Spring is the best time for preparing the lawn for the forthcoming summer season and by keeping on top of just a few straightforward tasks it’s easy to ensure the lawn will be looking its best for summer. 

The spring lawn care program should include:

• Moss Removal and Control
• Aerating
• Over seeding and Repairs
• Mowing
• Moss removal and Control

Moss Growing on lawns is not only unsightly, but often an indication that the conditions are not ideal for growing healthy grass. Therefore it is best to not only remove the moss, but to understand why it is growing there in the first place.

Once the cause is identified then the moss growth can be prevented from recurring.Moss on lawns can be caused by a number of factors including:

• Poor drainage
• Excessive shade
• Low soil PH
• Lack of necessary nutrients.

Scarifying is the preferred method for moss removal. A Scarifier is a quick and efficient powered lawn rake.Moss spreads by producing spores. This usually happens during April and again September. It’s recommended that the moss is removed before it spores, to prevent it from spreading

Lawn Scarifying

Lawn scarifying is the process of removing thatch, moss and other organic matter from a lawn by mechanical means. Scarifying is a vital part of the lawn care program as it not only removes moss, but also prevents and controls the build-up of thatch, and can be used to prepare the lawn prior to over seeding.It’s important before scarifying to check that the ground conditions are suitable. If the ground is too wet it will reduce the effectiveness of the operation, likewise, it’s not recommended if the ground is bone dry.After scarifying, any debris that hasn’t been collected needs to be removed, however, it can be left to dry a little before clearing to make this easier. After this, the lawn can be given another cut and, if necessary, over seed.

Lawn Aeration

Lawn aeration is the process of making holes in a lawn in order to increase the amount of air in the soil. Aeration is vital to the health of a lawn as without air, the lawn and soil suffer from compaction and as a result the grass has difficulty surviving and becomes weak, allowing weeds, moss and diseases to take hold.Our Hollow tines removes cores or plugs from the lawn and is ideal for lawns with heavy clay content as it allows for a suitable top dressing to be applied into the holes. Before hollow tine aerating it is best to cut the lawn a little shorter than normal to make the aeration process easier. 

MOWING

It may sound obvious, but mowing is one of the most important jobs in the lawn care program. Cutting grass encourages thicker growth and deters flowering and seeding of weeds so it’s a job worth doing regularly.As a guide, during March the lawn should be cut every 2 weeks. This should be increased to every 10 days in April and then at least once a week during the summer. In the autumn reduce the frequency back to 10 days and then during the winter (unless the weather is mild) it’s not advisable to mow the lawn at all.

OVER SEEDING & REPAIRS

Lawns suffer during the winter months so over seeding will rejuvenate a tired looking lawn and return it to its former glory. Over seeding will increase the density of the grass and improve its appearance.Many professionals favour autumn over the spring for over seeding as the results are better and more consistent. This is mainly due to the soil being warmer in the autumn and so helping with germination. However, if the lawn is in bad shape after the winter then it’s advantageous to give it a head start and speed up recovery by over seeding in spring. 

For more info or advice please contact us