Lawn and Garden Jobs for March

As the risk of frost becomes unlikely and the days grow longer, March is the perfect time to prepare your lawn for a lush and vibrant growing season. Here are some essential lawn care tips to get your yard ready for spring:

1. Preparing Your Tools

Inspect your lawn care tools after winter storage. Make sure your mower is ready for the new season, sharpen mower blades, check oil and fuel levels, and ensure scarifiers and aerators are in good working condition. Visit your local Parker’s DIY in Stubbington, Denmead, Fareham or North Baddesley in Hampshire for lawn mower blade sharpening or a complete service of your petrol powered garden equipment. We also sell new mowers, strimmers and chain saws for all your garden power tool needs.

2. Assess Your Lawn’s Condition

Before diving into tasks, inspect your lawn for signs of damage from winter weather. Look for:

• Bare spots
• Excessive thatch buildup
• Signs of pests or disease

Take note of areas that need extra attention.

3. Key Lawn Care Tasks for March

• Mowing: Start mowing your lawn as the grass begins to grow but set your mower blades to a higher setting to avoid stressing it. Choose dry days for mowing and other tasks to avoid damaging the lawn.
• Aeration: Use a fork or solid-tine aerator to introduce air to compacted soil, this improves water and nutrient absorption and keeps pests and disease at bay.
• Scarification: Lightly rake your lawn to remove any remaining leaves, moss and dead grass to encourage new growth.
• Fertilizing: Apply a balanced spring fertilizer to give your lawn a nutrient boost.
• Weed and Moss Control: Use appropriate weed killers and moss treatments to maintain a tidy lawn, treat weeds such as dandelions before flowers grow to avoid affecting insects such as bees. Prevent weeds before they appear by applying a pre-emergent herbicide to target weeds like crabgrass that germinate as temperatures rise. Apply weed treatment at least 24 hours before rain and make sure overseeding is done several days later to avoid killing new growth. Lawn feed and fertilizers are all available at your local Parker’s DIY as well as great customer advice on which weedkiller to buy.

4. Early Seeding and Repairs

If your lawn has bare patches, you can overseed these areas with a suitable grass seed blend. Denmead Turf and Topsoil sell both fine and hard-wearing grass seed mixes in 5, 10 and 20kg bags as well as a blend that exactly matches our turf and a shade-resistant grass seed. After spreading the seed either by hand, or with a purpose-built seed spreader for larger areas, lightly cover the seeds with soil to protect them from birds and make sure they are watered lightly regularly if there is no rain forecast.

5. Sustainability Tips

Spring is a great time to start a compost heap either in a compost bin or, if you have the room, a wooden composter, using grass clipping and garden waste to make your own compost for next year.

6. Plan your planting in the garden and vegetable plot

March is the perfect time to start sowing seeds and giving your garden a head start on the growing season. As the days get longer and temperatures begin to rise, many hardy vegetables and flowers can be sown directly into the soil or started indoors. Cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, carrots, and peas thrive in early spring, while flowers such as sweet peas and marigolds can be started in trays for transplanting later. If frost is still a concern, using a greenhouse, cold frame, or windowsill can protect delicate seedlings. With the right care and timing, your March plantings will reward you with lush, healthy growth as spring unfolds.

Final Thoughts

March is a transitional month for your lawn, and taking these proactive steps will set the stage for a beautiful garden all year long. With a little effort and attention, your lawn will be ready to thrive when the full growing season arrives.