Spring Lawn Care Advice

After the long, dark days of winter, your lawn may need some extra care to get it ready for the forthcoming summer months. A good gardening services company or landscaping firm will be able to help you with this, but there is plenty you can do to kick-start the lawn's recovery. Read on for some top tips on how to rejuvenate your winter lawn.

Mowing

Although the grass will begin to grow rapidly as the weather warms up, it's important that you don't try to cut it until the soil dries out. Mowing the grass when the ground is still sodden can pull the plants out by the roots, leaving bald patches in your lawn. It's also important to wait until the weather has settled and there will be no more frosts. Cut grass plants are easily scorched by overnight frost, and this will turn your lawn brown.

For the first few cuts, adjust your mower blades to their highest setting. This encourages the grass to continue growing well without 'shocking' the plants.

Moss and weeds

The damp conditions provided by the winter months can encourage the growth of moss and weeds, which can strip the soil of important nutrients that would otherwise be used by the grass.

Apply a proprietary moss and weed killer to your lawn, and then rake out the dead plant material when the product has taken effect. Your landscape firm may be able to supply you with suitable products, or you can obtain what you need from good DIY stores.

Fertiliser

Feeding your lawn with fertiliser is a good way of keeping it healthy right through the summer. Once you've removed any moss and weeds from the grass, apply a pellet or liquid lawn fertiliser every few weeks from late spring until the beginning of the autumn. Ask your landscape firm for recommendations on what to use.

Damage repair

If your lawn is in use all year round, it can become patchy and damaged by pet activity or kids' games. Your landscape or gardening services contractor will be able to repair this damage by loosening compacted topsoil, raking out weeds, and applying a lawn conditioning preparation that also contains new grass seed.

An effective spring care regimen is important if your lawn is to look great and withstand the rigours of summertime activity. Follow the guidelines above to give your lawn a head start, and ask your landscape or gardening services contractor for more advice and assistance.