Spring is the perfect time to start caring for your lawn to ensure you have healthy and lush green grass throughout the year. Although grass is known for its resilience over winter, and let’s face it, it’s been a wet one, it still requires annual maintenance to thrive and look its absolute best. Johnsons, the UK's oldest and most trusted lawn seed brand, offers a comprehensive guide to sowing and overseeding to achieve a healthy and thriving lawn.
The first step in maintaining your lawn is to ensure that it is free from debris and other unwanted materials. This can be achieved by raking the lawn to remove leaves, twigs, moss weeds and other debris that may have accumulated over the winter months.
After you have cleared your lawn of any debris, the next step is to evaluate the condition of the grass. Following a rainy winter that has resulted in flood warnings all over the country, it is crucial to aerate the lawn as part of your spring lawn care routine. This is because the soil will likely be highly compacted after winter due to the constant rainfall, debris weight on the surface, and low levels of root growth during the cold months.
If you skip aerating, you run the risk of drainage problems and water pooling if you have an uneven lawn leading to weaker grassroots. Aerating the lawn is an easy task, and you can use aeration shoes, an aerator, or a garden fork. It is recommended to spike the lawn at least three inches deep and no more than three inches apart.
It is essential to check for bare or thinning patches, as these areas will require overseeding. Johnsons recommends using a high-quality seed mix that is suited to your lawn's specific needs.
For those with children who love to play outside or those with pets, Tuffgrass is the perfect choice. It's a hard-wearing grass that can handle the wear and tear of frequent foot traffic whilst the fine-leaved dwarf Perennial Ryegrass is resistant to dog urine patches. If you're looking for a more deluxe lawn that will be the envy of your neighbours, Luxury Lawn is the way to go with a beautiful, lush finish.
If your lawn faces north or is overlooked by trees or walls, Shady Place is the perfect solution as it creates a dense coverage that can handle low light conditions. Meanwhile, if you're in a hurry to get your lawn established, Quick Lawn with Accelerator is a great option.
To prepare your lawn, start by raking the soil thoroughly until it is fine and crumble to ensure that the seeds have good contact with the soil. After you've sown the area needed, rake the lawn seeds in gently, making sure they are all beneath the soil surface, where they can germinate and grow. Tread the area over lightly to firm the soil and ensure good seed-to-soil contact. This will help keep the seeds in place and protect them from being washed away by rain or wind.
Water your newly seeded grass to ensure moist soil and initiate germination. Keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged.
