they will be happy to recommend them. What’s more, many lawn care professionals are only too happy (and proud) to receive referrals from their loyal client base.

If you don’t know anyone who hires someone to take care of their lawns, then look online. Check out online reviews for local lawn care companies and find out what people are saying about specific people, companies, and franchises.

What questions should you ask your prospective service provider?

It also pays to have a list of questions to ask, such as the following:

1. How much do you charge for lawn mowing?

2. How long does it take you to mow lawns?

3. How often will you mow my lawns?

4. How do you structure payment?

5. Do you have any customer testimonials or references?

If you’re proud of your bowling green-style lawn, then it pays to find out what their lawn care practices are like to ensure they are up to your standard. An ideal way to do this is by doing drive-bys of other lawns they maintain and talking to past and present customers.

Why choose Crewcut for lawn mowing services in New Zealand?

Most people put a lot of pride and care in maintaining their properties. The last thing they want is a lawn care service provider coming in and making an awful job of it. Therefore, there’s a lot of value in doing your homework to find a reliable and highly-regarded lawn care service provider such as Crewcut.

You can enjoy professional team members, franchisees throughout the country, and a full range of services. Competitive pricing is also something Crewcut prides itself on, so you can rest assured that value is part of the package too.

If the time has come to put your lawn care needs back in the hands of someone who takes pride and effort in the task at hand, then get in touch. Quality lawn care services near you await.

Animals bring so much joy into our lives. They make us smile, bring warmth and wet noses, and when they depart, they leave little paw prints on our hearts. But if there’s one thing that most pet owners struggle with it’s; the destruction they can cause in your yard.

Are your furry, feathery, and fluffy friends cute critters of chaos? Read on to learn what to do when your animals keep messing your lawn.

When It’s Your Pampered Pooch

There are over half a million registered dogs in New Zealand, which means it’s safe to say we’re a nation of dog lovers. But we’re sure that figure would be even higher if pet owners weren’t concerned about their lawns being turned into canyons or completely burnt off.

Two of the most common problems that dog owners in New Zealand face are urine burns and holes. Fortunately, there are ways to solve both of these issues.

Urine is high in nitrogen, and nitrogen is well known for its ability to burn the grass. The combination of nitrogen and salts in your dog’s urine is a lawn’s worst nightmare. You can try and encourage your dog to drink more water (you can lead a dog to water, but you can’t make it drink…), or you could invest in a product that filters out those water impurities, such as Dog Rocks.  

You may even be able to train your dog to go to the toilet in a specific place, rather than your lawn - but that may take a little more time.

If your pooch is a hole digger, then you have several options at your disposal. You can spend more time playing with them and exercising them to wear them out, or you can monitor your dog’s time in the yard. If they only dig in one spot, you can cordon off that area to see if it stops them altogether.

When It’s Your Feathery Friends

With the price of eggs on the rise, more and more people are discovering a new passion for backyard chickens. They don’t require a lot of effort or cost a lot to keep, but they can keep your fridge stocked for omelettes for months!

What they can also do, however, is ruin your lawn. A chicken’s favourite pastime is rooting around in the dirt, creating dust baths, and finding delicious insects to eat. Your lawn is their dinner plate.

If you don’t want it to be, then consider creating a portable enclosure that keeps them contained, but with plenty of space. You can then rotate it around several areas of your lawn, keeping destruction to a minimum.

When Neighbourhood Cats Cause Chaos

There are nearly 1.5 million domestic cats in New Zealand, which equates to almost two cats for every household. They’re cuddly critters, but wholly independent, and don’t see their owner’s property boundary as their own. They are quite happy to wander over to your neighbour’s, and vice versa. Therefore, many homeowners have a problem on their hands: a whole bunch of random neighbourhood cats is messing up their gardens!

There are very few things as disappointing as pulling up new potatoes from the garden, only to find you have a fist full of faecal matter instead. You might love your cat dearly, but not what they leave behind. So how do you stop your cat, and others, from pooping in your prized potato patch?

There are many plants that cats hate, so it’s worth talking to your local gardening expert about which one they would recommend. Some great options include lavender, lemon thyme, and geranium.

However, you can also consider some natural repellents in your gardens, such as blood meal fertiliser, scented herbs and oils, citrus, and coffee grounds. Something noisy, such as a plastic bag on a stick, may also be a great deterrent, as can prickly plants in their favoured “litter box”.  

Those Wily Wild Rabbits

Wild rabbits have been an agricultural pest in New Zealand since the 1870s, and not a lot has changed in that regard. If your lawns are covered in rabbit poo and holes, then it’s time to act. There are both deterrents and control options available, but some council rules and regulations may apply. 

Poisoning, repellents, habitat manipulation, shooting, commercial pest controllers, and rabbit burrow fumigation are all common control options here in New Zealand. Once again, talk to your local council about valid and legal options in your area. You can also protect your favourite plants with fencing and netting to prevent rabbits from getting access.

Conclusion

Most pet owners would go to the ends of the earth for their pets, and that can mean making some sacrifices when it comes to the attractiveness of their lawn. After all, you can’t put a price on the joy and happiness that a furry, feathery, or fluffy friend brings into your life. However, if there’s a way to minimise that damage, then why wouldn’t you? Take note of these helpful hints above to hopefully reinstate some of your lawn’s former glory.

Nothing says spring better than freshly mowed lawns, new-born lambs, and daffodils. What’s more, if you live by the motto of the early bird gets the worm, then you’ll likely already have your spring garden plans underway. There will be a garden tidy-up to consider, lawn mower maintenance, and trying to pin down your favourite lawn mowing expert who takes care of everything for you.

If you can’t wait for that pleasant spring weather to roll in, melting away the winter depression, then why not start planning today? Here are a few tips for getting your lawn ready for spring. Be the envy of your entire neighbourhood.

Step One: Raking & Seeding

Winter can be quite a rude house guest. It rolls in, sets up camp for three months, then leaves a trail of destruction once it moves on. You’re left with tatty lawns, leaves everywhere, and dead patches of lawn that succumbed to the mud, rain, and weeds. As it has probably been some time since you’ve ventured into the yard, the first things you will need to do are lawn raking and seed application. 

Raking involves removing dead grass and leaves that winter left behind. The process removes that pesky thatch layer but also loosens up any grass matting. Avoid raking if your lawn is wet and muddy. Start scattering seeds on weather and pet-damaged grass.

Apply a slow-release fertiliser to go with it, then after a month or so, apply more. The quicker you patch up those bald spots, the better your lawn will look come summer.

Step Two: Aerate, Aerate, Aerate

Did we say it enough? You have to aerate your grass. Spring would have to be the best time of year for grass aeration. Aerating offers your lawn a chance to breathe, while also promoting water flow, nutrient distribution, grass growth, and oxygenation.

Such a labour-intensive task is one you may like to leave to the professionals, but you can also buy aeration tools to do it yourself. After all, DIY is in our DNA.

Step Three: Weeding

Not everyone enjoys weeding, which is why there’s no harm in hiring someone who has a passion for it. However, it can be a necessary part of getting your lawn ready for spring. Over winter, your lawn may lie dormant, but the first smell of spring can send all the weeds on a crazy growth spurt. Head to your local garden store to pick up some herbicide, then get to work.

You’ll want to get rid of your crabgrass, thatch, clover, and dandelion. If you’d prefer not to use a herbicide, then set time aside to digging them out by hand. If you have a postage stamp lawn, it won’t be a significant undertaking.

Step Four: Fertilising

You may have applied fertiliser when you were taking care of bald spots, but that’s not the end of it. Your grass is recovering from the rude appearance of winter, and it might need a helping hand to get it back to its former health. Apply fertiliser once after every two lawn mowing sessions.  

Step Five: Water

If you live in colder, wetter climes – such as Southland, then step five is not usually necessary. The ground will probably already be moist or well-hydrated. If you live further up the country though, there’s no harm in giving the lawn a quick sprinkle. 

What’s more, watering your lawn at the beginning of the spring can be a trial run. After winter, you need to work out whether your irrigation and sprinkler systems are still working. If you have any problems, it offers ample time to repair them or buy new ones.

Post-Winter Recovery

Your lawn is now in the best possible position to tackle spring and any other month to follow. However, have you forgotten something? Your lawn mower has been locked in the tool shed for months, and it’s time to drag it out. Sharpen the blades, change the oil, and check the fuel. If you’ve let the mower fall into disrepair, it might be time to call the friendly team who can get the job done with no hassles.

Conclusion

If you want the best-looking lawn on the street, then it’s not going to do it on its own. You need to start at the very beginning of spring, preparing and caring for your lawn, so it’s fighting fit to tackle the season head-on. There’s no better time than today to get your gardens and lawn spring-ready.