With all the talk of a hot dry summer ahead we need to act to prevent the effects of drought on our lawns. 

From May onwards , if conditions are dry, consider watering your lawn once a week with a sprinkler, leaving it on long enough to saturate the soil.

Aerate or spike your lawn so that when water is applied it can run down into the soil and not sit on the top.

Apply a balanced feed to the soil to encourage a grass plant with strong roots.

Make sure the grass is not cut too short, at least 1″ long.

Apply a special wetting agent which will allow water into the soil profile and down to the root.  Wetting agents are used by lawncare companies to overcome dry patches caused by a build up of water repellent deposits in the soil. These deposits coat the soil particles and cause them to harden,  making them repellent to water.  Wetting agents allows water to soak into the grass, down to its roots, and not just sit on the top.

Now is the time to get you lawn back in shape so you can enjoy the long hot summer days to come, we hope!

If your lawn is looking in poor health don’t despair its surprising how quickly it can respond to some attention.

After the severe winter we have emerged from it is essential to give the lawn the best opportunity to take advantage of the improving growing conditions.  Opening the soil up allows the roots to breathe and encourage the grass to re-grow, particularly in trampled bald patches.  Depending on the size of your lawn consider contacting your local lawn care company as they will use professional equipment to spike your lawn with the option of applying a top dressing to further improve the condition of the soil.

It is also time to feed your lawn to encourage good strong growth and a healthy dark green colour; controlled release fertilizers are best to get a steady growth.

Weed control is also important, particular culprits are dandelions, plantains, buttercups and yellow medick. If small in number these can be easily removed by hand but for more wide spread problems a selective herbicide may be applied Your Lawncare professional will be able to advise you on this.    

Mow your lawn regularly from spring onwards to encourage healthy, lush-looking grass and to deter weeds. Do not cut shorter than 2cm. In early to mid-spring, mow your lawn once a week; increase this to twice a week in late spring and early summer when growth is most vigorous.Grass responds better if cut little and often; however, during periods of drought leave it uncut as longer grass will stay greener in hot weather.

Do not let the grass grow too long before cutting it short as the lawn will look yellow for a while, due to a lack of light at the base. Mow regularly for the best results.

With the weather finally turning after a long period of snow and frozen lawns we will soon see soil tempratures starting to rise and the grass starting to grow.  The following mowing regime provides a guide to mowing your lawn throughout the year but if you don’t have the time to mow as frequently as suggested it is important that when you do mow you get the blade height correct.  Do not cut too low! 

In early spring if the weather is mild enough the grass should be cut at a height of 25mm, this cutting level should be gradually lowered to 19mm as soon as the grass growth strengthens.

It is good practice to swish or brush the lawn daily removing dew and worm casts. Brushing prior to cutting will make the grass leaf stand up producing a cleaner cut.

The mowing frequency should be increased to three times a week, depending on the weather conditions. I recommend cutting at 19mm on all areas of lawns, even the formal areas.

It is good practice to have trial areas of lawn, cutting at different heights to find the one that suits best. As mentioned before, from personal experience the lower the cut the more problems you will have.

The problem starts when particles of soil in the top 4 inches are compressed, reducing pore space between them and impeding the movement of air, water and nutrients through the soil profile. This in turn leads to poor grass growth, weed invasion and moss colonisation.

Generally all lawns are compacted, as you can imagine, they’re walked on, rolled, and played on. All this contributes to consolidation then the solution is simple: Aerate. This is the practice of physically punching holes in the surface 4-6 inches deep.

Aerating a lawn benefits the soil in the following ways:

• Loosens compacted soil and increases the availability of water and nutrients.
• Enhances oxygen levels in the soil, stimulating root growth and enhancing beneficial bacteria in the soil to multiply and feed the grass.
• Allows water to drain away form surface reducing the incidence of moss.
• The physical action of aerating severs roots and stimulates new roots to fill up the holes
• Increases drought tolerance and improves overall health.

Aeration is one of the most important jobs to be carried out on your lawn and can be carried out from autumn until the spring. It is advisable at least once per year.

We believe in offering a great range of lawn care services from experienced lawn care specialists. To find a lawn care specialist near you enter your postcode opposite and click the search button.

The collective voice of lawn care in the UK