10 outdoor summer jobs

The key to a liveable backyard is to have a clean, comfortable outdoor space. Prevent weeds and mossies, and dogs from digging up the lawn then install irrigation to keep the garden watered. Once the hard work is done just put your feet up.

 

An average pool costs from $50 to $70 a month to treat using the relevant chemicals and keeping the water clean through winter makes the summer spruce-up cheaper and faster.

 

Use a pool test kit to check the water pH, total chlorine, total bromine, acid and alkalinity levels.

 

Add chlorine and algae inhibitor to fight bacteria and keep the water clean. Also go over the walls and floor areas once a week using

a brush and pool vacuum.

 

In dry weather the lawn needs about 30mm of water a week. But how do you know how much rain it’s getting? Set up a rain gauge to keep track of rainfall and avoid overwatering.

 

Watering deeply and less often encourages roots to grow down into the soil and develop drought tolerance.

 

If a lawn turns brown from lack of water, it’s gone dormant to cope with the stress and is beyond immediate help. Cool weather in autumn helps the turf recover on its own.

 

TIP Keep mower blades sharp to cut cleanly as torn grass is more susceptible to disease.

 

Cut the lawn regularly to avoid mowing more than the top third of the blades at a time, keeping the grass healthier and preventing clippings from smothering the lawn when they’re left on as mulch.

 

WARM SEASON GRASS grows in summer and becomes dormant in autumn. Mow soft leaf buffalo, kikuyu and fine leaf couch to 25mm.

 

COOL SEASON GRASS grows all year and needs more water. Mow tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and ryegrass to about 40mm.

 

TIP In summer set mower blades to cut grass at least 25mm high, improving lawn drought tolerance.

 

Treat weeds between pavers or joints in concrete pathways with a direct application of a chemical spray.

 

Check the weather forecast to make sure there is no rain predicted for the next day then spray the leaves and surrounding soil. Water in five days later so it soaks into the roots.

 

USING HOT WATER is an organic, free method. Just boil the kettle and pour it on weeds to destroy the entire plant, allowing it to be easily removed, roots and all, after about a week.

 

If time is limited, pinch off any developing flowerheads to stop weeds from self-seeding and spreading.

 

Trimming and edging adds a finished look after the grass is mowed.

 

TRIMMING cuts grass and weeds in areas a mower can’t reach, such as near fences, trees and garden beds. As a rule, line trimmers are used for horizontal cutting. Protect tree trunks from being ringbarked by a trimmer by wrapping a tree guard around the base of the trunk or cut the grass with shears.

INSTALL EDGING to keep grass from growing into garden beds and to create a neat lawn.

 

Dig a narrow trench as deep as the edging being used along the grass boundary. Have treated pine timber cut to size or unroll plastic edging and cut it to length. Position it in the trench then backfill.

 

TIP The top of the edging should just be visible at soil level.