As winter comes to an end, the job of caring for your lawn starts with some careful observation. If you’ve had a particularly harsh winter, spring is the ideal to take a good look at the condition of your lawn and improve its health to encourage vibrant new growth in time for summer. Ensure that your lawn is clear of any loose twigs and leaves that may have built up over the winter months, including fallen leaves, detritus blown onto the lawn by winter storms and that there are no patches of damage from winter frosts or snow.

The first cut of spring
Once the temperature of the soil starts to rise you will immediately notice that grass starts to grow much more quickly on your lawn. Don’t be tempted to get the mower out too soon or set it too low. For the first cut of the year you should set your mower blades a little higher than you normally would. However, if your grass becomes too long you may notice it will start to yellow as light is prevented from reaching the base of the turf.

In early spring if the weather is mild enough the lawn should be mowed to a height of around 1 inch, depending on the variety. This allows the grass to grow without too much stress and without damaging the important base of the blades. You can then reduce the height of the blades with each cut to around 2 centimeters as soon as the grass growth strengthens.

Spring lawn care feeding

Spring lawn care should be all about getting your lawn back into a strong growing cycle as soon as possible and repairing the damage inflicted by the winter weather. Feeding your lawn in spring is vital to promote lush, healthy growth. Slow release feeds are ideal as long as there is not too much rain. Spring lawn feeds will also contain a higher proportion of nitrogen to promote rapid growth of the blades, giving you a dark green lawn that’s healthy and vigorous. It should also contain phosphorous and potassium to promote strong roots.

If you need to reseed any parts of your lawn, wait until the risk of frost has passed. Again, a feed with high nitrogen content will encourage the grass to develop, covering up any bald patches or areas of damaged lawn.

Tacking weeds on your lawn in spring

Unfortunately, your lawn isn’t the only thing that grows rapidly in the spring. Weeds such as buttercups and daisies will be quick to colonise any lawn, so part of your spring lawn care should be about treating for weeds before they become a problem. Small amounts can be removed by hand weeding, but larger infestations may require the use of herbicides. As soon as you see the tell-tale signs of weed growth, the best way is to pull them up manually, making sure that you remove the whole of the root to prevent re-growth.

The first few weeks of spring can be hectic and full or work in the garden, but make sure you carry out your spring lawn care programme in plenty of time and you’ll have a lush, green and healthy lawn throughout the summer.

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