Lawns - Help, Advice, Information, Feeding, Weeding and all Lawn Problems

Lawns - Help Information and Advice

Look after your lawn and be the envy of your neighbours with the advice and information that we give you.

All aspects of lawn maintenance are dealt with on a seasonal basis, including advice on grass selection, weeds and control, information about pests and diseases of lawn and much more. Follow our maintenance schedule for a great lawn. And of course we take you through how to lay a turf lawn.

All of the lawn articles have been written by our editor, who has managed thousands of acres of grass areas ranging from highly ornamental lawns through lush bowling greens and tough wearing sports turf.

We also run a lawn advice service online

Your lawn will probably take up more time than the rest of your garden - in cutting alone. As a centre piece, it can either enhance your garden or be a disappointing eyesore. Yes it takes time - and work - but get it right and your lawn will set the canvas for the rest of your garden.

Spring Lawn Care

The First Cut

The spring season is an important time for getting your lawn into top shape for the following months. What you do now in the spring by way of lawn care, will determine how well your lawn will cope with the wear and tear of day to day use, and also its ability to withstand drought or even water-logging during the summer months.

If you are just starting out with your lawn, then have a look also at our Autumn lawn care page.

When the spring season actually starts is more a combination of climatic conditions and general 'feel' about things than an actual date on the calendar! This is certainly true of lawns and lawn care maintenance.

How to Care for your Lawn in the Spring

Lawn Care. Advice and Information How to look after your lawn.

Lawn Care Main

Lawns take up a lot of time compared with most aspects of the garden. In spite of the time and care lavished upon lawns, many fail to live up to expectations. Maybe the expectations are too great to start with. Problem being, that next door and surrounding areas seem to have better lawns!

Throwing money at an established lawn or patch of straw is not always the best way forward - neither the most successful in terms of attaining the quality lawn that you want. It is always a good ide to take a step backward, to see what the problem really is with the lawn. More often than not it will be something to do with your lawn care regime.

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Summer Lawn Care and Maintenance

Summer is a time when you should be able to take advantage of all the work you carried out by way of lawncare in the Spring months. Mowing will be at a minimum - especially in hot dry spells - and other main cultural lawn care operations are normally carried out in Spring and Autumn. So, pull up a few chairs, get the BBQ going and put down the lawn mats for a picnic outside. What else is the lawn for, but to enjoy!

Generally, far too much mowing is carried out in the Summer months. Maybe out of habit, the mower is started every Saturday or Sunday. Maybe essentially because this is the only free time from your normal work schedule. How much better life would be if you realised that mowing frequencies should actually reduce in the summer.

Summer Lawn Care and Maintenance

Lawn Aeration

Aeration core from lawn aerating operation

Lawn Aeration

Not all lawns need aeration; but most do! Soil Compaction drives air out of the soil. A garden lawn is probably the most hostile environment provided by gardeners in furtherance of obtaining a beautiful garden. This is one reason for aerating a lawn. No other plant / grass are subjected to such willful abuse than the grass on the garden lawn, it needs care!

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Top Dressing Lawns

Top Dressing of Lawns is beneficial. It encourages new basal growth of the grass plants - giving a thicker sward of grass Top Dressing is also a good way to 'level out' the bumps and hollows in an uneven lawn.

Top dressing is normally carried out in mid spring. It can be done at any time in the growing season (March-October), but a dressing in the spring soon 'disappears' under the resultant lush lawn growth. Earlier in the growing season - but not in the autumn - a suitable fertiliser or feed can be added to the top dressing to give that little bit extra.

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Lawn Problems

There are many and varied problems associated with keeping a good - or even reasonable - lawn. Quite often the problems are caused by something quite simple. That is, if you know what to look for! Describing a lawn problem seems to be beyond many of the people who write emails to me for help. A brown spot is a brown spot is it not? Well, err no, not always.

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Bumps in the Lawn

Ok! Let's get one thing right, straight away. You do not get a level lawn by using a roller. Using a roller, simply gives you hard bumps and hard hollows - and all the bits in between.

In fact, unless you are going to carry out all of the other operations necessary for a first class lawn, you can get rid of the roller altogether - although I might concede that it is useful for a light run over before the first cut after the winter.

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Brown Patches in Lawns

There are several causes of brown patches on lawns and other bare areas on the lawn, some are outlined below... Broadly, lawn brown patches can be split into three categories - depending upon the size of the patch. Recognising the size and shape of the patch - simple you might think - can go a long way in identifying the cause of the brown patch. I have had mails in the past where the write has claimed to have brown patches on the lawn, when in fact the entire lawn was brown - killed off by the wrong use of a certain weedkiller!

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Lawn Moss Killer

If you really want to eradicate moss from your lawn, then you have to find out the actual problem that is causing it, rather than just treating it. The reasons are various, but not too difficult to isolate.

They can be one or several of the causes outlined below.

The latter is also available as a ready to use 'Moss Gun' for small patches. Neither do anything by way of treating the basic problem of moss in lawns. They simply are simply Lawn Moss Treatments - killing the moss which is there. It will return. You can also use lawn sand

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Moles !!! in your Lawn

Moles in your Lawn

Moles are one of the most frustrating of all garden and lawn pests! They are rarely seen, but can cause absolute mayhem. The damage they do to plants is minimal, but if you are unfortunate enough to have moles in your garden, they will cause you more angst than an infestation of aphids! The main problem being, that they are so difficult to get rid of, and you normally see the damage they do, before you realize that you have a mole or so!

Cute little things they might be, but if your lawn is your pride an joy, or if it is just a nice lawn to sit and relax, the molehill trademark will soon turn you against them! One mole can wreak havoc in the garden, but a few and you have a potential disaster.

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Fairy Rings in Lawns and Turf

Fairy rings in lawns normally start to show up in late spring or mid-summer. They then carry on growing right through until the autumn and usually into subsequent years. They are easily recognised by either of two or both trademarks. Once they have started, they will be visible throughout the year.

They are most commonly seen as dark green circles of lush grass in the lawn usually after they are a half a metre or so across, though they are visible at first as a tuft of dark green grass.

The Fairy rings may also be first noticed as a group of toadstools manifest in mid-summer. (Sometimes without the dark green grass!) Not all toadstools in the lawn are as a result of Fairy Rings.

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Dogs Fouling Lawns | General problems

The main problem with dogs on lawns is that of the brown patches caused by bitches urinating. Male dogs are not such a problem in this respect, for they do it differently..

The brown patches tend to be a circular patch with bright green grass growing around the perimeter as the bitches urine eventually breaks down to Nitrogen, which then feeds the area outside the actual damage. The brown patch is basically scorching - similar to that caused by applying too much fertilizer - especially in dry conditions.

Treatment by soaking the area with water - immediately after the bitch has done the deed! Soaking the brown patches after they have formed will be absolutely essential if you are going to over-seed the patches.

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Lawn and Garden Edging

Garden lawns have to stop at some point, often causing a minor problem as to how to end or edge your garden with your lawn. Much will depend upon the style of your garden, but you will also have to take into account basic things like, the type of lawn mower you want to use, and even the basics of, how much time do you want to spend giving your lawn a neat finish!

It is not normally a good idea to simply end your lawn at the boundary of your garden edge; against a wall or fence. This will inevitably lead to either additional maintenance work - or an untidy finish, where the mower blade cannot quite get to the edges of the turf at the garden border edge.

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Feeding Lawns

Feeding a lawn is a relatively simple operation, but so many get it wrong, or do it when it it not necessary! Here's how and when to do it; and what to use.

Each of the aspects are important. Do it at the wrong time and you could end up with a weakened lawn. Use the wrong feed and scorching or unhealthy grass can result.

The process that causes most problems, is simply that of putting your fertiliser on the grass! Uneven application leads to a patch lawn at best, and a ruined lawn at worst!

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Identifying Lawn Grubs: Your Essential Guide to Protecting Your Garden's Roots

Lawn grub damage as chinch larva damaging grass roots causing a brown patch disease in the turf as a composite image isolated on a white background.

Lush green lawns and bountiful gardens are the pride of any homeowner with a green thumb, but a hidden menace often lurks beneath the surface, waiting to wreak havoc on your precious plants—lawn grubs. These C-shaped larvae of various beetles may seem inconspicuous at first, but their potential to cause widespread lawn damage is not to be underestimated. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the crucial steps to identify the presence of grubs in your lawn, understand the potential damage they can cause, and explore effective methods to control and prevent infestations.

White lawn grub in soil with grass. Lawncare, insect and pest control concept.

Understanding and Remedying Insect Damage in Lawns

Brown patches in your lawn are often the tell-tale signs of an unwelcome visit from certain types of insects. Among these, white grubs and chinch bugs are some of the most notorious culprits. These pests not only mar the aesthetic appeal of your lawn but can also cause significant damage to its health and vitality. Understanding the nature of this damage and the steps you can take to remedy it is essential for any homeowner wanting to maintain a lush, green garden.

Chinch bugs – the bane of beautifully manicured lawns everywhere. These tiny, seemingly innocuous pests can wreak havoc on your grass, turning lush, green expanses into brown, patchy disaster areas. You might not even know they're there until the damage is done. Fear not, garden warriors; in this comprehensive guide, you'll learn how to identify, manage, and outwit chinch bugs to safeguard and enhance your backyard paradise.

Dollar Spot Fungus in Lawns: A Gardener's Guide to Identification, Control, and Prevention

A lush green lawn is the pride of any homeowner, but when patches of dull, blighted grass appear seemingly overnight, it can be a cause for concern. Dollar Spot Fungus is a common culprit for this unsightly phenomenon, but understanding its nature and how to address it can be a game-changer for lawn care enthusiasts and home gardeners. In this comprehensive guide, we'll deep-dive into all things Dollar Spot Fungus, from its insidious effects to the most effective methods for treatment and prevention.

A patch is caused by the destruction of fungus Rhizoctonia Solani grass leaf change from green to dead brown in a circle lawn texture background dead dry grass. Dead grass of the nature background.

A Gardener’s Guide to Environmental Stress Lawn Damage

Gardening is a pastime that allows us to connect with nature, transform our surroundings and add a touch of tranquility to our lives. But even the most meticulously maintained lawns can succumb to a threat that's not always in our hands – environmental stress. When the elements turn against your garden, how do you identify, address, and overcome the effects of environmental stress on your lawn? This comprehensive guide is designed to help green-thumbed enthusiasts like yourself understand the nuances of environmental stress lawn damage, take control of the situation and reclaim the vibrancy of your outdoor space.

Waterlogging in the lawn after heavy rain. Green grass with waterlogged texture background.

The Downpour Dilemma: Deciphering Overwatering Symptoms in Your Lawn

Lush greenery is the crown jewel of any homeowner or gardener's lawn, a commodity so precious that it's often showered with care – and sometimes with water, just a little too generously. Overwatering, an innocuous act borne out of the best intentions, can lead to detrimental effects on your lawn's overall health. This blog post serves as a comprehensive guide for lawn care professionals and gardening enthusiasts alike, to identify, rectify, and prevent the soggy concerns brought about by over-irrigation.

Summer is synonymous with barbecues, beach trips, and bathing in the glorious sun. However, what we revel in, our lawns often suffer from. Heat stress is a silent predator, slowly turning your emerald green lawn into a parched, brown carpet. But fear not, as this comprehensive guide is designed to arm you with the knowledge and techniques to combat this common issue. Whether you're an avid home gardener or a professional turf wrangler, understanding heat stress and its management is crucial for maintaining a healthy, vibrant lawn.

In this post, we'll peel back the layers of heat stress, from its signs and causes to practical strategies to prevent and alleviate it. We'll also debunk common misconceptions and provide a deeper insight into the art and science of lawn care during the warmer months.

A Farmer stands on his dry meadow and hopes that the clouds in the sky will finally bring rain. Climate change is causing more and more droughts in Germany too.

Battling the Dry Spell: Drought Effects on a Healthy Lawn

For garden enthusiasts, nurturing a lush and verdant lawn is more than just a hobby; it's an ongoing labour of love. However, when Mother Nature serves up a prolonged dry spell, even the most fastidiously kept lawn can suffer, leaving well-intentioned landscapers scratching their heads and reaching for solutions. In this extensive exploration, we'll take you through the ins and outs of drought's impact on lawns, how to recognize the signs, and the strategies to keep your green expanse thriving in the midst of water scarcity.

In the verdant world of gardening, few troubles cast as large a shadow as the creeping menace of lawn fungus. Picture-perfect yards can be marred in moments as unsightly patches spread across the green canvas, representing a silent fungal war that threatens not just the cosmetic beauty, but the very health of the lawn. For the stalwart gardener, combating this enemy means understanding the enemy, spotting its approach, and fortifying your green domain with strategies both careful and robust. Come rain or shine, it's time to defend your turf against the perils of lawn fungus.

Monitor soil quality to control soil quality, soil composition concept of smart farm agricultural economic development. And there are technology icons about the composition of the soil around it.

The Root of a Remarkable Lawn: Understanding Soil Quality's Role in Gardening Greatness

A lush, green lawn doesn't just happen—it's a product of the care and attention lavished upon the very foundation it's rooted in. When we talk about the foundation of your lawn, we're often referring to the unsung hero beneath your feet—soil. Soil quality is pivotal in promoting a healthy lawn and can be the difference between a landscape that flourishes and one that falters. In this comprehensive guide, we'll dig into the gritty details of soil quality and show you how to nurture the soil, empowering you to grow a lawn of envy.

Thatch seen laying on the lawn by scarifying.

Your perfect green expanse of a lawn, the envy of your neighbours, suddenly marred by brown spots and ailing patches—a gardener's nightmare. But fear not! In the age of environmental mindfulness, we're ditching harsh chemicals for Mother Nature's gentle touch. In this exhaustive exploration, we'll reveal the natural remedies to restore the vitality of your lawn, ensuring it remains the lush haven you treasure.

Human hand holding commercial chemical fertilizer pellets and kitchen waste fertilizer. Organic versus inorganic gardening concept.

The Grass isn't Greener: A Deep Dive into Chemical vs. Natural Organic Lawn Control

The verdant canvas of a well-kept lawn is more than just a pretty picture; it represents the heartiness of Earth's vegetation, the vital lungs of our surroundings, and often, the personal pride of green-thumbed homeowners. Yet, the maintenance of that lush expanse has long been subject to debate, particularly as public consciousness tilts towards natural and organic living. This shift has undoubtedly cast a shadow over traditional chemical lawn control methods, prompting gardeners to question the sustainability, environmental impact, and long-term health implications of the treatments they apply to their green spaces.

In this comprehensive exploration, we'll plumb the depths of chemical versus natural organic lawn control, arming gardening enthusiasts with the knowledge to make informed and ecologically responsible choices in their lawn care practices.

Lawn has suffered damage from a disease or pet. Need to update the lawn.

If you're a dog owner, especially of female dogs, you might have noticed unpleasant brown patches marring the green expanse of your lawn. These unsightly spots are caused by the high nitrogen content in your dog's urine, which, akin to over-fertilising, burns the grass and leads to those brown, dead patches. Here are detailed solutions and tips to help mitigate this common gardening challenge:

Most read lawn care articles are

The question of whether or not to water the lawn will become more of an issue over the next few years - for environmental and financial reasons. We discuss and advise.

Lawns are often - needlessly - rectangular. Rectangular lawns of course fit in well with formal gardens, but also hold quite an area of unused land that can be better used for planting in many instances. If you have a rectangular lawn, just think a little about how often you actually uses the corners! Corners are also a nuisance when mowing.

A well thought out and cared for lawn will do much to enhance the value of your home - maybe financially, but certainly aesthetically. As far as the garden itself is concerned, a lawn will act as a foil to bring out the best colours of your planting scheme, and be one of the fist things that visitors notice - even if subconsciously when visiting your home.

Maybe its time to re-think your lawn shape and put ideas into action bit by bit. There are not many easy changes that you can carry out which will have a marked effect upon your garden. Changing the shape of your lawn from rectangle to a curved lawn will do wonders in most cases.

In the UK the weather is generally an advantage - as far as lawns are concerned! Add in a bit of expertise, and your lawn will be the tops. Watering is normally taken care of 'automatically' other than in the hottest months The same is not always true of the USA where some states have weather conditions that - whilst they are good for a healthy life - are not always the best for a healthy lawn. The problems here can be negated with the right choice of seed or sod.

Versatility of Lawns.

A good lawn will add so much to your home and garden environment. It can simply be used as a foil for the garden borders or beds, as a recreation area for adults and kids alike. You don't have to get out in the car to have a picnic. Spread a sheet on the lawn, and the rest happens!

Lawns are good exercise - and most of us need that! As a games area, or simply the act of mowing and certainly scarifying, it is guaranteed to shed off the pounds during a season - providing you don't do other things to excess.

A lawn will also serve as a first or second home for family pets - not to mention the kids on a sunny day, or after an exciting football match on the TV!

In short, the lawn can be what you want it to be. We all have our own uses and ideas about what a lawn should be. The only thing you have to remember, is that your lawn will need care and maintenance to give you an ideal area of grass for whatever use you put it to. Lawn Aeration is one aspect of lawn care often overlooked. Yet it is so important to the wellbeing of the lawn - especially if it is a well used lawn.

Starting from scratch - building a new law - don't just level some ground, order and lay the turf, and then think about what uses you are going to put your grass lawn to. Think it out properly, and plan for the lawn that you actually want. Be aware of the different maintenance regimes and equipment that will be required for different types and uses of lawns. Neglect is not an option if you want a functional lawn. get it right at the start, and you will be prepared for the inevitable work that it required with your patch of grass. If you are not prepared for this, then gravel, paving or decking are the other options. Is that what you really want?

All of our lawns advice pages are written with you in mind. We will do all we can to help you get the best from your lawn, and even show you how to rectify many of the problems that are associated with having a good lawn.