Core Aeration

Create a refreshed vibrant lawn with aeration

Core Aeration is the mechanical removal of small cores of soil from the lawn using an aeration machine. It is often described as the most important thing you can do to create a healthy, thick and robust lawn. Aertion is a neccesary maitenance practice and is required for a number of reasons:

* To improve serface drainage - channels or fissures are created through the soil profile to allow water infiltration and movement.

* To improve soil air supply - grasss roots need a good supply of oxygen for healthly normal growth and functioning.

* To improve root growth- roots will grow well in macropores created by aeration tines and will benefit from increased oxygen supply as well as better drainage.

* To relieve compaction - soil compaction has a detrimental effect on roots, not only by causing anaerobic conditions but also by creating mechanical impedance to root growth

Scarfication

Achieve that lush, golf green look, with scarification.

Over time lawns become choked with thatch, this layer of dead and decaying organic matter lies on the top of the root zone. This impedes the penetration of water and nutrient to the lawns roots thus stunting their growth. This results in weak growth and leads to pale, thin lawns.

Scarification is the process of removing thatch from the surface of the lawn. The process is carried out with a mechanical scarifier which consists of a rotating horizontal shaft of blades which penetrate the top surface of the lawn removing the thatch. As well as removing thatch scarification also provides an element of aeration, improving drainage and disease tolerance, and will also reduce sponginess in the lawn.

Scarification should only be carried out when grass is actively growing in order that it can recover from this rigorous process. In a perfect world lawns should be scarified annually either in spring or autumn.

Scarification provides a great opportunity to invigorate your lawn, we can also over-seed your lawn after scarification which will promote quicker recovery and thicken up the lawn.

Moss control

Benefit from a moss free lawn

There are around 30 different species of moss found in Irish lawns. They tend to infect lawns when the grass surface is sparse although living in Ireland, with its damp conditions moss will be found in most lawns during the cooler months.

Moss spores are produce in spring and autumn when infect lawns, sometimes we even help spread them by raking the lawns surface.

Any practise that reduces the thickness of the lawn will aid the development of moss i.e. mowing to short, compaction, poor drainage and the creation of shade. So to reduce moss raise the height of your lawn mower and aerate regularly.

Moss can be killed and even in severe infestations the area can be claimed back to lawn.

We will be happy to advise you on a suitable program for your lawn.

Overseeding

Create a thick, even, lush lawn

Over time and for various reason lawns can become tired, thin and patchy. This situation can be improved with an over-seed of the lawn. Normally carried out after scarification, over-seeding allows you the opportunity to introduce stronger, drought resilient and more attractive seed varieties into your lawn.

Top Dressing

Create an even lawn and boost the condition your soil

A great way to improve the condition of the soil beneath your lawn is to top dress. A mixture of minerals such as sand, silt and organic materials such as peat is added to the surface of your lawn. This material brings substantial benefits to your lawn such as:

• Reduction in thatch levels
• Improvement to drainage
• Improvement in soil structure
• Improved water and nutrient retention

It also provides a visual solution to unsightly cracks and undulations due to soil settlement.

Top dressing can be carried out throughout the year. We will be happy to advise you on the appropriate type of top dressing for your soil type.

Lawn Renovation

The cost effective alternative to laying new turf 

If you think your lawn is beyond repair and you have more weeds and moss than grass, V.I.P.lawns can carry out a part or full lawn renovation, resulting in a healthy green lawn. Renovation can be carried out anytime during the growing season, however if this occurs during a prolonged period of dry weather the lawn will need to be watered on a regular basis.

VIP Lawns renovation will firstly involve applying a selective herbicide to kill off unwanted weeds, after a short  period the dead weeds and any remaining grass will need to be cut very short and all clippings removed. 

The next stage will be to intensely scarify the surface of the lawn, breaking up the soil surface and creating a suitable environment for grass seed to germinate. We will then aerate the soil, over seed with a quality grass seed and apply fertiliser and if required apply a top dressing.

Tree & Shrub Fertilisation

Create a flourishing garden to match your lush lawn by an annual application of tree and shrub fertiliser. Our tree and shrub fertiliser, which is a controlled release, low leach specification, provides a continual supply of essential nutrients throughout the growing season.

We would be happy to advise you on the appropriate treatment for your garden.

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