The end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 saw temperatures throughout the country plummet to the lowest they have been for decades. If you are worried about the effect this has had on your garden and in particular your lawn for the spring regeneration, fear not, TruGreen lawn care expert Steve Welch offers his advice on the best way to achieve the perfect summer lawn.

What effect has the cold weather had on my lawn??
Steve says: “The cold and wet weather has resulted in increased moisture levels in all types of soils. This is caused by a combination of natural frost heaving, which is when the frost causes an upward thrust of the ground surface, together with the frost lifting out of the ground and the snow melt trying to naturally drain through the soil: The two will clash, resulting in excessive moisture and a damp lawn. This could be made worse by a wet spring and I predict a marked increase in moss growth as a result.”

How can I treat my lawn?
Steve’s advice is: “If moss has formed on your lawn, then this should be treated using a moss killer followed by a scarification to remove the dead matter. Scarification should take place approximately two weeks after the moss killer has been applied or when the moss has turned black in colour. If you are looking for an alternative to scarification you can rake out the dead moss using a fine toothed steel rake, but this is never totally effective, and you can’t guarantee total clearance using this method.”

Steve recommends that: “Once the moss has been removed, aeration will be vital this spring to overcome the extremes of the winter weather. All types of soil will have a higher than normal percentage of moisture and this needs to be addressed to allow air back into the soil profile. Aeration with a solid tine aerator will allow for this process to be carried out, enabling air movement in the soil profile and removing unwanted moisture. In extreme cases, where a lawn surface is very wet, then a top dressing of sand can also be applied. Lightly rake the sand into the aeration holes to assist the drying and drainage. Allow a period of natural drainage between aerating and application of top dressing.”

Steve says: “The next stage in achieving a perfect lawn will be to apply a spring fertiliser. Be careful not to over apply nitrogen levels as this will only result in a weaker leaf and make the plant susceptible to disease as the weather can still be unpredictable at this time of the year. Consider the addition of iron to your soil as this will aid the strength of the plant and increase disease resistance.”

Steve proposes that: “The lawn should then be allowed to recover from these treatments before a renovation programme is carried out. The best time for renovations should be during early May and should include over seeding to achieve 100% grass coverage. Be mindful of the temperatures before applying grass seed or summer fertiliser. The soil temperature needs to be six Celsius or above to allow for the seed to germinate, so make sure that no frost is forecast.”

TruGreen, the world’s largest lawn care company can advise and deliver the best treatments for your lawn. To find out how, contact your nearest lawn care specialist on 0800 021 3074 or visit www.trugreen.co.uk .