Online-Turf.co.uk: Spring and Summer Care

Spring and Summer Care

Spring feedingFeeding annually in late March – April will maintain grass vigour. If the lawn is not fed vigour declines. Weeds and moss can then rapidly establish. Use a proprietary spring/summer lawn fertiliser at the manufacturer’s recommended rates.
Summer feedingIf grass loses its vigour and freshness during May – August, carefully apply 15g per sq m (0.5oz per sq yd ) sulphate of ammonia, mixed with four times its weight dry soil to ensure even distribution and avoid scorching. Apply in cool, moist conditions and lightly water in. Repeat if needed after six to eight weeks. Alternatively, use a proprietary spring/summer lawn fertiliser. Do not apply these fertilisers after August as summer feeds have too much nitrogen for autumn use.
Mowing Frequency and cutting height depend on lawn quality and time of year. A summer height of 1-2.5cm (0.5-1in) is satisfactory for a general purpose lawn, mown weekly. High quality, well managed turf can be mown to 0.5cm (0.25in) when mown every two to three days.
Watering Grass has good drought resistance but becomes limp, then brown, in prolonged dry conditions. When necessary water in the evening to minimise evaporation loss. Steady sprinkling for 25 – 30 minutes once every seven days should be adequate for most lawns during drought. Frequent but light watering encourages shallow rooting.