Lawn care calendar: what to do month by month

A good lawn comes from doing the right small jobs at the right time. Here's a simple seasonal plan.

Early spring

• Rake out dead grass and moss.
• Start mowing when grass reaches about 8 cm, on the highest setting.
• Repair bare patches with seed once the soil warms up.

Late spring

• Apply a spring lawn feed.
• Gradually lower the mower height, but never cut more than a third of the blade at once.

Summer

• Raise the cutting height during hot, dry spells.
• Don't panic if the lawn goes brown in a drought; it almost always recovers when rain returns.
• Leave clippings on the lawn in dry weather to return moisture and nutrients.

Autumn

• This is the most important season for lawn care.
• Scarify to remove thatch, then spike the lawn with a fork to relieve compaction.
• Overseed thin areas and apply an autumn feed (low nitrogen, higher potassium).
• Clear fallen leaves so they don't smother the grass.

Winter

• Keep off frosty or waterlogged grass.
• Service your mower and sharpen the blade, since a clean cut keeps grass healthier.