Great lawns begin in spring

NOTHING rewards the work of a diligent gardener quite like a lawn can. A little work now will be handsomely rewarded in the months ahead once the green grass is looking pristine. But while spring is a time for preparation, it’s also a very sensitive time and you need to tread carefully where a lawn is concerned.

Just because the sun comes out and adds a little warmth doesn’t mean the lawn is fully dry after a long winter. The winter of 2018-19 may not have saw much rain, but the wet spell in March is enough to penetrate the top few inches of the lawn. Trampling on a soft, soggy lawn will only do more damage than good so ensure it’s dry before carrying out heavy work.

The first thing to do after a stodgy winter is to give the lawn a good rake to fluff up the sod and remove any debris. Use a spindly rake and give it a good going over. Having an uneven lawn will also cause trouble as water will pool for longer in the hollows. This can alter growth recovery in spring. If it’s a serious problem then you might want to consider rolling it, but please note this is a job for late summer when lawn conditions are more favourable for rolling.

After you have given the lawn its first mow of the season (making sure that the blades are not too low to the surface) give it a general feed in early spring as it’ll appreciate this after a long winter. Your garden centre will advise you on the best fertilizer to use and when to use it.

Later on, once growth has started, apply a general feed-and-weed mix. It’s better to wait until pesky weeds have grown a bit before applying the feed-and-weed as this is a more effective way to kill them.

Moreover, once the lawn is in full bloom, be sure to do some aeration work. This is very beneficial if your lawn is compact as it ensures the lawn gets to breathe properly therefore minimising and discouraging the onset of moss growth. All great summer lawns begin in spring so now is the time to put in some work.