This section is all about your garden and back yard. For more gardening articles, see the Garden Section Index

Grass makes a most attractive natural surface, but has some disadvantages. In the first place, lawns need a great deal of attention during the growing season.

The first step for spring maintenance is to fertilise now and then early summer and early autumn. The best time to perform this task is when it's about to rain or even in the rain for the die hard.

If the lawn is getting too spongy, it may need to be de-thatched, by using a rake. If it is getting a bit bare and hard, it will need aerating or coring. This can be done with a fork, spike shoes or a machine. It's a good idea to apply grass seed and then top dressing soil.

Top dressing varies from lawn to lawn and gardener to gardener, this is what I do. If the lawn is under a large tree, all the nutrients and water would be going to the tree, so top dressing may be needed annually. If the lawn has sunk in spots, you may only need to level the fault. If the lawn is lush and healthy looking, leave it alone!

If you have laid turf within about four or so years, you could find that, if it has been allowed to dry out or even if it has been extremely wet, you may find the roots have separated from the sub-soil. This may cause a little yellowing, but it's not the end of the world. A good top dressing with added "water retention granules" will fox it and the give it a deep drink once a week...

The most important lawn treatment is the mowing and weeding.

1. Do not put the mower too low and it can be temping.
2. In the growth season you should be cutting once a week or fortnight with sharp blades.
3. Remove broad leaf and running weeds by hand, some other weeds can be sprayed before flowering only.
4. If you have a formal lawn use a grass catcher, otherwise leave it off and mulch.
5. Do not mulch mow flowering weeds! Or you will have bigger problems next year.

This article is brought to you by Neville O'Connor of United Home Services. Contact United Home Services for all your landscaping needs on Ph: 9838 0444 or 0418 405 670. For more local information view our My Local Guide Business Directory listing in Garden Maintenance, Landscaping and Lawnmowing or the national website: www.uhs.com.au