Having a green carpet of healthy and uniform grass in the garden is not difficult, but it does require a series of care throughout the year to keep it in optimum condition. These annual tasks are: mowing, watering, airing, dressing, reseeding, scarifying, fertilizing and weeding, all of them key operations to ensure success.

Mowing: The lawn requires numerous mowings throughout the year. Successive cuts encourage the turfgrass to spread out in width and cover the ground more densely. Mowing also prevents grass from tautening and completing its life cycle by wilting.

The frequency of mowing depends on many factors: climate, orientation, soil, species planted, use, frequency of irrigation, etc.

Regarding the height of the cut, each species of grass requires a certain one. It is advisable to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Irrigation: It is another of the decisive factors to have a quality lawn, since most of the turfgrass are very demanding in water.

However, a very common mistake is overwatering. Irrigation must be done depending on the type of grass and, above all, on evaporation-transpiration. Its frequency also depends on the weather, time of year and soil.

Aerated: Over time, the grass ends up compacting, which prevents the roots from growing in optimal conditions and receiving the water they need. This problem is aggravated when the soil is clayey. The work of aerating tries to compensate for compaction by extracting small clods from the soil as if it were a punch.

Topdressing: It consists of applying a small layer of sand, mulch or a mixture of both on the lawn. This work is especially indicated after aerating, because the holes are filled with a new, looser substrate that will make it easier for the roots to spread and the quality of the grass to improve.

Scarification: In many lawns, a layer of plant debris, moss and earth usually accumulates at the base of the grass, which makes the soil waterproof and favors the appearance of fungi and pests. To remove this mattress you must scarify, that is, scratch the surface of the earth. You can use a rake on small areas, or a scarifier on larger meadows. The frequency of scarification will depend on the climate and the orientation of the terrain. In shadier and more humid areas you should do it more often, up to once a year, but in better located lawns it would not be necessary to resort to this work for several years.

Overseeding: Sometimes bald spots appear on the lawn, where you should oversee. Before doing so, you must improve the area where that bald spot has occurred; To do this, apply mulch and remove the soil slightly with a hoe. The best times are at the beginning of spring or autumn; Avoid periods of extreme heat or cold. You can take advantage of the topdressing work to reseed.

The Subscriber: The best time to fertilize the lawn is in spring. In autumn and summer, to prepare it for temperature stress (high and low), it is better to use a potassium fertilizer, and for planting, one rich in phosphorus. The easiest thing to do is resort to specific fertilizers for lawns, which are usually slow-release solid formulations, that is, they provide the necessary nutrients over several weeks or months.

Weeding: In any lawn it is normal for weeds to appear that spoil its appearance. To prevent its appearance, mow the meadow frequently and at the lowest height allowed by the planted grasses and the time of year. This will keep many unwanted tenants at bay, although you should combine it with manual weeding —especially if the plot is small and when the weeds are grasses— or chemical, applying a broadleaf herbicide.