Lawns will ‘grow thicker than ever’ by summer with Monty Don’s essential garden task


Lawn maintenance is important to start on time to prevent problems such as weed growth and diseases.

Carrying out certain lawn care jobs now will also grass look healthy and green throughout the next two seasons.

Sharing a variety of gardening jobs on his monthly blog, Monty Don has detailed what should be done in March when it comes to lawns.

The expert claims that to get a “good” lawn you have to think positively. 

He recommends putting your efforts into healthy grass rather than fighting perceived problems like daisies, moss, ants, worm-casts, moles, plantains, dandelions and fairy rings. 

The 68-year-old said: “Nine times out of 10 if the grass is healthy, then everything else will look after itself.”

In March Monty noted that the grass “will need mowing”, but “do not cut it too short”. 

Instead, just give it a light trim for the rest of this month.  The expert said: “This will encourage good root growth and as a result, the grass will be a lot healthier and better able to resist summer drought.”

For lawns struggling with moss and thatch, Monty shared an essential task to do right now. 

He said: “It is worth giving the lawn a good scratch with a wire rake. This will get at all the overwintering thatch and moss, and let light and water get to the soil and to the roots of the grass. 

“Put the debris on the compost and then mow. It will look a little bald for a week or so but will grow back thicker than ever.”

For lawns that have become compacted, Monty recommends working on it at least once a year by sticking a fork in the ground and wiggling it about and repeating the process every six inches or so.

After, mix up equal portions of sieved topsoil, sharp sand and sieved leaf mould or compost. 

For those who do not have these things to hand then just sharp or silver sand will do the job. 

Spread it across the area you have pricked and brush it in with a stiff broom, filling the holes with the mixture. This will “help drainage and feed the grass”. 

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