www.MyLittleGreenSpace.co.uk

At this time of year, the lawn is actively growing and requires feeding, moss-killing, weeding and regular mowing. Spring is also a suitable time to over-seed sparse areas.

​

All lawns need feeding in order to maintain vigour. When feeding, look out for signs of pest or disease and apply moss killer if required. Regular maintenance is the best way to approach a lawn, and may avoid the need for renovation later on.

​

Over winter, the lawn does not grow much, but once the weather warms up in early spring, you can start mowing, and this is also a good time to over-seed any areas damaged over winter.

All lawns need mowing; it is one of the most frequent, and most important, tasks in maintaining a healthly lawn. Getting the cutting height and mowing frequency right can make a huge difference to the ongoing health of the lawn.

​

Mowing is carried out mainly between March and October.

• Over summer: On average, mow twice weekly, dropping to once a week during periods of drought.

• Over spring and autumn: Mow once a week.

• Over winter: Mowing is usually not necessary, unless the weather is mild and the grass is still growing. In this case, mow occasionally with a high cut setting. Do not attempt to do this if the ground conditions are very soft or frozen, or during spells of cold, drying winds.

• Dry and shady areas under trees may need less frequent mowing than areas in full sun with good moisture levels.

• Never mow wet or frosty grass, as this can damage the turf and compact the soil. Wait until later in the day when the lawn has dried out or defrosted, or postpone mowing to another day.

Mowing itself is relatively straight forward. It is the mowing height that can cause problems. Follow these tips to get the correct height:

• For the first mowing in spring, set the cutting height to the highest setting. Thereafter, gradually reduce the height of cut until the desired height is reached. For fine lawns, this will be 6-13mm (¼-½in). For ordinary ornamental lawns this will be 13-25mm (½-1in) in summer and up to 40mm (1.5in) in spring and autumn.

• Avoid excessively close mowing, as although attractive, it can weaken the grass, encouraging shallow rooting and making the lawn more susceptible to drought, weeds and moss. Close-mown lawns need more frequent feeding and watering. Extremely low cutting may scalp the lawn, leaving bare patches where there are bumps or tree roots protruding above the surface.

• On the other hand, lawns regularly cut too high can suffer from loose, weak growth that is less durable as a surface.

Moss is a problem in damp, poorly drained lawns. Spring is a good time to remedy moss problems. There are several options for dealing with moss in lawns, see our advice on moss in lawns for further detail.

​

Most gardeners have trouble at some stage with moss on lawns. This is unsightly and is often a result of poor growing conditions. By improving the health of the lawn, moss can be kept at bay.

​

Moss can be a temporary problem following drought or waterlogging, or more persistent, suggesting a problem with underlying conditions. On new lawns this may be due to poor site preparation. On established lawns poor vigour, acidic soil conditions, a lack of feed, insufficient aeration, poor drainage, shade, close mowing and over-use are likely to blame.

​

Killing and removing the moss is just the start. To remain moss-free, the vigour of the grass must be improved and any other contributory factors addressed. Good autumn lawn maintenance is essential to maintaining lawn health.

​

If, despite remedial action, moss remains a problem, such as under trees or in a poorly-drained site, consider alternatives to grass. Bear in mind that artificial turf may also suffer from problems with moss and other green growths.

​

​

Poor growing conditions favour the growth of moss in lawns. These might include:

• Sparse grass cover

• Worn areas of turf, especially along walkways and where children play

• Shady areas, especially beneath trees

• Compacted soil

• Wet weather and waterlogged conditions

• Drought-stressed grass

• Mowing too close

• Impoverished lawns or infertile soil

• Poorly prepared or poorly maintained lawns

• Acidic soil conditions

​

Non-chemical control

Scarification: Remove loose moss in autumn (September/October), by scarification (vigorous raking). On small lawns this can be done by hand, raking out the moss with a spring-tine rake, but on larger lawns mechanical scarifiers can be hired.

Non-chemical, bacteria-based products such as Viano MO Bacter Organic Lawn Fertiliser, Neudorff Organic CleanLawn and Scotts Evergreen No Rake claim good control of moss, as well as feeding the lawn. Mow the lawn short before application and leave 7-10 days before mowing again. These products require wetting before it becomes active and can be applied from March to October. The added benefit is that the dead moss should break down in situ, negating the need for scarifying.

​

Chemical control

Sulphate of iron is the preferred treatment to apply in autumn or spring. When the moss blackens after two or three weeks use a spring-tine rake to remove it.

Mosskillers combined with a fertiliser (nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium, indicated by the abbreviations NPK) (e.g. Scotts EverGreen Moskil with Lawn Food or Westland Aftercut Autumn All in 1) or Maxicrop Moss Killer and Lawn Tonic liquid concentrate (contains seaweed extract) are beneficial where grass vigour is low.

Apply mosskillers either by hand or with a push-along spreader. Be careful not to apply lawn sand (ferrous sulphate mixed with a carrier) at too high a rate as this can blacken and kill the grass as well as the moss. Apply lawn mosskillers in fine weather. Some require watering after 48 hours if there has been no rain. Check pack for details.

Control with a mosskiller will only be temporary unless the conditions which allowed the moss to become established are improved.

In mid-spring (often late March to April), use a proprietary spring  or summer lawn fertiliser at the manufacturer’s recommended rates. Feeding the lawn will increase vigour and help prevent weeds and moss from establishing. Apply fertilisers when the soil is moist, or when rain is expected.

​

If grass loses its vigour and freshness between late spring and late summer (often May to August), repeat the application of spring or summer lawn fertiliser or apply 15g per sq m (½oz per sq. yd) sulphate of ammonia mixed with four times its weight dry soil. Mixing with soil ensures even distribution and avoids scorching the grass. Apply this mixture in cool, moist conditions and lightly water it in. As an organic alternative, use chicken manure pellets. Repeat fertiliser application a third time if needed six to eight weeks later.

​

Do not apply spring or summer lawn fertilisers, chicken manure pellets or sulphate of ammonia after August. They contain too much nitrogen for autumn use, encouraging green leafy growth at the wrong time of year, when it could be damaged by winter cold or pests and disease.

After moss or weeds have been removed, or where grass is growing sparsely, over-seeding may be necessary. Early autumn is the best time for this job, but mid-spring is also suitable.

• Break up the surface with a fork and rake it to make a reasonably fine surface.

• Sow grass seed at half the recommended rate or, where there are no recommendations, at 10-15g per sq m (½oz per sq yd).

• Lightly rake to incorporate the seed into the surface.

• Where birds are a problem, net the area.

• If the weather remains dry for two or three days water gently with a sprinkler.

• Grass should sprout seven to 10 days after sowing.

In heavily used areas, choose a hardwearing utility mix containing ryegrass. Most lawn grasses do not thrive in shade, so for these areas choose a shade-tolerant mix.

Even if lawns turn brown and dry over summer, they usually recover well when rains return. Watering is usually not necessary over summer. See our advice on lawns: care during drought for more on limiting damage and conserving water in the lawn.

​

If you do have to water the lawn and maintain a green sward, water when the soil becomes dry, but before the grass turns yellow or brown. If the ground is very hard, aerate it by spiking with a garden fork before watering, to aid water penetration.

​

Watering once a week to every 10 days is normally sufficient. Ensure that the water reaches a depth of 10cm (4in) after each watering. In the middle of summer 1 sq m (1 sq yd) needs about 20-litres (5 gallons) every seven days.

Dead patches of grass on lawns are very common. However, it is usually easy to trace and remedy the cause, restoring green and healthy grass.

​

Symptoms, causes and remedy

​

Below are some common causes of dead patches, and how you can remedy the situation:

Symptom: Irregular random patches that appear after mowing
Cause: Spilt petrol and oil can kill grass
Remedy: Avoid topping up fuel and oil levels on the lawn and be careful not to overfill fuel tanks or exceed recommended oil levels. See our advice in lawns: repairing for information on repairing the dead patches

Symptom: Irregular brown patches during dry weather, where tree roots run under the lawn, or in sandy areas
Cause: Lack of soil moisture
Remedy: See our advice on lawns: care during drought for further information

Symptom: Irregular brown patches on new lawns
Cause: Buried builders' waste or rubble. Soil compacted by machinery
Remedy: Remove the material or remedy soil compaction before over-seeding, re-seeding or re-laying the lawn

Symptom: Circular patches with bright green margins on lawns to which dogs have access
Cause: Female dogs' urine in particular can damage grass
Remedy: Water affected areas immediately. Consult your vet before feeding your dog any of the products that are claimed to prevent damage

Symptom: Regular brown stripes or patches appearing after feeding the lawn
Cause: Overdoses of fertiliser
Remedy: Carefully calibrate equipment before use. Also take care to deliver the correct dose evenly. Ideally, spread fertiliser before rain, or else water the lawn just after feeding. Controlled release lawn fertilisers may be less likely to cause scorch

Symptom: Regular stripes or patches that appear after applying weedkiller or moss killer
Cause: Overdose by lawn weedkiller or moss controls. Path and contact weedkillers can be carried onto the lawn on footwear and appear as footprint-sized dead patches
Remedy: Carefully calibrate equipment before use. Also take care to deliver the correct dose evenly. If walking on the grass after spraying is unavoidable, carry two carrier bags with you to place over your shoes

Symptom: Dead patches that appear on ‘high spots’ on uneven lawns after mowing
Cause: This is known as ‘scalping’ of the turf by the lawn mower
Remedy: Raise the mowing height. See our advice on lawns: repairing for more on dealing with this problem

Symptom: Dead patches spreading rapidly, often associated with birds pecking the surface
Cause: This suggests that insects are feeding on the grass roots
Remedy: Leatherjackets and chafer grubs are the most likely culprits

Symptom: Dead or discoloured patches that spread rapidly, often during moist weather
Cause: Lawn diseases mainly strike in moist weather, particularly in late summer, autumn or winter
Remedy: See our individual advice pages on lawn diseases to find out more information; lawn rust disease, red thread, fairy rings, take-all patch and slime moulds on lawns

Symptom: Dark green followed by brown patches with no recovery after rain
Cause: Not fully understood but the presence of water-repellent fungi appears to be a major factor
Remedy: Various remedial actions can be tried to help the lawn to re-wet; see our page on dry patch

Patches in lawns can appear for a number of reasons, and when they do, it is always advisable to repair them. Re-seeding, or turfing bare patches will prevent weeds germinating in the patches, and of course, it looks much better.

​

When to repair lawns

​

Lawns are best repaired in spring or autumn, when the weather is damp and cool, as the lawn is most likely to recover well in these conditions.

​

Repairing lawns

​

Using turf

• Cut out the damaged area of turf in a square, using a half moon edging iron to cut the square and a spade to lift it.

• Lightly fork over the soil in the base of the removed square.

• Cut out an identical-sized square of healthy turf from another area of the garden where it will not be missed, or use new turf if you have it.

• Place the healthy turf over the damaged patch and brush a sandy lawn top-dressing into the crevices between the turves.

• Compress the turf edges with the back of a rake.

• Water in with a watering can fitted with a fine rose.

​

Using seed

• Cut out the damaged area of turf in a square, using a half moon edging iron to cut the square and a spade to lift it.

• Lightly fork over the soil in the base of the removed square.

• Sprinkle some crumbly top soil or compost over the base of the removed square.

• Scatter the grass seed over the base at a rate of 15-25g per sq m (½–¾oz per sq yard) if no sowing rate is given on the packet or by the supplier.

• Cover the seed with a light sprinkling of top soil or compost to hide it from the birds.

• Water in with a watering can fitted with a fine rose.

• ​

Better results may be achieved by pre-germinating the seed before sowing it. Add the seed to some moist compost in a bucket and cover with clingfilm. Place somewhere warm – no higher than 15°C (60°F). After three days, check the seed for signs of germination. If none is seen, check daily thereafter. Once you see small white roots developing, sow the mixture as above.

​

Repairing lawn edges

• Dig out the damaged area with square cuts on three sides and prepare the base as above.

• Turn the damaged square through 180° and replace it so that the cut edge aligns with the lawn edge and the damaged edge is facing inwards.

• Cut away the damaged area and re-turf or re-seed as above.

​

Evening out minor bumps and hollows

• Cut through the uneven patch with an H-shaped incision and peel back the turf.

• Fork over the base and either remove excess soil or add new top soil to raise the level.

• Firm down the soil and make sure the patch is level before replacing the turf.

• Check the lawn is level and adjust again if necessary.

• Brush a sandy lawn top-dressing into the crevices between the turves.

• Compress the turf edges with the back of a rake.

• Water in with a watering can fitted with a fine rose.