We're officially in spring, the blossom is out, and the birds are singing. But if your lawn is looking a little worse for wear, Alan Titchmarsh has some lawn tips to get your lawn in shape in April
Who better to get advice from than one of our favourite gardeners, Alan Titchmarsh? Speaking in a recent video on his YouTube channel, the famous gardener and presenter shared his top jobs to do in the garden in April, and April lawn care tips to banish moss and get it looking lusciously green again were top of his list.
'April is a great time to be in the garden, the sun's warming up the earth and the days are getting longer,' says Alan in the Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh video. Below are Alan's three tasks that will transform your lawn from overgrown and tatty to lush and looking professionally kept.
1. Remove the moss
Alan's first task is to tackle and remove any moss you have in your lawn. 'With the wet winter we've had, your lawn's probably full of moss,' says Alan.
Peter Chaloner, managing director at Cobra agrees, 'After a damp winter, moss often appears in shaded or poorly drained areas. While it might look harmless, moss competes with grass for nutrients, water and sunlight, which can leave your lawn looking thin and patchy.'
Alan's advice is to get a wire tooth rake. 'Pull the moss out, just tear at it. Once it's gone, your grass will get the light and air your grass needs to thrive,' he says.
We like B&Q's steel leaf rake, it's £10 and has an adjustable head so you can move the tines to suit the job. It has good reviews with people saying it's lightweight, durable and comfortable to use.
2. Fix bare patches
The start of spring is prime time to fix bare patches in your lawn 'Winter can leave your lawn with worn or bare spots, particularly in high foot traffic areas. If left untreated, these patches can attract weeds and make the lawn look uneven as the season progresses,' explains Peter.
'If you find bare patches in your lawn, you can replace them with turf. But I prefer to reseed the area as it's much cheaper,' advises Alan.
He recommends digging up the compacted first layer of soil and adding some decent-quality topsoil. Firm it in with your feet to level it. Then gently rake the soil with your fork, and then add some seed. As there are different types of grass seed for different parts of the garden, it's best to opt for one that's known for its quick establishment and durability. We like Amazon's Miracle Grow quick grow lawn seed ryegrass fescue, it's currently £7.88 for 480g.
'Sow the seed quite thickly as the birds are likely to get their share,' says Alan. 'I then tickle over the surface with the fork to mix the seeds with the soil, then water them in.'
3. Neaten lawn edges
The third and final task for this month is to have a good tidy-up of lawn edges.
'Have a look at the lawn edges to see if they need attending to. If you need to create a new crisp edge, take your hosepipe and lay it along the edge of the border as a guide. Then, use a half-moon iron, making sure you follow the line of the hose to create a new edge. Dig out the soil on the other side. And hey presto, you have a new edge and a crisper, more professional look to your lawn,' explains Alan.
Amazon's heavy-duty half-moon lawn edger tool has a carbon steel edging knife, making it ideal for tidying up your lawn's edges, £12.99.
'Crisp, defined edges make a huge difference to a garden’s overall appearance,' says Peter. 'Even a well-maintained lawn can look untidy if edges around flower beds, paths or driveways are overgrown.' Defining your lawn's edges and garden edging can transform a winter-tired garden into one that's ready for the spring season.
Lawn essentials
Whilst there are cheaper options on the market, if you have children and pets choosing a lawn feed that's organic and not full of nasties is always the better option. This 3-in-1 fertiliser will revitalise your soil and nourish your grass, it's fast acting and long lasting.
This moss remover is ideal if you don't want to, or can't remove it using a rake. The natural bacteria in the solution digests the moss for you within seven days of use and feeds your lawn at the same time.
This lightweight and highly manoeuvrable raker and scarifier will remove moss and aerate your lawn. It has a lock-off safety switch and a 19.5cm steel rotor. The handle folds down for easy storage and it has a 28 litre collection bag.
FAQs
How to get a moss-free lawn?
Alan Titchmarsh likes to get rid of moss in the most natural way possible which is to rake it up in April. Pick a day when the sun has warmed up the soil and methodically work across your lawn so you don't miss any patches.
To keep it moss free you can feed an iron-based product, but improving soil drainage by aerating it will help to prevent recurrence too.
Will grass grow back after removing moss?
It can return, but it's best to give it a helping hand by overseeding it. Always use high-quality grass seed and sprinkle extra on as the birds will love to take their share first! Keep it well watered for at least two weeks once you've seeded.
One last tip from Alan is to make sure you don't cut your grass too short if you're mowing now. 'It's fairly early on in the season and cutting down to an inch is far better than cutting to half an inch. Make sure you take your clippings off, collect them up, that way they won't clog up the grass and allow in the air and the light to allow the grass to grow better.'
