Lawncare in March. What should you be doing?
March is the time of year when the weather should start to get better, letting you get back out in your garden and complete some of the tasks left over from Winter and get your garden ready for Spring, although that depends on where you live. So, what tasks should you be completing when the weather begins to get better to ensure you’re ready for the season ahead and what equipment is the best fit for the job?
The grass.
The focal point of the garden and most people’s main concern is the grass. Depending on the weather you have been having in your area, your lawn could need a bit of TLC to ensure it is in top condition from Spring and Summer.
Scarifying.
People often scarify their lawns in March. Scarifying is the process of raking or utilizing a Scarifier to remove thatch or moss from your lawn, this can be built up over the winter and if left can cause your lawn to look patchy and unhealthy. Because of this, depending on your lawn, people often scarify once a year, either in Spring or later in Autumn.
What time of year you do this is often up to both personal preference as well as weather conditions in your area. You need to ensure that if you are going to scarify your lawn, you need to allow it time to recover, this means that if it looks like you’re going to get a last-minute frost, it’s better to hold off.
Scarifiers.
You can scarify your lawn with a rake, or if you have a larger lawn it’s probably easier to use a scarifier to do the hard work for you. Most of these machines also allow you to adjust the depth, to control for the condition of your lawn or to aerate the roots simultaneously. Browse our range of scarifiers here
Our Recommendations
Petrol
A great petrol scarifier that is ideal for de-thatching and revitalizing your turf is the Toro 54610 scarifier. This machine features a steel deck and has a Briggs & Stratton engine.
Cordless
If you’re transitioning your machinery into cordless, you don’t have to miss out on scarifiers. The RLA 240 Stihl cordless scarifier is designed for smaller lawns and is powered by a 35v lithium-ion battery, with no emissions, and no cord. You are also able to adjust the working depth to suit your lawn.
The first mow.
Perhaps you’ve already scarified in August, or decided to skip it this year. You may just be bringing your mower out ready to give your lawn its first mow of the season.
If you’re getting your mower out of the garage or shed, before you even think about using it you should give it a once over and ensure that it’s in good condition, check the battery, fuel, and oil.
Perhaps it needs servicing? This is recommended once a year to ensure your mower is working to its best efficiency and to prevent issues when it’s being used more in the busy season. Make sure you beat the rush and get your mower in early. Get in touch to arrange a servicing.
Some tips for your first mow
- Ensure you mow when the grass is dry
- Start with a higher cut than normal
- Avoid cutting before your last frost.
Thinking about a new mower?
If you’ve taken your mower out of storage and discovered it won’t start, you are presented with a choice. You can either pop it in to get repaired and cross your fingers that it’s an easy fix, or you may decide that after a few years, it’s time for an upgrade.
If you’re in the market for a new mower, Spring & Summer is the ideal time to purchase as a few brands are in the midst of their Summer sales, offering large savings.
Currently offers include:
Honda.
Honda currently has savings on their Miimo range and their ride-on and pedestrian mower range. If you’ve had enough of mowing altogether, then you may be looking at investing in a robotic mower. Honda is currently offering up to £500 off their Miimo range, depending on the model. They also have offers of up to £200 on their pedestrian electric mowers and up to £400 on ride-on’s!
Stiga.
Stiga is offering £200 cashback on selected petrol ride-on mowers this summer. It’s never been a better time to buy.
Trimming lawn edges
If you’re looking for a quick fix to make your garden look a bit tidier, trimming lawn edges always helps give it a neater look. Even if you have a robotic mower, you are still going to need to touch up the edges where your robotic mower just can’t reach.
There are a couple of ways you can go about this. If equipment is limited and you have good patience and don’t mind a bit of graft then some shears could do the job. Simply trim along the edges of corners, paths, or plant beds.
If you’re looking for an easier way then you could simply use your strimmer to trim the grass within the corners, sides, or small places which your mower can’t reach. However, unless you have good skills, it can be difficult to get the perfectly shaped edges you might be looking for.
If you have a multi-tool, an edger attachment is your best friend. This is a simple way to get neat edges with little effort. Simply click on your multitool, adjust the support wheel, and run it along your edges. Browse our attachments here.
There are plenty of tasks to do in March but the majority of them include tidying up after Winter. This year we are having a cold spell rather late so it’s always best to use the weather as a timer for when to start these garden tasks rather than the month to avoid damaging your lawn.
