The exact date you should start mowing your lawn this spring
IT’S the week we’ve all been waiting for. That of the Woodland Trust Nature’s calendar says the average date for Brits to hand over our mowers is March 18.
Flymo has been campaigning for years to make tomorrow (Sunday) First Cut Sunday – and that became Spring the right way officially on Wednesday.
So no matter who you listen to, it’s definitely time to get started with your grass. But keeping a lawn thriving is not that easy. So here are some top tips to help you this spring.
Watching out for pests is crucial.
Chris McIlroy, Lawn Expert at The Grass People said: “Leatherjackets, the larvae of crane flies, also known as papa long legs, thrive on damp lawns with poor drainage and feast on the roots of grass seed so they can destroy lawns from within. out.”
Chafer grubs also eat grass roots – and birds tear up lawns trying to reach them.
Nematodes – microscopic bacterial worms – are one of the few methods to get rid of both.
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David Hedges-Gowerchairman of the Association Lawn urged: “Choosing the right grasses is of utmost importance to make lawn maintenance easy. Don’t fall for the marketing talk about ‘sports grass, heavy grass or luxury grass’; all too often this is ryegrass, which inevitably fails.
“Go native with bentgrass and fescue to make life easier.
“Make sure your soil is aerated, this is so important. But instead of using your usual fork tines, use a fork with hollow tines, otherwise you’ll just compact the soil. But if you don’t have one, aerating in any way is crucial to prevent soil saturation.
He added: “Prune lawns at least once a year by scarifying. Although ryegrass does not respond well to pruning, native bentgrass and fescue excel. And mowing makes the lawn thicker.
“Nourish both the soil and the grass. Use soil conditioners such as Truegrass to support the growth of beneficial microorganisms, creating perfect growing conditions.
“Be careful with lawn food if you have ryegrass – it just makes it grow upwards and doesn’t help the roots – so you’re just adding to your compost pile.
“But ultimately, whatever turf you’re given, it’s all about improving and maintaining soil structure, through pruning, aerating, grass seed selection and providing the right nutrients.”
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TOP TIPS FOR MOWING THE DISTANCE
- First Spring Clean Your Lawn, Says Cheryl Cooper, Groensleeves Lawn Care MD – pick up sticks, rocks and dead leaves and watch out for wildlife.
- For the first mowing, choose the highest blade setting – and if the grass is very long, consider starting with a lawn mower.
- Mowing biweekly in spring and weekly in summer promotes grass density and controls weeds.
- Never mow wet or frozen grass as this will damage the grass and compact the soil.
- Never remove more than a third of a blade of grass.
- Extremely low mowing levels promote shallow rooting and make the lawn more susceptible to drought damage, moss and weeds. It can also scalp the turf.
- Scarifying the lawn, that is, giving it a good hard rake in different directions, collects all the thatch and moss and allows good growth.
- Compost your clippings or leave them on the lawn to retain moisture.
ALL FEELINGS
WE all know that lying on a freshly mowed lawn is a great way to relax.
Now scientists have proven that it is good for both our hearts and our minds.
A study in China found that touching real grass, as opposed to artificial grass, increases relaxation and reduces stress levels.
In the study, a group of women were asked to stroke natural and artificial grass for five minutes each.
The experts found that the women’s blood pressure was reduced and they scored higher in meditation and mindfulness.
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BERRY GOOD
An Australian farm has broken the record for the world’s largest blueberry with a fruit the size of a ping-pong ball (4cm wide and 20.4 grams heavy), about 10 times the size of the average blueberry.
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THIS WEEK’S VACANCY
Plant your summer bloomers such as Gladioli, Agapanthus and Freesias. Make sure the soil is well-drained so they don’t rot.
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TOP TIP
Flymo has teamed up with eBay to sell reconditioned used mowers for TWENTY percent less than buying brand new mowers.
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TO WIN!
We’ve got a fantastic lawn care bundle for one lucky reader worth £265, including a FLYMO mower, Gardena Cleverol And sprinkler, Johnson Grass Seed, Super smart lawn food, Neudorff CleanLawn Moss control and a can of Celebration Wildflowers.
For more information about the award, visit www.thesun.co.uk/LAWNCARECOMP
Or write to Sun Lawncare Competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP.
Please include your name, age, email address or telephone number. UK residents 18+ only. Ends at 23:59 GMT 04-06-24.
General terms and conditions can be found HERE
TO RESCUE!
Give your garden a good makeover with this Homebase large garden rake for €20.
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Or go for the Charles Bentley Rake from The Range for £7.99
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TO LEARN!
Q. I am looking for advice on how to remove moss from my lawn. I don’t want the moss to turn black, if possible, but I need to kill it. It was suggested to use Mo Bacter, would this work? Robert Sturrock, via email.
A. Have you thought about living with the moss? It can provide better coverage than grass and often grows where grass does not. Or you can use a hand rake to get it out. Organic moss killers such as Mo Bacter can take a long time to work and are expensive. If you want to buy a chemical remover, the lawn will turn black. Scarifying and feeding works the fastest.
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