Daffodils, lambs, long days, Easter – are just some of the things to look forward to in the coming months. It may not seem like it at 4.30 on the first Monday back at work, but Spring is less than 10 weeks away. We’ve been lucky so far this winter, with fairly mild temperatures and low rainfall, so lawns are in good conditions.
There really isn’t a lot to be doing at this time of year in terms of lawn care, other than perhaps clearing any dead leaves from the lawn to ensure good growth as soon as the warm weather arrives. No mowing, fertilising or overseeding to be done while the days are still short leaves you with ample time to sort your lawn care plan. Our goal is to help you have a lawn you can be proud of, in such a way that your neighbours will be green with envy.
So, what’s the plan? How can you achieve a perfect lawn this year?
First things first
Let’s look at the current state of your lawn – we need to decide if the quality of the existing grass will suffice. You’ll need to be thinking about plant density. Is the ground well covered, and the grass nice and thick? If it is – great. If not, then overseeding or reseeding might be an option. Next, look at the quality of the plants – are the leaves fairly fine, and not too coarse? If so, you’ve most likely got desirable lawn species growing already – no need for introducing any new species, or re-sowing the lawn. Is your lawn weed free? If it is – great, no work required there. If weeds are a problem, decide how to tackle them – perhaps by hand, by mowing out annual weeds, or by using a chemical or feed to treat. If the weed invasion is severe, it might be best to seed your lawn from scratch.
What’s on the calendar?
Before deciding how to treat your lawn this year, bear in mind any plans you have. Summer parties for example, or maybe you’re planning on getting a new pet. This may sound irrelevant – but, do you perhaps need a more hardwearing lawn? If so then overseeding can be a great option – use a mixture like Sprogs and Dogs to thicken and toughen up the lawn.
Action Plan – FROWS
You need to combine the following elements into your lawn action plan:
Feed
Reseed
Overseed
Weed
Scarify
Decide which of those elements apply to your lawn. Let’s take a lawn that’s looking tired, the plants are thin, and there are a number of weeds. How should we deal with this situation?
Our action plan will start in March, depending on the weather. The first thing we’ll do is control the weeds. We’ll do this with a 3-in-1 fertiliser, which will green the lawn, kill the weeds, and control any moss. We’ll continue to apply fertiliser throughout the summer. In September, we will overseed the lawn, to try and thicken it out. To do this, we will scarify the existing lawn, a process that will remove any dead grass or moss from the healthy grass. Next, we will choose a suitable seed mixture, and broadcast this over the existing lawn. Then we’ll lightly rake the seed in, and leave the seed to germinate.
Let’s look at another scenario. This time, our lawn is full of moss, coarse grasses, and vigorous weeds. You want a fine quality luxury lawn.
The best option here is to start from scratch. Firstly, kill off all of the plant matter, using a product like Vitax Weed Free. Alternatively, you can lift the turf, exposing a fresh layer of soil underneath. Cultivate the earth, so that a fine tilth is ready for sowing. This should be done about 3-4 weeks before you plan to sow, to allow any rogue weeds to germinate and be controlled before sowing. Planting a new lawn is best done from April onwards, or when the soil temperature reaches double figures (Celsius) during the daytime. Premium Green seed is selected, as this is the best seed to use in this case. Broadcast the seed at 70g/m2, and roll into the soil, ensuring that the seedbed is good and firm. The seed should germinate quickly, and once the lawn reaches 4” you can begin cutting. Come August, you can consider applying an Autumn feed to see your new lawn through the winter. A slow nitrogen fertiliser is best here, as it will feed the lawn for weeks at a time.
So there you have it – all the elements of a 2015 lawn action plan! If you need any help with your lawn this year, please get in touch using the contact us form. We’ll be happy to help you put together your lawn action plan, and can advise you on the best products for your lawn.
