Spring Lawn Care Checklist 2026: What to Do This Month

After months of cold, wet weather, most UK lawns look rough by the end of winter. Bare patches, moss, compacted soil, and yellowed grass are all normal, and all fixable.

But timing matters. Start too early and you waste product on frozen ground. Start too late and weeds get established before your grass has a chance to recover.

This checklist breaks down exactly what your lawn needs each month from March through May, with the right products for each task.

Before You Start: Check Your Soil Temperature

Almost everything on this checklist depends on soil temperature. Grass seed won’t germinate, fertiliser won’t absorb properly, and weed killer won’t translocate in cold soil.

The magic number is 8°C. Once your soil consistently hits 8°C, spring lawn care can begin in earnest. In southern England, this is typically mid-March. In the Midlands, late March. Scotland and northern England, early to mid-April.

You can check soil temperature with a simple soil thermometer (under £10 from any garden centre), or use the old trick: if your grass has started growing enough to need its first cut, the soil is warm enough.

March: Assessment and First Steps

March is about preparation. The ground is still cold in most of the UK, so hold off on feeding and seeding until conditions improve. But there’s plenty to do.

1. Walk the Lawn and Assess the Damage

Before you spend anything, walk your lawn slowly and make notes. Look for:

• Bare patches where grass has died over winter (you’ll need to overseed these)
• Moss in green or black patches, especially in shaded or damp areas (you’ll need to treat and remove it)
• Compaction in areas that feel hard underfoot, especially along paths and play areas (these need aerating)
• Waterlogging where puddles sit for hours after rain (drainage issue)
• Thatch, a spongy layer of dead material between grass blades and soil (needs scarifying)

This assessment tells you what products you actually need. Not every lawn needs everything, so spend your money where it matters.

2. First Mow of the Year

Once grass reaches about 5cm, give it its first cut. But go easy:

• Set your mower to its highest setting
• Only take off the top third of the blade
• Use a sharp blade. Tearing damages grass when it’s still weak
• Pick up clippings (they’ll smother recovering grass)

This first cut stimulates the grass to tiller (grow sideways), which thickens the lawn naturally. Don’t be tempted to scalp it. Low cutting in early spring stresses the grass and lets weeds in.

3. Clear Debris and Leaves

Rake off any remaining autumn leaves, fallen twigs, and dead material. Anything sitting on the lawn blocks light and traps moisture, which encourages moss and disease.

4. Light Scarification (If Needed)

If thatch is thick (more than about 1cm), a light scarify in late March helps air and water reach the roots. Don’t go too aggressive this early. Save heavy scarification for autumn. A spring rake or light scarifier pass is enough.

April: Feed, Seed and Treat

April is the busiest month for lawn care. Soil temperatures are rising, grass is actively growing, and this is when the real work begins.

5. Apply Spring Lawn Treatment

This is the single most impactful thing you can do for your lawn in spring. A good spring feed provides:

• Nitrogen for green colour and leaf growth
• Phosphorus for root development
• Potassium for disease resistance and drought tolerance
• Iron sulphate to kill moss and blacken it for removal
• Selective herbicide to kill broadleaf weeds without harming grass

Our Spring Lawn Treatment combines all of these in one application: feed, weed and moss killer in a single product. Apply when the grass is actively growing and rain is expected within 48 hours (or water in lightly).

Important: If you’re planning to overseed bare patches, do that before applying a treatment that contains herbicide. The herbicide that kills weeds will also kill new grass seedlings. Seed first, wait 6 to 8 weeks for establishment, then apply the treatment. Alternatively, use Pre-Seed Foundation Feed on seeded areas. It feeds without the herbicide.

6. Overseed Bare Patches

Spring is the second-best time to overseed (autumn is ideal, but spring works well). For bare patches:

1. Rake the area to expose bare soil
2. Apply Pre-Seed Foundation Feed. Its high-phosphorus formula promotes root development without herbicide that would kill seedlings
3. Spread seed at 35g per m² for bare soil, or 20g per m² for thin areas
4. Lightly rake seed in and firm with your feet or a roller
5. Water daily for 2 to 3 weeks until established

Which seed? That depends on your situation:

For more detail on choosing the right seed, see our UK Grass Types Explained guide.

7. Treat Moss

If your assessment in March revealed moss, April is the time to deal with it. Moss thrives in lawns that are shaded, poorly drained, compacted, or underfed, so feeding and aerating will help prevent it returning.

For active moss removal:

1. Apply a moss treatment containing iron sulphate (our Spring Lawn Treatment includes this)
2. Wait 7 to 14 days for the moss to blacken and die
3. Scarify or rake out the dead moss thoroughly
4. Overseed any bare areas left behind

For more detail, see our full guide: How to Get Rid of Moss in Your Lawn.

8. Aerate Compacted Areas

If parts of your lawn feel hard and solid underfoot, the soil is compacted. Compaction stops water, air, and nutrients reaching the roots, which means your expensive feed sits on the surface doing nothing.

Use a garden fork, hollow-tine aerator, or spiked shoes to aerate problem areas. Push holes 10 to 15cm deep, every 10 to 15cm apart. This is hard work but makes a massive difference to how well your lawn responds to feeding and seeding.

May: Maintain and Mow

By May, your spring treatments should be working and new seed should be germinating. Now it’s about consistent maintenance to keep the momentum going.

9. Regular Mowing

As growth picks up, you’ll need to mow weekly. Gradually lower the cutting height over several weeks, but never remove more than a third of the blade in one go.

• Early May: Mow at 4 to 5cm
• Late May: Bring down to 3 to 4cm for a neater finish
• Shaded areas: Keep at 5cm or above. Taller grass captures more light

10. First Mow of New Seedlings

If you overseeded in April, your new grass should be visible by mid-May. Wait until seedlings reach 5 to 6cm, then give them a very gentle first cut on the highest mower setting. This encourages the grass to tiller and thicken up.

Don’t walk heavily on new grass yet. The root systems are still shallow and easily damaged.

11. Weed Check

If you applied a weed-and-feed product in April, most broadleaf weeds should be dying back by now. Check for any survivors and spot-treat if needed.

If weeds are still appearing heavily, it usually means the grass is too thin (weeds colonise bare soil). The solution is thicker grass, not more weed killer, so focus on feeding and overseeding.

12. Water New Grass (If Dry)

May can bring dry spells. Established lawns will survive, but newly seeded areas need consistent moisture for 3 to 4 weeks after sowing. Water lightly every morning if there’s no rain forecast.

Complete Spring Product Guide

Here’s everything you might need this spring, in the order you’ll use it:

Common Spring Lawn Care Mistakes

Most spring lawn problems aren’t caused by bad products. They’re caused by bad timing. Here are the mistakes we see most often:

Feeding too early. Applying fertiliser to dormant grass in February wastes product and feeds the weeds that are growing while your grass isn’t. Wait until soil hits 8°C and grass is actively growing.

Cutting too short, too soon. Scalping in spring removes the leaf area your grass needs to photosynthesise and recover. Keep the first few cuts high (5cm+) and lower gradually.

Seeding and treating at the same time. Weed-and-feed products contain herbicide that kills seedlings. If you need to both overseed and treat, seed first, wait 6 to 8 weeks, then apply treatment. Or use Pre-Seed Foundation Feed on seeded areas instead.

Ignoring compaction. If you feed compacted soil, most nutrients run off or sit on the surface. Aerate first, then feed. The difference is dramatic.

Letting new seed dry out. Grass seed that dries out during germination dies. Water lightly every day for the first 2 to 3 weeks. This is the number one reason overseeding fails.

Skipping the assessment. Not every lawn needs the same treatment. A quick walk-around in March saves you buying products you don’t need and ensures you fix the actual problems.

Month-by-Month Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start spring lawn care in the UK?

Start with assessment and debris clearing from early March. Hold off on feeding, seeding, and treating until soil temperature consistently reaches 8°C. That’s typically mid-March in the south of England, and late March to April in the Midlands, north, and Scotland. The surest sign is when your grass starts growing enough to need its first mow.

Can I feed my lawn and overseed at the same time?

Not if your feed contains herbicide (weed killer). The herbicide that kills broadleaf weeds will also kill new grass seedlings. If you need to both feed and seed, use a herbicide-free starter feed like Pre-Seed Foundation Feed on seeded areas first, then apply a full weed-and-feed treatment 6 to 8 weeks later once the new grass has established.

What is the best grass seed for spring sowing?

A spring-specific seed mix optimised for cooler soil temperatures is ideal. For general use, Spring Lawn Seed is formulated to germinate in spring conditions. For quick patch repairs, Fast Growing Grass Seed germinates in as little as 5 days. For shaded areas, choose a shade tolerant mix.

How often should I mow in spring?

Start with your first cut when grass reaches about 5cm (usually March). Mow on the highest setting and only take off the top third. By late April you’ll likely be mowing weekly. Gradually lower the cutting height through May. Aim for 3 to 4cm by late spring. Never remove more than a third of the blade length in one cut.

Should I scarify my lawn in spring?

Only lightly. If thatch is thick (more than 1cm), a gentle spring scarify helps. But heavy scarification is best left to autumn when the grass can recover during the growing season without summer heat stress. In spring, a light rake or single pass with a scarifier on a high setting is enough.

When should I apply weed killer to my lawn?

Apply selective weed killer (or a combined feed-weed-moss product like Spring Lawn Treatment) from mid-April onwards, when both the grass and weeds are actively growing. Don’t apply in frost, drought, or heavy rain. The ideal conditions are a mild, slightly damp day with rain expected within 48 hours. For more detail, see our guide: When to Apply Weed Killer.

My lawn is full of moss. What should I do first?

First, treat the moss with a product containing iron sulphate. Wait 7 to 14 days for it to blacken, then scarify or rake it out. Overseed any bare areas left behind. Then address the underlying cause: moss usually means shade, compaction, poor drainage, or acidic soil. Feeding, aerating, and improving drainage will prevent it returning. See: How to Get Rid of Moss in Your Lawn.

Is it too late to do spring lawn care in May?

May is fine for feeding and treating. In fact, in northern parts of the UK, May is prime time. It’s getting late for overseeding though, as summer heat and dry spells can stress new seedlings. If you’re sowing seed in May, be prepared to water daily and avoid sowing during heatwaves. Otherwise, wait until autumn for overseeding.

What Comes Next?

Once your spring care is done, your lawn should be thickening up, greening nicely, and largely weed-free by late May. From here:

• June to August: Switch to Summer Lawn Treatment for continued feeding through the growing season
• September to October: Autumn is the best time for heavy renovation: scarification, aeration, and overseeding with Autumn Lawn Seed
• November to February: Winter Lawn Treatment hardens the grass for cold weather

Or take the hassle out of seasonal timing entirely with the Year Round Lawn Treatment Bundle. All four seasonal treatments delivered together.

For more lawn care guides, tips and seasonal advice, visit our Lawn Care Knowledge Hub.