Lawn & Garden Tools & Gardening

Check your lawn regularly for problems and keep it well trimmed over the spring and summer. Little and often is the recipe for success. Regular cutting keeps the lawn thick, tidy and deters weeds. For most lawns, at the start of the year set the mower blades to 3cm (1.25in) and cut the lawn about once a week.

When the grass grows faster during the spring and summer, lower the blades to 2cm (1in) and you may need to cut up to twice a week. During long dry spells, mow less frequently, let grass grow longer and don't use summer feeds that will make lots of new growth. If you are in a drought area your lawn may turn brown in summer, but learn to live with this rather than using a sprinkler and it will soon recover when it rains in autumn.

Tidying edges
Tidying lawn edges keeps the grass looking neat and prevents it from spreading into borders. After mowing, trim any grass that overhangs the edges with long-handled edging shears or a rotary trimmer.

• Re-cut lawn edges each spring using a half-moon edging tool. For straight lawn edges, cut against a plank of wood and for curves, trim along an old hosepipe laid on the ground - leave a vertical edge about 7cm deep.
• Parts of an lawn edge that have been severely damaged are easy to repair. Use a spade to slice through the lawn turf, cutting out a small rectangular piece from around the damaged lawn area.
• Lift from the ground with the spade and turn it around, so the damaged lawn part now faces the lawn.
• Press down firmly and fill the damaged area with compost. Sow grass seed over the compost and water.
• Feeding lawn regularly with a lawn fertiliser will make it greener and thicker, which helps it resist weeds and moss. There are different formulations depending on the time of the year you are feeding, and there are also feed and weed products, which will kill moss, while providing nutrients to the grass.
• Learn to tolerate a few weeds in the lawn, but if small patches or single weeds need to be removed, pull up by hand with the help of a daisy grubber tool or similar garden tool. This helps to get the deeper roots of perennial weeds out.
• Alternatively spot-treat lawn with a dab-on weed killer that can be bought in tubes. Use a selective weed killer on lawns with large colonies of weeds, such as creeping buttercup.
• If your lawn has a sunken patch, repair by making an H-shaped spade cut across it with a half-moon edging tool and then peel back the two flaps of turf over the hollow. Add some topsoil, level and firm down the flaps. Fill in the gaps left by the cuts with more topsoil.
• If part of the lawn is used regularly as a path, prevent it from becoming worn away by laying stepping-stones. Dig out paving-slab slices of turf and set these just beneath the surface of the lawn so a lawn mower can pass over them safely.

The perfect time to lay a new lawn from scratch is early autumn, when the lawn grass can root easily. Follow our advice to help you lay turf and cultivate a pristine lawn. Creating a new lawn from scratch is easy if you pick the right time of year and prepare the site thoroughly. Turf will quickly establish on lawn soil that is warm and moist - autumn is perfect as new turf will also be regularly watered by winter rain. Turf can also be laid in spring, but avoid this time of year if you live in an area hit by a hosepipe ban as new turf needs frequent watering to prevent lawn grasses from being put under stress.

Buying Turf
A standard piece of turf will cover about one square metre and is best ordered from a reputable supplier who can deliver straight to your door.  

• Choose good quality lawn turf raised from seed - it is available in several grades, which suit different situations: domestic turf contains dwarf perennial ryegrass and is very hard wearing, while fine turf, contains grasses such as bents and fescues and is better for a showpiece landscaping project.
• In areas of low rainfall, try drought-tolerant turf.
• When turf arrives, stack rolls in a shady spot and if they appear dry, sprinkle with water.
• Aim to lay the turf within a day of delivery - if laying is delayed, open the rolls and water. Don't worry if they turn slightly yellow, they should quickly green-up once laid. 

Laying Lawn Turf

• Prepare the lawn soil by skimming off any old lawn grass, removing large stones and weeds, and then roughly levelling by flattening humps and filling hollows. Use garden tools to fork over the site and rake level to leave a fine finish. Firm the soil by walking over, placing weight on your heels and rake again. Sprinkle a granular fertiliser over the soil and lightly rake into the soil and water well.
• Lay your first row along a straight lawn edge, slowly unrolling turf to avoid damaging. Butt each piece up closely to the last and ensure good contact with the lawn soil by tamping down firmly with the back of the rake or toher garden tool.
• Lay the next row, making sure the pieces of turf are pushed right up to the first row. Stagger this and subsequent lawn rows in a brickwork pattern until the area has been covered.
• Lay turf so it runs beyond the area of your new lawn and trim edges with a straight edged board and a half-moon cutting tool. After cutting, scoop up handfuls of soil and put under the edges of the turf to prevent it drying out. If possible set up a sprinkler to water or soak thoroughly with several doses from a watering can.
• Try not to walk on newly laid turf until it has rooted into the soil, which could take several weeks
• If the weather is mild over winter the grass will begin to grow. Trim it lightly, keeping the mower blades set high.

Early autumn is the perfect time to sow a new lawn while the soil is warm and damp and it will cost you less than turfing. There are grass seed mixes available to suit every garden, from shady spots to gardens with low rainfall. If you want a fantastic lawn, but don’t want the expense of buying lawn turf, try creating it from seed. Grass seed is best sown from late summer to mid-autumn; there is less competition from weeds, and the soil is warm, and damp from rain. Perfect for seeds to germinate.

If you miss the opportunity to sow in autumn, try in mid-spring, but only if you can give the new grass plenty of water. Don’t attempt to sow in summer - it’s unlikely you’ll be able to give the lawn enough water to prevent it from shrivelling up and dying. Using seed has several advantages over  lawn turf. Apart from the cost, there are lots of different mixes available and seed is better for trickier lawn areas, such as slopes and corners.

Choosing Lawn Seed

Buy a seed mixture that is right for your garden. Many suppliers have a large range including blends for drought, shade or for a fine ornamental lawn. In most gardens, a hard-wearing family lawn mixture, containing rye grass, would be suitable.

Lawn Soil Preparation

• Prepare the lawn soil by skimming off any old grass, removing large stones and weeds, and then roughly levelling.
• Fork over the site and rake level usig garden tools to leave a fine finish.
• Firm the soil by walking over, placing weight on your heels and rake again.
• Two or three days before the seed is to be sown, lightly rake in a granular fertiliser.

How to sow lawn seeds

• Use canes to mark out the area to be sown into square metres.
• Shake the box to mix up seeds.
• A good rule of thumb is to spread seed at 50g per square metre (or at the rate it says on the packet). Weigh out the seed to cover each square metre into a container and mark the level on the outside to act as a guide.
• Split each 50g in half and scatter seed in one direction across a square and then spread the rest in the opposite direction.
• After sowing, lightly rake over the area and water.
•  Protect the newly sown lawn seed from birds by stretching fruit netting over the top.
• It is also worth cordoning off the lawn area with string and canes to prevent people from walking across the soil.
• Seedlings are susceptible to drought, so keep them watered during dry spells. Test your soil regularly by pushing your fingers into it.
• Carefully weed the lawn area by hand, removing any weeds before they flower. As the grass continues to grow, it will stifle weed growth.
• When the new lawn is 5cm (2in) high, cut with a rotary mower to 2.5cm (1in). Carefully rake up the clippings. Do this for the next four cuts.

In early spring, gently rake the grass with a spring-tined rake or other garden tool, taking care not to tear it. This removes winter debris and lifts grass and weed foliage for efficient cutting.

• Bare patches attract weeds, so re-sow them in spring. Fork or use other garden tool on the soil to break it up, then firm and level it before applying an appropriate grass seed. Cover with fleece or polythene to keep the birds off and water regularly.
• Another method for covering bare patches is to use a strip of lawn from a rich growing area to patch the bare area (you'll need to re-sow the area where it came from). It's always worth re-seeding an area in the shade with a mixture specifically selected to thrive in such sites.
• Mow grass when it's just over 1cm (0.5in) higher than you want it. These mowing heights apply to the following types of lawn: general purpose lawn in spring, autumn or drought, 3cm (1.25in); general purpose lawn in summer, 2.5cm (1in); fine lawn in spring, autumn or drought, 2cm (0.75in); and fine lawn in summer, 1.5cm (0.5in). Avoid scalping the grass because this encourages moss and weakens the grass.
• When you cut the grass during the spring and summer, leave the clippings on the lawn. As they decompose, they release up to 30 per cent of the lawn's required nutrients. Remove the clippings from the lawn at the beginning and end of the growing season when decomposition is slow.
• To discourage perennial weeds, dig them out regularly with a narrow trowel or other garden tool. Encourage clover because it collects nitrogen from the air and releases it from root nodules to the growing grass. To build up clover, oversow with clover seed 'Kent Wild White' during spring, at the rate of 5g per square metre.
• If necessary, feed the lawn in spring or summer with slow-release organic fertilisers. Municipal compost is excellent for this while seaweed extract, applied as a foliar feed, will green up your lawn. Avoid overfeeding as this causes lush growth that's prone to disease.
• To thicken up a poor quality or worn lawn, rake up debris and sow again in April. Cut the grass then rake hard to remove dead moss and debris. Sow seed over the existing grass, around 25g per square metre. Rake gently, then roll the lawn. Apply an organic fertiliser and water in well. When the grass is 5cm (2in) high, cut again.
• If possible, install a proper path or stepping stones to avoid any excessive wear and tear. Keep off the lawn in winter when it's wet and frosty.

Autumn and winter maintenance
Compaction, poor drainage, acidity, shade, too close mowing, underfeeding and drought can all encourage moss to take over. Maintaining the lawn in autumn will help to treat this problem and will give the lawn a head start in spring. To remove dead growth or thatch from a lawn, use a spring-tined rake or a powered scarifier or other garden tool, which you can hire. The process of scarifying will stimulate the grass to produce runners and side shoots, which will thicken up the lawn. The growth and thatch removed can be added to the compost heap. 

• Aerate the soil at least once every three years, especially in September when the soil is moist. Do this by making holes in the soil, either with a fork or a hollow-tined fork, which removes a plug of soil. This will allow water to drain from the surface of the lawn and prevent the growth of moss.
• After scarifying and aerating, spread a thin top-dressing of bulky organic material over the lawn. This gradually improves soil structure. The top-dressing mixture for a heavy soil comprises one part leaf-mould or coir, two parts loam and four parts sand. For a medium soil the ratio is 1:4:2 and a sandy soil, 2:4:1. Evenly spread the mixture at around 1.6kg per square metre and work it well into the surface with a broom or rake.
• An alternative to top-dressing is to spread a thin layer of autumn leaves over the lawn and mow them well, with the grass box off the lawnmower. Two cuts may be needed.
• If you need a new lawnmower, you could consider buying a mulching mower. This chops grass cuttings finely, then distributes them down into the lawn, where they rapidly disappear. 

Spring and Summer Maintenance

Ideal growing conditions are vital for organic lawn management. If the grass is flourishing, it should overcome weeds and be more resistant to drought, pests and diseases.