6 days Ago By Chris Bonnett
With the clocks going forward and sunny spring days in sight, Chris Bonnet, founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk has shared his top tips for a spring lawn revival.
As gardens bounce back to life again, Brits wanting to revive their garden for spring might be wondering where to start. Spring is the perfect time to prepare the garden lawn for the seasons ahead, from cleaning up debris to overseeding for lush summer growth. Start by removing any debris that aren’t allowing air flow, nutrients or water from reaching the ground.
Debris left on the lawn can cause disease and leave behind unsightly patches. Once the lawn is clear, scarifying and aerating the soil to reduce any compaction from winter will give the roots room to absorb nutrients. It’s also worthwhile to check the ground's pH balance, as grass thrives in soil with a neutral pH balance (7).
You can check your soil’s pH balance by doing a quick home test kit. If the soil has an overly acidic or alkaline pH level then now is the time to resolve it before overseeding. Just make sure to gradually change the pH balance, otherwise there is a risk of shocking the ground and surrounding plants.
Neutralise acidic soil by raising the pH balance through introducing limestone, wood ash or baking soda to the ground. For alkaline soil, bring the pH balance down with sulphur or natural acidifiers like compost and rotten manure. To spring any lawn back to life it will need plenty of hydration, so make sure to give it a good watering, especially if there has been a dry spell.
Watering the lawn will also help fertiliser to absorb nicely into the ground. If there are bare patches in your lawn, these can be filled by overseeding. It’s best to get this done in early spring as there will be a period where the lawn will require little to no footfall to allow the seed to germinate and take root.
Check that the grass has taken root by doing a simple test - gently pull on a blade of grass, if it slides out of the ground easily then it hasn’t taken root. Walking over lawn that hasn’t established could hinder its growth. When it’s time to mow the lawn, start with high, sharp blades to get a clean cut in dry weather.
Cutting the grass will promote healthy growth. Once the lawn starts growing quickly, blades can be lowered and mowing will be more regular. Remove debris Start by removing debris like leaves, twigs, rocks and pebbles from your lawn.
This will prevent mould and disease spreading, particularly if it has been wet. You may also need to check for animal faeces to prevent the spread of bacteria. Scarify Scarify your lawn by removing thatch, which is a build up of dead organic matter on your lawn.
You can remove this by using a scarification machine or rake. If it looks a bit worrying afterwards, don’t panic, scarification will do your lawn the world of good by allowing better water and nutrients absorption. Make sure not to throw away any matter you pull up, this can be great in compost or used as padding for bird nests.
Balance soils pH balance If you notice an excess of moss build up, this could mean unbalanced pH levels. Grass thrives in ground that has a neutral pH balance (7). If you find that your soil is too acidic you can add ground limestone, wood ash or baking soda to neutralise it, or for overly alkaline soil, increase its sulphur content.
Aerate Aerating is an important step after winter to reduce the ground’s compaction, allowing better air flow and absorption of nutrients and water. Using a pitch fork make holes down your lawn, about four inches deep. Water and feed It’s important to give your lawn a good watering to keep it well hydrated, particularly if it's been fairly dry.
If you feel like your lawn needs a boost you can add some fertiliser to it. It helps if the ground is moist so that the fertiliser absorbs well. Overseed If you find there are large bare patches or sparsity in your lawn then overseeding will help you gain thicker grass over the summer.
If you want your lawn ready for summer then seeding in April will give the seed time to germinate and take root, which is crucial before having a lot of footfall. Mow If your lawn doesn’t need overseeding, giving it its first cut will help promote denser growth. Start by mowing with sharp, high blades, and as the grass begins to grow quicker throughout the season, you can begin to lower the blades.
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