HOME ABOUT US LANDSCAPING GARDEN MAINTENANCE PROJECTS BLOG CONTACT US Lawn Care – A year-round guide 11th May 2021 Lawn Care – A year-round guide Lawn Care Table of Contents Mowing IN WINTER, the lawn will only need topping on an infrequent basis and never during periods of heavy rain or frost. The aim should be to keep the long grasses from overcoming smaller grasses in the turf. IN SPRING, mowing frequency will increase as the weather warms. Again, never mow when the lawn is frosty or wet. Depending on conditions, the lawn will need mowing every other week or more often and the cutting height should be lowered by one notch after a few cuts. Never walk on a frozen or frosted lawn. IN EARLY SUMMER, the lawn will require regular mowing of about once a week. The mowing height should be progressively dropped to its lowest setting of the year (cutting height should be set to keep the grass evenly mown without scalping. Try to aim for a grass height of approx. 1”). MID-LATE SUMMER, mowing will be required less frequently depending on weather conditions. Grass needs to be kept slightly longer in dry weather as it will endure the heat better but if the summer is showery then cutting heights can be kept to the 1” height. Late summer tends to be slightly wetter and the cutting height can be progressively heightened to 2-2.5” as the season turns to Autumn. AUTUMN AND WINTER, cuts should be only as required. It is more important to keep the lawns leaf-free as prolonged coverage with leaves will kill off the grass. Cutting height should be set to keep the grass marginally longer in shady areas Scarifying and Aeration SCARIFICATION The best time to scarify your lawn is in spring and autumn. Be sure you do not start too early in the spring as the grass should growing nicely before you start. Try not to Scarify when the lawn is too wet or too dry. HOLLOW-TINE LAWN CARE AERATION Ideally, aerate your lawn in the early spring or autumn. Aeration is the most effective way of reducing sub-surface thatch and compaction in lawns, often the main causes of moss, it increases water, nutrient and air ingress and circulation to the roots which will only benefit your lawn. Watering The aim of watering is to dampen the turf and allow water to penetrate the soils to a depth of 1-2” (where most root activity occurs). Watering is a vital action when considering lawn care. Watering is totally weather dependent. In an absence of rain, watering should be for 40 minutes per area (maximum) twice a week. Try to water early morning or late afternoon when the heat of the day has reduced. The aim should be to dampen, not soak areas of turf. Alter frequency according to rainfall and try to note the heaviness of rainfall. A very light shower is not sufficient to cancel a watering but may reduce the amount of time to water. Likewise, very heavy overnight rain may negate the need to water at all. Fertiliser Ideally 3 applications are required per year. In the Spring, a weed and feed application (which burns the mosses) is normally applied. This has an urea content and if not applied correctly will burn the grasses as well so be very careful when applying to ensure an even spread at the correct dose rate. After this application, mosses can then be raked out and over seeding can take place if required. A midsummer application will normally be nitrogen rich to feed the grasses to promote strong growth. The Autumn application will be low on nitrogen but higher on trace elements to replenish the soils after the growing season. All fertilisers if applied incorrectly will damage the lawn. If you are in doubt about how to apply the fertiliser, please feel free to get in touch. IF YOU’D LIKE HELP WITH LAWN CARE IN YOUR GARDEN, CALL TOWN & COUNTRY GARDENS ON 0207 736 7801. Share Previous RELATED POSTS AUTUMN GARDENING TIPS 10th September 2020 INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEW LAWNS 17th June 2013 We’ll help you love your garden Give us a call on 0207 736 7801 or email ben@tandcg.co.uk Location* SW1 SW2 SW3 SW4 SW5 SW6 SW7 SW8 SW9 SW10 SW11 SW12 SW13 SW15 SW16 SW17 SW18 SW19 SW20 TW9 TW10 W1 W2 W3 W4 W6 W8 W9 W10 W11 W12 W14 NW1 NW3 NW5 NW6 NW8 NW10 Other London Location This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Established in 1995, we design, build, landscape, plant and maintain some of the most exquisite and unique gardens in London LATEST BLOG 5 Ways to Prepare Your Garden for Winter 19th November 2021 Lawn Care – A year-round guide 11th May 2021 @TOWNANDCOUNTRYGARDENSLTD CONTACT US Unit F176 Riverside Business Centre, Haldane Place, London SW18 4UQ ben@tandcg.co.uk 0207 736 7801 TANDCG LTD (t/a TOWN & COUNTRY GARDENS) | Unit F176 Riverside Business Centre, Haldane Place, London SW18 4UQ | Company registration number 8792019 | Vat Registration Number: 743 5981 05