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Things to do after the first Mow of the Year

Once the days warm up in spring, turf soon responds to the milder, usually moist conditions and ever-longer days. But the ravages of winter are likely to have taken their toll, with bare patches, lawn weeds as well as moss growth all causing problems. It is likely lawns will need some repair work to get them looking great for summer and this is the time to get started. It is remarkable how quickly your lawn will bounce back.

Mowing

In early April, lawn mowers come out of winter hibernation. On sunny days the air is often full of their sounds, but these first cuts of the year must be carried out with care. If the weather is good and grass is in active growth it may be time for a trim. It’s worth raking over the lawn to remove stones or branches that may be on the surface after winter, and always check for nesting animals such as hedgehogs. Keep the cutting blades high and mow lightly at first; don’t cut more than a third off the grass height. If the weather continues to be mild and moist, and grass is growing freely, you can drop the height of the blades gradually with each cut. Aim to mow weekly with the grass at around 3-4cm high.

mowing the lawn

Treat the Lawn

Spring is a good time to deal with lawn weeds. Grub out the most obvious dandelions, plantains and daisies by hand using a grubber. You can also use a hand fork on patches of clover and creeping buttercup. More extensive weed problems may need tackling with weedkillers. It is best to apply this as a weed and feed treatment at this time of year.

Aftercut All In One is a lawn feed, weed and moss killer which is ideal to use in spring if you want a beautiful, green healthy lawn in just 7 days, in time for summer.

 

Scarifying

Once Aftercut All In One has done its job killing the weeds and moss, it’s now your turn to put the work in. Use a scarifying rake to scrape up the dead moss, thatch and grass cuttings which will help improve airflow and also create space for the grass to thicken. Use this tool after mowing the lawn and prior to putting down lawn seed. In a pull motion, simply scrape the material from the lawn. You can then add the pile to your compost heap or dispose of it in green waste bins.

Kent & stowe stainless steel scarifying rake in use

 

Overseeding/Patching

Once you have treated your grass and removed all of the dead weeds and moss, you can now use lawn seed to fill in any bare patches. Overseeding or patching the lawn in spring will also prepare the lawn for the intense wear and tear during the summer months.

If you only have a few small, bare patches then Smart Patch will fix it as it is ideal for areas that are approx. 45cm in diameter. Gro-Sure Smart Patch contains a unique blend of 4 ingredients that will repair any patch in any lawn quickly and easily. The seeds are treated with Aqua Gel Technology which improves the germination rate. Aqua gel absorbs 400 x its weight in water and will slowly release it back to the seeds when they need it to germinate.

Gro-Sure Smart Patch Spreader BoxSMART PATCH

How to repair your lawn patches

  1. Remove all dead grass, weeds and their roots from the patch. Lightly rake the bare soil, breaking up any hard lumps or compacted soil surfaces
  2. Apply Gro-Sure® Smart Patch Repair to the patch with the built-in spreader up to a 2mm depth
  3. Water with a fine spray to moisten the mixture and activate the seed
  4. You can apply slightly less when covering thin grass rather than a bare patch

For larger areas of dead or bare patches, we recommend some lawn seeding soil and some fresh lawn seed. To keep your lawn looking thicker and fuller, new seeds need to be sown to replace the old grass. This is what we refer to as over-seeding your lawn.

For best results, choose a colour-matched grass seed mix like Gro-Sure Smart Seed. This means resulting grass will always be of the same consistent, even green hue over the whole lawn, whenever you buy or sow that particular blend and regardless of how you use it – be it starting a lawn from scratch, repairing bare patches or overseeding. Colour matching means you can be sure any repairs become invisible as soon as the grass establishes.

Gro-Sure Smart Seed Fast Start is great to use in spring if the weather is still a bit chilly as the seeds will germinate even if soil temperatures are as low as 7 °C. Gro-Sure also have a Shady & Dry Lawn Smart Seed which is a blend of ultra shade resistant and drought tolerant seed varieties. This provides a very resilient grass that is capable of growing even under minimal sunlight. So its perfect if you have large trees or bushes covering sunlight from your lawn.

 

Feeding

After you have treated and seeded your lawn, it is best to keep it fed throughout spring and summer. This will help to keep it green and healthy.

Safelawn is a natural feed which will green and thicken lawns in just 3 days, whilst also helping grass out compete weeds and moss. You also don’t have to worry about keeping little feet or paws or your grass after application.

safelawn in use

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