January
The winter is firmly set in and with the hard frosts and wet ground you should avoid walking the lawn. If the ground is not frozen or waterlogged you can remove leaves with a light rake or leaf blower. Also remove any heavier debris such as twigs, pine cones etc. Take the lawn mower for a service.
February
Again, if there are frosts / frozen ground / waterlogged soil then you should keep off the lawn. If conditions allow then remove any worm casts by brushing with a broom and remove leaves / twigs with a light rake.
March
This is when the major work starts as temperatures are usually high enough to mean that significant grass (and weed) growth is occurring. Before cutting the lawn it should be raked with a spring tine rake so that the grass ‘sits up’ for the mower. Adjust the mower blade height if possible so that just the tips of the grass are removed. You should only need to mow about twice in March.
Trim lawn edges and around garden ornaments / trees using a lawn strimmer. Neaten up / repair any damaged lawn edges.
At the end of March Scarify the lawn using an electric lawn scarifier or a spring tine rake. This will remove dead grass, thatch and moss.
April
Early April is a good time for overseeding (applying lawn seed to existing areas of lawn) then now is a good time to do so, make sure to vigourously rake the intended areas of overseeding before scattering the seed so that the seed ‘settles down’.
Apply a lawn fertiliser to feed the lawn and apply lawn weed control products where necessary.
Use a lawn aerator to aerate areas of the lawn where soil compaction has occurred.
Continue to mow the lawn and reduce the mower blade height a little (you should not take more than a third off the height of the grass). Do not mow immediately after overseeding (at least not the overseeded areas).
May
Remove worm casts before mowing. Reduce the height of the mower blades, mowing will increase in frequency as the grass will be growing vigourously now due to the warmer weather and prior application of fertilser.
Keep edges trimmed using a strimmer or lawn edging shears.
June
It may be necessary to mow twice a week. If rainfall is low then water the lawn thoroughly but not frequently to encourage deep root growth.
If weeds are still prevalent then apply a lawn weed treatment when the soil is moist. If clover exists then rake lawn before mowing.
July
Mow regularly. Trim edges. Water thoroughly if rainfall low. If necessary apply a lawn fertiliser at recommended levels to help lawn health and ‘greenness’.
August
Continue to mow regularly at low cutting height. Trim edges.
If weeds are still prevalent then apply a lawn weed treatment when the soil is moist. If clover exists then rake lawn before mowing.