Is your lawn looking tired, thin and patchy? Now is the time to give your grass some TLC as March marks the start of the active lawn care season as rising soil temperatures and increasing daylight encourage grass to begin growing again! Here, Guy Jenkins, Consumer Manager at Johnsons Lawn Seed, offers his expert tips on how to revive and restore your lawn back to life.
Preparing your lawn for its first light cut
Before giving the lawn its first light cut, brush the surface vigorously with a stiff broom to remove leaves, twigs and any winter debris that may have accumulated. Follow this with a thorough raking using a spring-tine rake. This lifts the grass, removes thatch and mos
s, and ensures both grass and weeds are upright and ready to meet the mower blades.
At this stage the lawn should only receive very light cuts. Two gentle passes to simply ‘tip off’ the grass are usually sufficient while growth is still slow. Avoid cutting too short early in the season as this can weaken the lawn just as it begins to recover from winter. Once cut, take time to trim and neaten the edges of the lawn to give the whole area a sharper, more defined appearance.
If your mower does not have a rear roller, early spring is also a suitable time to give the lawn a light roll, provided the surface is dry and not waterlogged. Rolling helps to level minor bumps and settle any frost heave from the winter months.
Overseeding
March is also an excellent time to begin lawn restoration work. As soil temperatures start to rise, grass seed germinates more readily, making early spring ideal for repairing worn areas and overseeding bare patches.
Overseeding is one of the simplest and most effective ways to bring tired, thinning grass back to life. By sowing new lawn seed directly into your existing lawn, you can fill bare patches, improve colour and texture, and encourage a thicker, healthier sward throughout the year. Professional groundskeepers use this technique routinely, and with the right preparation it can be just as effective in the home garden.
Overseeding is best carried out in early spring to prepare the lawn for strong summer growth, or in early autumn when cooler temperatures and natural rainfall help new seed establish before winter. Both seasons provide excellent conditions for germination and root development.
To overseed successfully you will need a few basic tools and materials: a lawn mower, a rake or optional powered scarifier, grass seed suited to your lawn, a garden fork or hollow-tine aerator, top dressing such as sand, compost or loam depending on soil type, a suitable lawn fertiliser, and a watering can, hose or sprinkler.
The first mow of the season
Start by mowing the lawn short on a dry day, clearing away clippings and debris so that the new seed can reach the soil surface. Next, rake thoroughly to remove layers of dead grass and thatch. Aerate the soil using a fork or aerator to relieve compaction and improve drainage. Apply a light top dressing to help level minor hollows and improve soil structure, then feed the lawn with a balanced fertiliser suitable for the season.
Sow the seed evenly across the prepared area, ideally onto moist soil, following the recommended rate of around 25g per square metre unless otherwise specified. Gently rake the seed into the surface and lightly firm the ground with your feet or a roller to ensure good soil contact. Keep newly seeded areas off-limits while young shoots establish, and water regularly with a fine spray if conditions are dry.
Once the new grass reaches around 5–8cm (2–3in) in height, it is ready for its first light cut. Gradually lower the mowing height over subsequent cuts, remembering never to remove more than one-third of the grass in a single mow.