Flymo lawncare calendar

Getting a great looking lawn and garden is relatively easy. Follow our monthly guides telling you what to do and when, to help create a garden to make your neighbours green with envy!

January

Plant your Christmas tree outside

If you bought a rooted or potted tree this year and are planning on throwing it away, think again. You can always try to re-plant your old Christmas tree (if you have the room) and it’s possible it will live to see another year!

Brush off snow

Tree branches and shrubs/bushes will become damaged if left covered in snow. Take the time to remove the white sheet to help keep them healthy.

Check Fencing

January can be known for high and strong winds, so you should ensure anything that’s ‘loose’ in your garden is secure. Fence posts and panels particularly, and things like young trees and climbing plants should be staked and fastened into place to prevent breakages.

Wait for spring

January is a quiet month in the lawn care calendar. There is relatively little you can do, because the weather conditions do not benefit productive lawn care – so put your feet up.

February

Check your gardening equipment

February is probably a good month to start thinking about your lawn, and what needs to be done. Have a quick check of your lawn mower and other garden equipment, to ensure that it’s in good working condition.

Sharpen your lawn mower blades

Check that your lawn mower blade is sharp, and that you have enough trimming line for your grass trimmer.

Cut your hedges

It is important to remember to avoid cutting your hedges between March to august - the peak season for nesting birds.

Growing your garden

February is the perfect time to order your summer bulbs (such as lilies and gladioli) to avoid disappointment. Now is a good time to start pruning your roses also.

March

As the ground warms up and your grass starts growing again, spring is the ideal time to sow new seed, scarify your lawn and gradually recover the perfect lawn you had last summer.

Make the first cut of the new year

Make sure the grass is dry and that you make the first cut of the grass on the highest cutting height. Never cut more than a third of the grass blade off in one go to avoid over stressing the grass. Cutting the grass before scarifying will also help loosen any thick patches of thatch, making it easier to remove thatch when you scarify the lawn.

Gradually reduce the cutting height

Gradually reduce the cutting height throughout the month and the beginning of the next, until you reach your preferred grass height.

Use moss and weed killer

Lay any weed or moss killer on your lawn where needed to make removal easier later on. Consider adding a spring fertiliser to the lawn to help rejuvenate it and promote fresh growth. Read our article for more information on how to remove moss.

Edging

Its time to get your grass trimmers out and add those neat touches to the edges of your lawn. Grass trimmers are a great easy way to keep your garden looking neat and tidy all year round- if you need some tips on cutting right up to the edges of your lawn then look no further.

April

TOP TIP

Remember: never remove moss without killing it first. If it’s scarified before its dead, you will spread moss that can regrow across your lawn. Read about our top 7 scarifying tips here.

Scarify your lawn

As the weather gets a little warmer and moisture is still present in the soil, the grass will start growing again. This is the ideal time of year to scarify your lawn, removing any excess thatch and moss.

Sow new seed

Sow some additional grass seed to any bare patches of the lawn. If you are planning on growing grass in areas of the garden that have lots of shade, consider using a seed specifically designed for this purpose. This is readily available in most good retailers and garden centres.

Patio and decking cleaning

Its easy to neglect our decking over the winter months when its not in use. Now is the perfect time to clean your patio and decking, getting rid of any areas of moss and debris using a blower/vac and a pressure washer. Ready for having guests over for those summer BBQ's!

May

Mow in lawn stripes

Now that your lawn is the right height, this is the perfect time to add stripes to your lawn if you want them. Use a lawn mower with a rear roller to do this such as the EasiStore 340R cordless lawn mower to achieve this.

Lawn Care

Keep in mind that grass thrives best when it's cut about 1/3 of its length at any time, so mow the lawn at regular intervals. A robot lawn mower will do the hard work for you and mow little and often, so you don’t have to worry about when to cut the grass.

Aerate your lawn

A lawn thrives best when it’s aerated to be dense and fine. Aerating helps to oxygenate the grass and improve drainage; water and nutrients penetrate to the roots and the grass grows more shoots. Do not do this too early as you risk damaging the grass while it’s sensitive, but wait until the grass has come to life and you have mowed a couple of times.

Planting

Now is the best time to plant new trees and bushes.

June

Through the warm summer months, it is important that your lawn stays hydrated. As the heat increases, allow the grass to grow a little longer to protect the soil from drying out.

Mow more often

The grass is growing at its fastest rate, meaning that you may have to mow your lawn once or twice a week.

Water the lawn in hot weather

In warm, dry weather ensure that you water deeply and occasionally. This will encourage the grass to root deeply, giving it a healthier appearance. It is also a more efficient way to water the lawn than watering a little daily as less water is lost via evaporation. Don't forget to also water newly planted bushes and trees!

Hedges and Bushes

Prune a spruce hedge during June or July. Now is the perfect time to do some topiary on your hedges. Use a string to help you create a very straight hedge. Fertilise bushes and perennials a second time toward the end of June.

July

Lawn care

Continue to care for your lawn as you did in June. If you are going away, make arrangements for someone to look after your lawn, flowers and other areas of your garden while you are away (especially watering).

Keep vegetables growing and harvest what's ready

Crops sown in September are ready to be harvested and keep watering your tomatoes (feed them once a week with high-quality tomato feed).

Bedding plants and containers

Regularly deadhead your bedding plants and keep your plants in containers well-watered to keep them looking great.

Keep an eye on your pond

Check the water level of your pond and regularly top it up with fresh water.

August

Water more frequently

Often the hottest month in the UK - you may need to water the lawn more frequently than before.

Allow the grass to grow slightly longer

If it is hot for long periods, allow the grass to grow slightly longer to protect the soil from the heat.

Deadhead potted plants

Keep your potted plants looking great for longer. By dead heading your plants it will promote growth in the healthy part of the plant, keeping them blooming longer.

Pruning

The pruning period (August- September) has begun, so now is a good time to prune most trees and bushes, as well as thin and rejuvenate hedges and bushes that have finished blooming with a hedge trimmer.

Sowing Grass

Sowing grass in August is effective. The seeds germinate quickly in the heat and the soil and air are moist enough to prevent the seeds from drying out.

September

As the weather starts to cool and the rain sets in, you can reduce the amount of water you use on the lawn and start to prepare for winter. Allow the lawn to grow a little more, scarify one last time and aerate the lawn for better drainage and growth.

Reduce the frequency of cutting

As the weather starts to cool, you can cut your grass less frequently as the growth slows down. When mowing the lawn raise the cutting height to allow it to grow thicker helping protect it from moss and disease.

Scarify before winter

This is the perfect time to scarify your lawn one last time before the end of the year because your lawn is still growing.

Aerate the lawn

Use a garden fork or an aerator to reduce the compaction of the soil and improve the drainage. This will encourage healthy grass growth.

Sow new seed

The weather conditions are ideal for sowing new grass seed in any worn or damaged areas. Areas of high activity such as around children’s play equipment or pathways are prone to damage.

October

Remove autumn leaves

Remove any fallen leaves from the lawn to allow sunlight to reach the grass to prevent suffocation. You can use these leaves in lots of beneficial ways around the garden such as leaf mulching, find out more about leaf mulch and how to make it here. To collect fallen leaves this can be done using a rake or a leaf blower, such as our 18V EasiClear 100 cordless leaf blower. One benefit of a garden vacuum is that it will shred the leaves as it collects them, to save you yet another garden task.

Use a fertiliser

Adding a good autumn/winter fertiliser to your lawn will help the lawn survive the winter and harsher conditions. Autumn fertilisers differ from summer fertilisers as they release their nutrients more slowly.

Cutting hedges

Hedges should be pruned for the last time in autumn to prevent decaying if damp accumulates. Only cut deciduous hedges back as far as you can without creating any holes as these will not grow back over the winter, leaving the hedge looking bare. Any tree leaves lying on the hedge should also be removed as otherwise the hedge will not get enough fresh air and sun, resulting in rot.

November

Aerate the lawn

In wetter seasons, spike your lawn with a garden fork to relieve any compaction of the soil and prevent water from pooling on top. Aeration will also help oxygen reach the roots, which is essential for healthy grass growth.

Got a robotic mower?

Now is the time to place your robot lawn mower mower into winter storage. Remember, the robot lawn mower battery must be fully charged and kept frost-free during winter storage.

Bring outdoors in

Bring in your outdoor furniture and potted plants – the night frost can come suddenly and harm both plants and pots.

December

Don’t step on the grass

Christmas is nearly here but so are the winter frosts. Avoid stepping on the lawn when it is frozen to avoid breaking and damaging the grass.

Ensure you store all equipment correctly

Its the time of year to hang up your lawn mowers and pack away your trimmers, ready for winter. If you have any battery gardening tools then we recommend charging the battery to at least 50% before winter for a longer life. Batteries are best stored warm between 5-25° C.

Now you can put your feet up and enjoy the festive season!