Monthly Lawncare Guide

As with everything else in the Garden we are at the mercy of the weather. In recent years too we have seen some unseasonal temperatures and rainfall which has fuelled the ever topical debate on Global Warming.

Below is a guide to when traditional tasks should be carried out to maintain your lawn in good condition. However you should be flexible and let the prevailing conditions dictate the precise timing of your labours. For example if December and January have been particularly mild then don't be afraid to give your lawn a trim if it looks to be a little on the long side or conversely raise the blades and mow less often in summer if it is really hot and dry.

A Note on Mowing. As a rule of thumb never cut more than one third off the height of the grass at any one time..always mow little and often. Don't leave cuttings on the lawn they will encourage weeds and shroud the grass roots.

January. There is usually very little to do this month. Walking on a wet, frozen or snow covered lawn should be avoided if possible on family lawns and completely on fine lawns. Fallen leaves can be removed.

February. . If the weather has been mild then you may need to give the lawn a trim. Raise the blades of your mower to their highest setting so you just take off the tips of the grass.
  You may see worm casts appearing this time of year. Wait until they dry a little and sweep them away with a broom. If left alone they can be the ideal nursery for weed seeds and they can smother fine grasses in the lawn especially if they are trodden on and compacted. Apply moss killer if conditions allow following the manufacturers instructions carefully. Make sure your mower is serviced and the blades are sharpened.

March. With the weather(hopefully) warming up this month you will need to mow two or three times with the blades still on their highest setting. Repair damaged edges around the lawn and rake out any thatch. Towards the end of the month you can overseed any thin or bare patches with seed or use a commercially available lawn repair kit.

April. Increase mowing now and reduce the height of the cut down to about 25 - 30 mm (1"-11/4") Feed the lawn with a spring/summer fertiliser and if weeds have taken a grip spray with a lawn weed killer. Large perennial weeds can be dug out and the hole filled with compost and seeded. April is a good month to sow new lawns or re turf although I prefer to do this in the autumn.

May. Mow at least once a week this month and water( provided it is legal )the lawn if there is a prolonged dry spell. You can apply a high nitrogen liquid feed this month to make the lawn look greener which is usually best applied when the soil is moist and the grass is dry.

June. You may need to mow twice a week now at a height of 25mm. If the weather gets really dry then you may need to raise the blades a little to prevent damaging the lawn. Water in long dry spells and apply high nitrogen liquid fertiliser. Follow the manufacturers' instructions carefully, it is usually recommended to leave six weeks between applications.

July. Keep mowing up to twice a week and keep an eye open for weeds. If you have a few weeds then you can use a commercially available spot weed killer. Water in dry spells.

August. Continue regular mowing and watering. If you have been away on holiday and your lawn has grown excessively then don't worry. Mow the lawn with the blades set high and gradually lower them each time you mow until you get back to the optimum height of around 25mm

September/October.The last couple of years has seen summer extending into late September in some parts of the country which is why I have grouped these two months together.This is an important time of year for the lawn and some concentrated effort now will pay dividends.
If the weather is still warm then keep mowing regularly until growth slows then start raising the height of the blades and mow less often. Apply an Autumn lawn feed. This differs from a summer feed in that it encourages root growth which will result in a denser lawn the following year.
There are three main tasks that need to be tackled at this time of year; Scarifying, Aerating and Top Dressing.The ideal time is a bright dry day when the ground is moist .Scarifying simply means raking the lawn with a fine spring tine rake to remove the build up of thatch (dead grass) that develops around the base of the grass leaves. For large lawns you may wish to hire a mechanical scarifier.Don't panic if the lawn starts to look awful as you rake, it always does, in fact if it doesn't you probably aren't doing it properly! Remove the resulting dead grass and moss pile and then begin aerating.
Aerating is the process by which soil compaction is relieved and drainage improved. All you need is a garden fork, or a specially designed hollow tined spiker, which you push into the soil every 15cm (6 inches) or so. If this seems like too much hard work or your lawn is quite large then a mechanical aerator is available from hire shops.
Finally your lawn should be top dressed with a sand soil and peat mixture. This is applied to the lawn by spreading the mixture evenly using a bucket full per square metre and work it in using the back of a rake of a bessom broom. Make sure you work the top dressing into the holes made when aerating.

November. Still not too late to apply Autumn fertiliser early this month. Rake up leaves and compost. Mow may be necessary but not if the ground is very wet or frosty.

December There is usually very little to do this month. Walking on a wet, frozen or snow covered lawn should be avoided if possible on family lawns and completely on fine lawns. Fallen leaves can be removed.