How To Take Care Of The Lawn Surrounding Your Pool Area

Organic living; getting back to our roots; enjoying mother nature at her best… these are all phrases we hear and read about every day.  As our society continues to evolve and our lives become more technology-driven and complicated, we find in ourselves the longing to spend time alone with nature.  Whether it’s a glass of wine enjoyed sitting on the lawn at the end of a busy day, a few minutes playing with the children in the yard or a swim in the outdoor pool, many Australians are proving the psychological and physical benefits of their own gardens.  

For many Aussie homeowners, their outdoor pool is their private sanctuary: a place to unwind, relax and chill out with family and friends.  And to encourage a stronger connection between recreation and nature itself, many people are bringing their lawns right to the edge of their pool or and outdoor spa.  A pool set in a swath of perfectly manicured, lush lawn is the very definition of beautiful!  Easy on the eyes; calming; classy and modern.

As always, research is essential before planting a new lawn, and the lawn around your pool is no exception.  It’s important that you choose a turf variety that suits your environment, can stand up to a reasonable amount of foot traffic and has reasonable tolerance to salt (especially if yours is a salt chlorinated pool).  Palmetto Buffalo grass is a popular choice for many pool owners because it maintains excellent winter color, is sun tolerant and requires very little maintenance.

When it comes to maintaining the lawn surrounding your pool, we understand you may have a few questions.  That’s why we’ve put together this list of top tips about caring for the lawn around your pool:

• Mowing around pools requires a little bit of extra care.  Nobody wants to swim in a pool full of grass clippings and other rubbish from the garden, so be sure to mow using a catcher. Cut the grass at the edge of the pool using hand shears – this will protect the edge of your pool as well as helping to prevent mess falling into the water.

• Saltwater splash can have a detrimental effect on the grass around your pool.  If yours is a salt chlorinated pool, you need to regularly flush the area surrounding the pool with fresh water to wash the salt away from the roots of the grass.  Of course, rainwater will naturally assist with this.

• Fertilizing the lawn around your inbuilt pool is safe, however it requires a little more care.  When spreading fertilizer granules, ensure that none of the fertilizer falls into the water – lawn fertilizers contain high amounts of phosphates and nitrates which will turn your pool water green very quickly!

The team at Rivers Edge Turf can help you choose a suitable turf for your pool surround and give you quality advice on maintaining it.  Call us today on (02) 4579 9009 and let’s get this landscaping project underway!