The best things in life require a little time and dollop of hard work. Getting fit. Losing that beer belly. Cooking a Full English for the whole family every Bank Holiday weekend. And, yeah, establishing a lush, green, healthy lawn. There’s seeding, fertilising, aerating, weeding, watering, mowing correctly. They’re all part of the perfect lawn process. And yet all those hours and all that elbow grease will be for nothing unless your lawn is developing deep grass roots.
Now you’re probably thinking deep roots meep shroots. And we get it. You’re worried about your lawn, not what goes on below it. But here’s the thing: without deep roots, your grass is going to struggle with almost-everything. Heatwaves, droughts, heavy rain, footfall, bald patches, weeds, moss, disease, pests, everything. That’s because weak roots will struggle to make the most of the nutrients in your soil. Leading to a weak lawn that’s vulnerable to so many diseases, stresses and more.
Flip that coin over, though, and deep roots almost-guarantee a lush-looking lawn. Here’s how to actively develop deep lawn roots:
Mow Like A Pro
When it comes to your root growth, nothing is more important than the height of your mower deck. Seriously, there’s a direct link between grass height and root depth. So as a general rule of thumb, the higher you mow your lawn, the deeper the roots will be. Especially in the UK where we tend to have cool season turf.
Now this doesn’t mean you should let your grass grow wildly out of hand then mow it because that will lead to your lawn suffering from some pretty hardcore stress. Instead, you want to raise your mower to above 3½ inches and never cut off more than a ⅓ in any one go.
Water Like A Winner
Once upon a time, watering your lawn wasn’t a thing in the UK. We got enough rainfall for Mother Nature to take over that chore. But with the world hotting up, heatwaves becoming common and droughts being announced all too often, watering your lawn properly has become a thing.
To do this, the best technique is to water deep and less frequently, a method that is known to stimulate deeper root growth. As for what we mean by “deep”, you want your soil to be moist around 6 inches below the surface. Once you’ve done this, don’t water your lawn again until your grass blades are starting to show signs of drought stress. This will teach your roots to reach deeper, where the ground is still moist from your heavy watering session.
Improve Your Soil Conditions
Believe it or not, the type of soil in your garden plays a huge role in whether your grass roots are encouraged to grow deep or prevented from heading toward the earth’s core. For instance, heavy clay soils might be epic at retaining water, but they also compact easily, as well as being vulnerable to becoming waterlogged. All of which isn’t great for your root system. If this is the case with your lawn, adding some compost to your grass will loosen up the soil and allow more air to get down to the roots.
On the flip side, sandy soil won’t struggle with compaction so much, but it isn’t great at retaining water, which means your lawn won’t be encouraged to grow deeper. To counteract this, try adding some organic matter that provides nutrients and increases water retention.
Don’t Forget To Fertilise
When it comes to boosting your lawn’s root growth, slow release fertiliser is the one. That’s because they distribute those delicious nutrients over time, introducing both micronutrients and microbes into your soil. Not only is this super good for anyone wanting a lovely, green lawn, but they’re also amazing at developing deep roots.
As for the best fertiliser to use, you want to go with one that has a fairly equal balance of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen, which are the essential nutrients for root growth. The way they work is simple (in a real complex way). They encourage your grass plants to grow a thick collection of new roots, as well as strengthen your current roots.
Focus on Your Soil pH
Every grass species is slightly different, which is why they all have a preference when it comes to the pH level of the soil. For the best root growth, you need to get that pH level right. Luckily, it’s not too tricky to adjust your soil’s pH. It all starts with testing your soil with a DIY pH test, which will give you an estimate of your soil’s pH conditions.
If your soil is only a little bit away from a neutral pH, the best thing you can do is add some organic matter, which is almost-always nearly neutral on the pH scale, meaning it should be enough to fix the imbalance. If your soil is way off, however, simply add some lime (for acidic soils) or sulphur (for alkaline soils) to correct the situation. That’s how to grow healthy roots.
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