Perhaps the most important tool in your lawn care programme is your watering schedule. You will of course, need to water regularly during the warmer months (spring, summer and autumn) even if it is a ‘wet’ year. However, a quick wetting of the lawn with a hosepipe is not enough to encourage sustained fresh grass growth and you need to water sufficiently to allow the moisture to penetrate down, deep into the root system rather than just wetting the surface. A simple test is to put an old tin can or mug out as you water and when it has ¾ of an inch of water in, enough will have penetrated down into the ground. 

‘Little and often’ is the best mantra when it comes to de-weeding. It is easier to take them out by hand using whatever (small) tool works best for you. Moss is harder to manage as it spreads as it grows, so use a moss killer lawn care product. Follow the instructions on the packet, remove the dead moss and then re-seed and re-feed.

Mowing is vital in your lawn care routine. During late spring and summer you will be cutting the lawn weekly or just over once a week and less often during other times of the year. It is important to keep the blades on your lawnmower or sit-on sharp and clean and at the optimum height. This ensures that each grass blade is cleanly cut rather than ripped off and allows the grass to ‘heal’ much easier, giving a better re-growth. Take care not to cut your grass too short. Around one inch is usually the optimum height.

Raking is very important as it lets your lawn ‘breath’. The best time to rake for your lawn care routine is in the autumn. Use a springy, splay-headed rake and, as you do this you will also clean your lawn by pulling out any unwanted matter and weeds that have built up during the summer. If your garden has overhanging trees, you’ll be picking up all the fallen leaves too! It is also a good idea to let additional air in by piercing the lawn gently with a garden fork or similar tool.

Feed it with a good lawn fertiliser, ideally twice a year (simply follow the instructions on the packet). You’ll find different feeds are designed for different times of the year. 

After all that hard lawn care work it is also important to remember to enjoy your lawn. Garden parties, barbecues, favourite ball games or simply lazing in the sun, these are all now yours to enjoy on your much-loved, lush, green lawn!