“Lose the Lawn” is an American campaign that is gaining momentum as  water restrictions force gardeners, expecially in California, to re-think how they maintain their green spaces.

http://www.losethelawn.com/

http://www.seabreezenurseries.com/FireYourLawnGuys.htm

Every month, I will post a short blog about how to manage your lawn at that time of year.

The idea is to help you think about how much time and money your lawn takes to look after.

36% of gardeners report that their lawns grow all year and 44% say they mow their lawns a month earlier in spring.Is it time to evaluate the role of the lawn in the traditional english garden?

Here are two ideas to think about in MAY:

MOWING

By now you wil probably be mowing the lawn once a week as it starts to grow very quickly as the days get longer and warmer.Remember to leave a height of at least  one inch or more and vary the direction of the cut to help the lawn grow evenly.

WATERING

Your lawn should not need watering at this time of year as the ground should be relatively damp underneath. Remember that over watering can be more harmful than drought – try to only use rain-water from your water butt to be more environmentally friendly.

If the lawn is dry don’t start to water it too much as this can be more harmful than drought. Try to use rainwater collected in a water butt as it contains important minerals and nutrients. Always water in the evening as it allows the water to penetrate the surface before it evaporates in the sun.

The soil should be starting to warm up during April so fill in any bare patches in the lawn with grass seed. Gently rake the area to loosen the top soil and then sow the seed , spreading it evenly across the area.A mixture of creeping red fescue, chewing fescue and smooth stalked meadow grass is ideal.Rake the new grass seed in gently and water regularly as it must not be allowed to dry out.

This is also a good time to go over the lawn and dig out any weeds by hand to have it looking good for the summer.

March is the time to inspect your lawn for any signs of diseases or moss. Try to use organic products if you must treat your lawn, preferably digging up any moss and re-seeding rather than using strong chemicals that can harm wildlife.

I read somewhere that light brushing is a good way to remove dew and surface moisture on fine lawns but hopefully most people are not that precious about their lawns!

Don’t be tempted to mow your lawn even if the weather is mild enough for it to start growing. Wait until at least March before you even think about getting the lawn mower out – maybe just ensure all lawn equipment is serviced and cleaned ready for the new season.

Aeration

Aeration is as much a part of looking after your lawn at any time of the year as it is in autumn but with the weather turning more to rain it takes on a whole new dimension. Aerating your lawn is important in the months September through to April as this is when we in the United Kingdom seem to have our biggest rain fall and aeration helps the ground relinquish its hold on some of that excess water it has soaked up. Use a hand fork to aerate those parts of the lawn that look as though they are suffering from excess water.

Worms

There is a common misconception among many would-be gardeners that worms are a pest; this is not the case. Worms help to improve the nutrient content of the soil in which your lawn is growing and as such the worms are best left to their own devices. However should worm casts be visible on the lawn allow them to dry out and sweep them away.

Leaves and Debris

Keep the lawn free from leaves and debris. Falling leaves in the autumn and winter can rot quickly and bring disease to your lawn so it is advisable to rake them away as often as you can – or whenever you see a build up of leaves.

Scarification

Scarification is the procedure of pulling a rake through the grass sward to drag away any dead grass matter, roots or moss that may be festering within your lawn. Doing this one a fortnight – or more often if you can – helps reduce the chances of disease spreading into the grass. If you wait until the moss turns brown or black then it will come away from the lawn with minimal effort and minimal damage to your lawn.

Do raise the height of the cut to at least 1.5 to 2 inches and rake any leaves and debris from the lawn on a regular basis.

Be flexible about when you mow the  lawn as if it is very dry, the grass will need to be interfered with. Heavy rainfall often comes all at once now which can mean the grass puts on a sudden growth spurt  – watch for this and only cut it once the grass is dry.

This is a good month to aerate the lawn by using a garden fork and scarify it with a rake. If you must use fertiliser make sure it is organic and will not harm the envitonement.

Most  lawns have stopped growing so much which means mowing is less time consuming. Ideally mowing should be left to once every two weeks  – especially if the weather is dry.

If this is the case, give the lawn a good soaking every two weeks and allow the water to seek deep into the turf .This allows the moisture to remain for longer and encourages the roots to go deep in search of water which will eventually result in a stonger lawn requiring less watering.