The arrival of spring
brings with it new life and in turn, a new opportunity to create the garden you’ve always wanted.
A lush green lawn is the centre point of any outdoor space – a place to admire, relax in the sunshine or host friends and family when spring stretches into summer. Bringing your lawn back to life after the cold and damp months of winter requires a little bit of effort and preparation. Dedicate a weekend to tending your lawn and create a flourishing green space.
| Project Overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tasks | Time needed | |
| Step 1 | Start with a general clear up – removing leaves, debris and weeds | About 2hrs |
| Step 2 | Aerate & Scarify to encourage moisture drainage | About 1hr |
| Step 3 | Patch up – Assess patches and plant new seed to aid re-growth | About 1hr |
| Step 4 | Feed & Protect – Feed the lawn to keep it healthy | Less than 1hr |
Step 1 – General clear up
Look closely at your lawn
Start by looking over your lawn, taking in all the scents that spring brings with it and working out a plan of action for revitalising your garden.
Ice, rain, frost and snow can all affect the growth of your grass, so spend time assessing the areas most in need of your attention. Pay close consideration to the soil. New grass shoots may already be pushing their way through looking for sunlight, while moss and weeds may have taken over some areas – take note of these and ensure you remove them later.
While working your way around your garden, look for areas of your lawn that may have missed the sunlight – these will need extra care.
Clear away any debris
Before you can start mowing and planting, arm yourself with your garden gloves and essential hand tools and start clearing your lawn of any debris. Round up fallen leaves with a rake to prevent them smothering your lawn and inhibiting your grass growth. Then get busy with a hand fork to pull out any weeds that have sprouted up during winter. Remember to clear any dead leaves caught in surrounding trees as these can fall down with a sudden gust of wind and cover your grass.
Step 2 – Aerate & Scarification
Gently scarify your lawn
As winter tends to be wet, the moisture can water log your grass and cause it to compact. If your grass has become awash with moss and weeds, scarifying your lawn by dragging a rake across it can encourage new shoots to come to life. Teasing out dried, dead moss can instantly lift the overall look of your garden. Performing this lawn treatment after winter should be done so with great care, as frost can still pose a risk. Check the hardness of the ground before you start.
If you don’t need to scarify your lawn, you could still aerate it to stimulate new grass growth. Creating holes in your soil will allow better air circulation and encourage moisture drainage. For maximum effect, make sure your soil is still wet.
Step 3 – Seed your lawn
Equipped with your lawn seed, begin raking your grass then seeding as you pass across your lawn. Make sure to comb over your seeds, mixing them with the soil so they can embed themselves into the ground. Pay particular attention to areas that look sparse.
Step 4 – Feed and water your lawn
Feeding and watering your lawn are two essential tasks you need to do on a regular basis. Give your grass a spray with a garden hose so those