Taking proper care of a lawn is vital to the success of any landscape design. A beautiful, healthy lawn will always add to the aesthetics of the landscape, whereas a poorly maintained lawn will ruin the effect. Here are a few lawn care tips that will assist you in the maintenance of your lawn.

Choosing the Right Grass for Your Lawn

There are many types of lawn grass and these are used according to the purpose of the lawn and the climate. Consider the following points when deciding which grass you need.

What is going to be the use of the lawn?

Is it to be purely ornamental or is it a play area for the children?

What budget are you able to afford for the lawn?

Do you have the amount of time required to spend on the maintenance of the lawn you choose?

What are you looking for regarding the appearance of the lawn?

How much sun or shade will your lawn have? Is the area wet or dry?

What characteristics does your soil have?

Mowing your lawn

It is important that the lawn is regularly mowed to make sure it looks its best. However, there are some things you should consider before you start mowing. Firstly, you should not cut the lawn too severely as it can cause damage to the grass. It is also the case that a lawn that is cut too low will grow faster and in turn require more watering and therefore further maintenance. Follow these tips when mowing your lawn:

* Don't cut the grass too short. Not only does it damage the grass, it will also allow weed growth.

* The different types of grass require different cut heights, so make sure that you check this with the landscaping company. As a rule of thumb, the best height is 3-4 inches.

* It is not a good idea to remove more that a third of the leaf in one cut.

* Ensure that the mower blades are sharp before each mowing. Having a spare set of blades will help you.

* Maintain your mower, including changing the oil once or twice in the mowing season.

Watering your Lawn

As with most living things, grass is able to adapt to varying conditions. "Stressing" the grass a little, by not watering too much, is a good idea as it promotes deeper and stronger root growth. This stronger root growth will in turn ensure healthier grass growth. Consider the following points:

* Early morning is the ideal time to water your lawn as it will reach the roots before the heat of the day causes it to evaporate. Mid afternoon is not so good as the water will evaporate and if you water at night you increase the chance of diseases developing.

* Water evenly, avoiding "pooling" in areas or missing others.

* For lawns on sloping ground, take care that the water does not simply run off or it may wash down all lawn that you might have added. You may need to water this area in shorter, more frequent bursts to be sure that the lawn has enough water supply.

* During hotter times in summer or in periods of drought you may have to make a decision between more regular watering or allowing the lawn to become dormant. Repeatedly allowing the grass to become dormant is not a good idea as it creates too much stress on the plant.

* A newly planted lawn will require more frequent waterings to ensure that it "beds" down well and that the roots are well established.