A well looked after lawn is the heart of a beautiful garden. Keeping your lawn in tip-top condition is an all-year round job. Here is our guide to keeping your lawn in pristine condition, twelve months of the year.
January
January can be very cold, with not a lot of growth taking place. Avoid walking on your lawn if the ground is frozen or there is a frost, as this can cause damage. This is a great time to get your lawn mower serviced and your edging shears sharpened. Sharp tools will ensure the grass is cut cleanly, rather than being torn, which can damage root structure. If you are mechanically minded, servicing a lawn mower is fairly straightforward.
February
If the weather is getting milder, February is the last chance to catch up on any remedial work that your lawn might need, prior to the growth season. Hollow tine aeration can help relieve winter compaction in your lawn, allowing air, water and nutrients to reach the lawn’s root structure Lawn scarification can help remove excess thatch and moss.
Now is also a good time to put a last layer of mulch down on the surrounding flower beds, prior to the growing season.
In a mild February, you may see the first signs of lawn growth! It’s OK to give your lawn a first trim, but don’t go mad. Keep the mower cutting height high and be gentle. Remove any weeds that have appeared over the winter months.
March
Congratulations, your lawn has woken up! Mowing becomes essential, but still be gentle and avoid cutting the grass too short. March is a great time to feed your lawn with a specially formulated granular fertilizer. This will provide the grass with all of the key nutrients to rapidly green and help thicken your lawn. If you have not scarified your lawn yet, to help control moss, now is your last chance before spring really gets going.
April
Spring has arrived and now is a good time to repair and renovate your lawn. Overseed any areas with thin lawn coverage and turf, or reseed any areas that have become completely bald.
Your lawn grass will be growing more quickly, with regular mowing required. You should still avoid the temptation to lower the cut height on your mower. Cutting the grass too short can help weeds and infestations, as it allows sunlight to reach the soil between the blades of grass. Taller grass is better able to hold water and produce chlorophyll, promoting a healthier lawn.
May
M is for May and for Mowing! With lawn growth almost visible to the naked eye, you will need to mow the lawn regularly. Lower the cut height to about 2.5 – 4.0 cm for a standard lawn. Remember to edge your lawn too, it makes all the difference. Keep a watchful eye out for weeds and dig them out. Over seeding is still possible if you have any sparser patches remaining.
If it’s a wonderfully sunny day, why not have a picnic on your lawn and soak up the wonder that is a garden in spring! Remove any rugs or toys afterwards so they don’t damage the grass.
June
As temperatures start to rise, keep mowing the lawn regularly. Our mantra is “little and often” as there is nothing more damaging to a lawn than letting the grass get out of control and then needing to scalp it. Keep those edges neat and trim.
In this period of peak lawn growth, the grass requires plenty of nourishment to keep it green and healthy. A slow-release fertiliser will feed the lawn for the next couple of months, and a suitable weed killer will kill any weeds present.
July
July can be hot, so water conservation is important. You need to help your lawn make the most of the drier weather. Raising the height of the mower to around 6 cm will help to shade the soil and roots from the sun and retain any moisture that is available.
Established lawns can deal with a dry period, though newer lawns might need to be watered. Early morning is the best time to water your lawn. This is when it’s at its coolest and less moisture will be lost to evaporation.
Keep on top of weeds too, as they will be struggling in dry weather and now is a good time to defeat them.
August
Keep that mower high and water the grass if required. Most of all, enjoy your lawn. If you have children, the grass may get a good bashing during the summer holidays. Don’t worry, with all the work you have been doing over the last few months, your lawn will be able to withstand the assault! Have fun.
September
Summer is coming to an end, but there is still time to enjoy your lawn, so make the most of sunny days. Towards the end of the month, think about scarifying and aerating the lawn, to clear dead grass and help control disease, encouraging strong root growth.
A special autumn lawn feed is recommended. This will harden the grass against the stresses of cold and frost, also helping to prevent diseases and control moss.
October
Now fully into autumn, lawn growth is slowing. Raise the cutting height of your mower to ensure healthy grass over the coming winter. Keep the lawn free from falling leaves and twigs, as they can cause problems with damp and disease. Keen gardeners will want to save the leaves, to create mulch for use the following year.
If you have yet to aerate your lawn or apply an autumn feed, now is the time to do it. If your lawn has become compacted over the summer, consider hollow tine aeration. This will help air and nutrients penetrate the root zone and create a healthier lawn for next year.
November
November and the leaves are falling fast. It’s really important to keep them off your lawn. Leaves block what limited sunlight there is, which can ultimately kill grass. There is still time for hollow tine aeration and scarification. Your lawn mower should be cleaned before being put away for the winter.
December
It’s Christmas time, so why not give your lawn the gift of a winter lawn treatment. A special turf harder can help strengthen the turf against the attack of disease, frost or even insects. Try and avoid walking on the lawn as this can cause damage. A strong lawn can easily cope with the frost and the snow that winter can bring.
Looking after your lawn is an all-year round activity. We have a range of all year round lawn treatments and lawn care services. We hope this guide has given you some ideas, to give you the best lawn possible. We would love to hear from you if we can help keep your lawn in pristine condition all year round.
