Maintaining
Lawn and ornamental grass upkeep
Lawn feeds, weed-and-feed and moss killers are chemicals: follow the label rate exactly, store them out of reach, and keep children and pets off the treated lawn until it has been watered in and dried as the label directs. Take care too with mower blades and trailing cables.
- Where to get help
- The product label first, then the Health and Safety Executive.
Regular mowing at the right height thickens the sward so it crowds out weeds and moss, while spring and autumn care keep the grass healthy. Cutting deciduous grasses back before new growth clears tired foliage and lets fresh shoots come through cleanly.
When
Mow lawns from March to October, weekly in the growing season and less in dry spells, raising the blades in drought. Feed with a high-nitrogen lawn feed in spring (April to May) and an autumn feed in September. Cut deciduous ornamental grasses back to near ground level in late winter to early spring (February to March), and comb dead growth out of evergreen grasses instead.
How
1. Mow little and often, never removing more than a third of the leaf at once. 2. Keep the mower blades sharp and trim the edges. 3. In autumn, scarify to pull out thatch and moss and spike to relieve compaction. 4. Apply lawn feed to slightly moist grass at the label rate and water it in if no rain is due. 5. For grasses, tie the clump first, then cut deciduous types down with shears, and simply rake or comb evergreen grasses to remove dead blades.
Notes
Leave clippings on occasionally in dry spells to return moisture, or add them to the compost. Do not cut evergreen grasses hard back. Overfeeding scorches grass and pollutes nearby water.