Top tips to help you maintain your lovely lawn throughout the year, and make sure it stays lovely

January

There is very little work to do this month apart from brushing away leaves.

If possible, keep off the grass if it's frozen or waterlogged

Log splitting, salt spreading and possibly snow clearing are the only jobs to be done at this time of year.

February

Rake the grass thoroughly or better still hire a scarifier and remember to use spring tines not blades, you'll be amazed at just how much thatch, weeds and moss it removes thereby enabling soil organisms and root growth to flourish. 

Apply lawn sand if required.

March

The annual lawn care programme really kicks in this month so makes sure you keep on top of the various tasks needed to keep your pride and joy looking it's best

As soon as the ground conditions are suitable, the first cut can be made, however you're looking to merely "top" the grass as close cutting at this stage can result in severe yellowing/browning and make it harder to bring the grass back to its prime condition.

Cutting the lawn only twice this month should be sufficient.

April

Cut the grass often enough so it doesn't get out of hand, ideally weekly but monitor it closely.

It's a good time to dig out coarse grass or persistent weeds and make sure to re-seed any bare patches.

May

Keep mowing and if you need to increase the frequency then do so.

Make sure you treat the lawn with selective weed killers or combined weed/feed preparations if you never got round to it in April. Feeding the lawn is an essential part of good lawn maintenance

June

Summer mowing should now be well underway and it may well be necessary to mow the lawn twice a week, however extreme heatwaves and very dry conditions should dictate how often you cut, we all know how quickly the grass can yellow if cut at excessively dry periods.

Watering the grass this month is a must, ensure you soak the grass completely.

Raking the lawn is another essential task this month.

July

Treat the grass with a second application of fertilizer or fertilizer/weed killer.

Remember to water and rake if required

As a general rule of thumb, the grass clippings should be removed every time you cut, so if you don't have a machine with a collection box, rake the grass and compost the clippings, however if the weather is extreme dry and hot leaving the clippings on the lawn will help to maintain ground moisture.

August

Keep mowing regularly and watering as needed.

Fill any cracks or gaps that have appeared with a mixture of sharp sand and soil.

In dry conditions leave the grass longer to help retain ground moisture, don't let the grass dry out.

September

Raise the height of the cut to allow the grass to thicken and protect the roots from winter frost and snow

October

It's scarifier hire time again this time use it with the blades fitted to remove the thatch and help aerate the soil and assist in drainage. Brush in sharp sand.

November 

Use a stiff brush to disperse worm casts before mowing. Remove all leaves from the lawn.

December

Apart from brushing away leaves December is a slack end of a busy year, if possible, keep off the lawn if it's wet or frozen