April Lawn Care Tasks
We’ve made it to the fourth month of the year; the one that’s kicked off by universal pranks, blooming flower beds, positively long days, sunshine followed immediately by rain, and the slow fade of winter’s biting chill, which can only mean one thing: growing season is coming in hot.
So fetch your mower, sharpen your mower blade and give your lawn the best chance of being happy n’ healthy this summer by getting on top of all your lawn care duties this April. And here’s how to do it:
Task No.1: Mow When Necessary
If you haven’t yanked that starter cord and enjoyed the first mowing session of the year yet, make sure you do this sooner rather than later as April’s warm but wet conditions are prime time for grass growth. Just make sure you raise your mower’s deck to higher than normal until May rolls around, unless you have a scarification treatment booked, in which case you’ll want to cut it at the normal height.
Task No.2: Repair Your Edges
After you’ve completed the initial cut, head to your shed and grab either your half-moon edging tool or your spade and create a neat-looking gutter around three-inches deep right the way along your lawn’s edge to stop any unwanted grass creeping into your beds.
Task No.3: Fix Any Bumps & Dips
Whether you’ve had moles run riot through your lawn, waterlogging from soil compaction or just a lot of foot traffic, now is the time to fix the undulation in your lawn by simply hiring a manual sod cutter, peeling the turf, removing or adding soil (depending on what the issue is) and then replacing the turf. Voila.
Task No.4: Repairing Bare Patches
There’s a dozen reasons you may be seeing bald areas in your lawn, but each one can be fixed with a quick overseeding session. Simply wait for some dry weather and then start preparing your lawn by cultivating and levelling it off before sprinkling your new grass seed evenly on any bare patches.
Task No.5: Get Rid of Your Moss Problem
If there is one thing moss loves more than anything it’s a wet and cloudy winter, which is probably why you’re seeing an unusual amount of moss taking over your lawn. Translation: April is the month for going on the moss attack by either applying a ferrous sulphate-based moss killer, a homemade solution or with a rake and some elbow grease.
Task No.6: Aeration is a Must
It doesn’t matter where you are in the country, April is always a good month to start some cultural treatments on your lawn, especially core aeration. In fact, we recommend doing this sooner rather than later as the large holes left behind will help your lawn warm-up easier and drain better, so it’s good to do it during April when the warmer weather isn’t overly dry.
Task No.7: Time For Some Scarification
Trust us: April is the perfect time to unleash a scarifier and start removing any moss, old grass and thatch to give you a lawn that’s ready to thrive in such a way that it’ll be able to defend itself from most weeds. That said, scarifying in a rush can damage your lawn at a time when weeds are becoming more common, so make sure you either do a decent job or you call us to do the best job possible.
Task No.8: Last Chance For Renovations
If you are thinking of taking on any kind of lawn repair or renovation task, you now have approximately 6 weeks left to do them, especially if you have been half-planning to relay some turf. That’s because any grass laid in May will become a much more time-intensive job thanks to the weather warming up and regular watering needing to be done.
Task No.9: Weed Control
When the weather starts to get warmer you can almost guarantee that weeds will become more and more common in your lawn. From dandelions popping up everywhere to woodrush and celandine becoming an obvious eyesore, weeds arrive with the sun. So make sure you use April to dig out as many of them as you can before you start applying weed killer come mid-May, which is when most of the weeds will have surfaced.
Task No.10: Watering Your Lawn
For the most part, you won’t need to touch your hose or set up your sprinkler system just yet. However, there are two reasons to start watering your lawn in April: if you have recently laid any grass seed or put some turf down, or if you’re getting ready to spray your moss with a little ferrous sulphate because moss needs a little wetting before you douse it in moss-killing solution.
Thanks for reading the no-nonsense Joe’s Guide To April Lawn Care Tasks. For more lawn care tips and tricks, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.