A good lawn can be the foundation of a stunning garden but how can you keep your grass looking lush all year round? Maintaining lawns in top condition is a great job for early spring and summer. Here are our team’s top tips for lawn care and maintenance:
Step 1 – rake or scarify the surface of the lawn to remove any dead grass, thatch and moss. It can feel a rather dramatic process but it’s helpful to be bold and rake or scarify until the soil surface is visible through the grass.
Step 2 – aerate the lawn by spiking the surface with a garden fork. If your lawn is quite large it can be helpful to hire an aerating machine. Aerating allows the air to get to the root system, encouraging strong healthy root growth.
Step 3 – dress the surface with a rich topdressing, such as our Rootzone, as this will provide the nutrients your lawn needs. You may also want to add a liberal covering of grass seed, which should be raked in evenly over the area.
Step 4 – get mowing! When the grass is long enough, you can start to regularly mow through spring, summer and autumn. Remember to use sharp mower blades, and raise or lower the mowing deck to the right height; you should aim to cut no more than half of the grass blades in each session and keep it long enough to promote deep roots. Leaving grass clippings will add nutrients back into the soil too. Once mowed keep the grass well watered if the weather is dry. Water in the morning, and it’s usually best to give the grass a good soak every few days rather than little and often.
Step 5 – weekly maintenance can help keep your lawn green and lush. Hand-pull weeds to avoid the use of chemicals and encourage thick grass growth; a dense lawn naturally crowds out weeds. Watch out for pests – you may see sections of your lawn struggling which could mean insects or pests, such as leather jackets attacking the roots.
Dealing with a bumpy lawn
Lawns can be uneven for a number of reasons. Whatever the underlying problem, it’s important to identify it, so you can take steps to prevent it from happening again. Problems with draining and water damage are often the cause of bumps or dips in your grass.
Water sprinkler systems can be a culprit, especially when it comes to erosion and lawn damage. Ensuring that your sprinkler systems are working well, with nozzles unclogged and sprinkler heights set to the appropriate level is an essential step.
The climate can play a part too. No matter whether you have a sunny or shady spot, it’s tricky to avoid winter freezes and spring thaws as the seasons change. This is known as “ground settling”, which is common in newer lawns, or lawns that have had recent improvements.
Other factors can include animals and insect damage; your lawn might undergo some digging from animals attempting to burrow themselves deep. If you have domestic animals, you might encounter some digging from them. You should also be on the lookout for ant mounds, as they can cause lumps and bumps in your lawn.
Levelling a lawn
Divot mix topsoil is a good first point of call, filling any divots and hollows that may have developed in the grass surface. Continued application will also build an ideal soil structure over the years.
Turf dressing (or top dressing) can also help fix minor imperfections in your lawn. The process is similar to adding topsoil, but is better used sparingly on top of your lawn after the grass has been established. Our Turf dressing rootzone can be used to fill in any gaps in your lawn but should be used in moderation. Using a broom, or rake, even out Rootzone into the grass and water well. Monitor the areas to see if it has levelled out once the grass has recovered. Repeat if necessary.
If the grass has a number of deep dips and holes it’s helpful to remove the turf, fill the hole with new topsoil, and pop the removed turf back on.
If your lawn is very bumpy and seems to have more holes or mounds than level grass you may need to consider laying down a new lawn.
Lawn products from Earth Cycle
Our organic and peat-free products can help you improve your lawn. Our Lawn supreme topsoil is perfect for levelling out your lawn whilst giving your turf all the nutrients it needs to thrive. Our Turf dressing rootzone is the best topsoil to use if you are laying out turf. And of course, we have Turf available for delivery too!
