How Should I Prepare My Lawn For Summer?

At last! As the UK’s Covid lockdown is finally eased and the sun (hopefully!) returns to our cloudless skies, we can all look forward to making the most of our outdoor spaces again. The enjoyment of our gardens means different things to different people of course, from entertaining and relaxing to full-on sporty games with the family. All of these place different demands on our lawns, so now is a great time to get it in the best possible shape ahead of what we all hope is going to be a long, hot summer. Here are Lawntech’s top tips for preparing your lawn to keep it healthy as you make the most of it in 2021…

SUMMER FEED

Your lawn will grow at a faster rate once the summer sun gets the temperature rising, and the grass will make the most of any nutrients in the soil. You can help this process along by giving the lawn a summer feed, to increase the density of the sward at this crucial time. If you decide to apply fertiliser yourself we recommend slow release semi-organic or fully organic products that have no scorch potential , and an inexpensive hand spreader is a great way to cast the granules across the lawn. This is best done when the lawn is already wet or rain is forecast, as it will help the slow release granules dissolve into the soil. Always be mindful of the temperature when applying fertilisers and avoid very hot conditions. To avoid the risk of choosing the wrong product or other implications it is often just as cost effective to have a lawn care professional do it for you.

WEEDS

Just as the warmer temperatures encourage more vigorous growth in your grass, so too will the weeds make the most of it. Such is life in the garden! Now is a great time to get rid of those weeds, either by spot treating with a selective herbicide or digging them out manually. This can be a more effective method, especially with perennial weeds which tend to have deep roots. If you are using a herbicide treatment, be aware that it should be purchased and applied by a NPTC qualified person.

MOWING

By now you will be into a routine of mowing your lawn and have probably worked your way down to a shorter length when cutting. We would encourage you to keep moving as the grass keeps growing, but if the summer really hots up it might be worth considering letting it grow a little longer, as this provides a bit more shade to the base of the grass plants and your soil will be able to retain its precious moisture before it evaporates. More mowing tips can be found on our Lawn Care Guide, here…

WATERING

Like all of these topics, watering has a section of its own in our comprehensive online Lawn Care Guide. Put simply, we advocate giving your lawn a thorough soaking once per week rather than a little water every day or two. Saturating the lawn weekly will ensure that as the water soaks deep down into the soil, the grassroots will have to grow deeper and stronger to find it. This in turn encourages the grass itself to grow stronger than if those roots were receiving an easy time with a daily sprinkling.

From time to time we are asked what to do about watering if there is a hosepipe ban in force. Lawntech’s advice is to only stop watering if a hosepipe ban has been enforced. In the event of this happening, do not panic. Your lawn WILL recover, given time and water once the ban has been lifted. In most cases, mother nature will have intervened with some rainfall before the ban has been rescinded.

KEEP YOUR GARDEN FURNITURE MOVING

Gazebos, tents, tables & chairs, paddling pools, trampolines, pet cages etc, all need to be moved every few days to prevent damage to your lawn (and those unsightly yellow patches, which take ages in recovery). These items also cast long shadows across the lawn, so in an ideal world, we would advise letting every last drop of sunshine get onto the grass wherever possible. This can include trimming back hedges and bushes which overhang and create shade. Areas of lawn that are particularly shady will be prone to patchy growth, creating gaps in which moss will thrive.

Very often these areas which have been shady through the summer will require over-seeding in the autumn, which in the case of those temporary causes such as the garden furniture and structures can be prevented by moving them around as described above.