Lawn Care Tips - how to keep your grass looking green all summer

If your lawn is looking a little tatty and you didn't do any maintenance work to it at the end of last season then spring is the time to get to spruce it up a bit. A little time and effort spent now you will reap the dividends all summer long.

Choose a sunny and dry day and go over your grass with a spring-tine rake. Rake it both ways but don't be too brutal. You don't want to pull the grass out at the roots. Gentle raking will remove any dead grass, moss and debris that has built up over the winter months. It will also help drainage and let light get to the roots.

The next task is to give the lawn it's first cut, with the mower blades at their highest setting. Avoid cutting too short. Mow to about two inches during the spring, then raise the cutting height gradually as summer arrives. Mow frequently so that no more than one third of the grass blade is removed at one time.

If your lawn is full of moss or waterlogged then it could be suffering from compaction. Don't work on the lawn when it's wet and the ground soggy as this will increase the compaction. When it's dried out go over it with a garden fork making holes as deep as you can. This allows air into the soil and to the roots.

Brush a sandy top-dressing into the holes to improve drainage. You can get special mixes for this purpose from your garden supplier or local garden retailer. Finally apply a nitrogen-rich spring lawn feed to the grass.

It's best to apply this just before rain is due so it gets washed down to the roots. If it doesn't rain then you may need to water it in with a sprinkler or hose. Make sure to follow the pack instructions carefully.  

Any trees and shrubs surrounding your lawn will also need some attention now. Apply a mulch of garden compost or some fertilizer to the roots surrounding trees and shrubs so as not to allow them to absorb the nutrients meant for your lawn. This will get your lawn off to a good start and help to keep it looking good throughout the summer.

If you need a new lawnmower here's one that easy and light to use and ideal for the small lawn or backyard. It's also ideal if you don't want a big electric or gas mower, and it's environmentally friendly. It's inexpensive and on offer right now. Scotts 2000 push reel lawn mower