Lawns

Maintenance  

• Mow established lawns when the weather is mild enough and the grass shows signs of growth. Ensure the first cut of the season is light, raising the blades 0.5cm (¼in) higher than the usual cutting height. See 0ur step-by-step mowing guide. 
• Add grass clippings to the compost heap in thin layers. Too much all at once is likely to cause wet, poorly aerated conditions, resulting in smelly slime rather than compost.
• If you have bulbs in your lawn, such as crocuses and daffodils, wait at least six weeks after flowering before you mow the area, to allow the leaves to photosynthesise and feed the bulbs for a good display next spring. 
• ​​Apply a high nitrogen spring lawn feed in late March if your grass needs a boost. This will promote strong growth to help the lawn recover after the winter. However,   it’s best to use the minimum necessary, to reduce the environmental impact.

• Straighten lawn edges using a half-moon turf iron and a board, or use sand to mark out a curve, which can then be cut out with the iron. At the same time, create a 7.5cm (3in) ‘gutter’ around the lawn to prevent grass spreading into your borders.

• See our guide to spring/summer lawn care.
  
   

New lawns

• Lay turf onto prepared soil if it’s not too wet or frozen. Work    from planks, to avoid compacting the ground. Avoid walking on newly laid turf – leave it  undisturbed for several weeks to allow the new roots to establish.
• Wait until the grass is 5cm (2in) tall on newly turfed lawns before mowing with the blades set to the highest setting.
• Prepare the ground for sowing a new lawn from seed by forking over, weeding, levelling and firming lightly. Doing this several weeks in advance gives the soil time to settle, so you have an even surface for sowing in April, once the weather is warmer.​
• ​Sow a wildflower meadow or plant wildflower plugs into existing lawns.
• See our video guide to creating a new lawn.
   

Problem solving

• Worm casts are a sign of healthy soil, but if you don’t like them on your lawn, brush them off with a hard broom once they dry out.

• Re-seed bare patches at the end of the month in mild regions –  but delay if the weather is cold as the seeds won’t germinate.

• Molehills can be a problem if you want a neat, flat lawn, and spring can be an active time for moles, as they tunnel in search of food. Tolerate them if possible, but if you want to encourage them to move elsewhere, see our guide to moles.

• Tackle algae and fungal diseases such as fusarium patch by pruning back any overhanging trees or shrubs to improve airflow and light. Or consider replacing the lawn with shade-tolerant groundcover plants instead.

• If moss is a problem (usually only in damp, poorly drained lawns) and you want to get rid of it, try removing with a spring-tined rake first. If that isn’t successful, you could apply a chemical moss killer, then rake out the debris after a couple of weeks. See our guide to moss in lawns. 

• See all our lawn care advice.