How to repair your lawn after the winter

What happens to the lawn during winter?

The amount of sunlight decreases dramatically during the winter months. And when buildings, trees, and hedges restrict sunlight, shaded areas remain damp for months at a time. As a result, the individual grass plants begin to die off, causing bald patches that considerably thin out your lawn.

However, a mild winter can do as much damage to your lawn as a harsh, cold winter. Moss loves a cold, humid, shady climate, especially where temperatures are between 2- and 10-degrees.

A cold but dry winter offers your lawn the greatest chance of survival.

In 5 steps, you will enjoy a beautiful lawn again this spring:

1. Start by removing leaves, branches, and any moss; a fertiliser with iron works wonders
2. Aerate the turf by combing or scarifying the grass
3. Sow new grass to fill in the gaps and keep weeds out
4. Fertilise with a spring fertiliser with high nitrogen content
5. Keep the grass seed moist for 3 weeks. New grass should germinate within 10 days.

Which grass seed do you use?

The choice of grass seed depends on your type of lawn.

• Shade & Sun Grass Seed: Ideal for shady lawns, but also suitable for full sun.
• Sport & Fun Grass Seed: For grass that can take a beating! Perfect for a lawn where children and pets play!
• Premium Lawn Grass Seed: For the enthusiast who wants a beautiful English lawn, which can also be cut short.

Timing is of the essence when sowing seeds!

The optimal time for sowing seed very much depends upon the conditions in your garden.

If hedges or buildings throw shade on parts of your lawn for most of the year, the soil’s temperature will be lower than in the rest of the garden. Therefore, you should avoid sowing too early in the year. Wait until the ground has reached at least 10-degrees before you start sowing!

Grass that grows around trees is best sown as soon as the temperature permits. That way, the lawn has enough time to establish itself before the trees’ foliage becomes dense, limiting the available light.

Louis Hooft

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