Spring is always a busy time for the gardener, clearing up the mess of winter, removing dead plants and preparing the ground ready for the years growing season. Although our lawns look tired and in poor condition lawn care is one of the most important aspects of modern gardening. Even the most sparse garden benefits greatly from a well kept, vividly green lawn and to ensure that we obtain such results it is vitally important that we start our lawn care regime at the earliest opportunity.

One of the very first things we must do is to remove the dead material found between the grass and the soil, this is known as thatch. The simplest way to remove thatch is to give your lawn a good firm raking. although it can be rather time consuming you can immediately notice an improvement in your lawn. By removing the thatch you are ensuring that water and nutrients are able to reach the root system of the grass, furthermore it also allows sunlight to penetrate further.

As well as removing the thatch any lawn care regime should include early aeration of the soil. Aeration is especially important if your lawn is heavily used (such as in a family garden) as the ground becomes too compact to allow nutrients and air into the soil and water sits on the surface for longer creating puddles etc. Good aeration also ensures that earthworms are able to move through the soil more easily. The easiest way in which you can aerate your lawn is to use a garden fork which should be pushed gently into the soil and jiggled slightly to both loosen the soil and create a small set of holes. This should be done evenly across all of the lawn. One of the best methods of aerating a lawn is to use a specialist tool called a plug aerator which removes small plugs of earth thus increasing aeration.

The route to a perfect lawn starts with good preparation. The two things mentioned above should be done during early spring every year. If you find yourself struggling with your lawn do not be afraid to seek some lawn care advice, even the most experienced professionals seek advice at times. The methods of lawn care vary greatly depending on where you live, your local climate, the soil type, the amount of sunlight the lawn is likely to receive and a number of other factors often unique to the area.

There are a number of ways in which you can gain lawn care advice, books are incredibly useful but the best advice is usually found close to home. Pay a visit to a few local nurseries and garden centers as there are always a few guys who have vast experience which they are willing to share. Failing that you could always keep an eye out for a well kept lawn around your area, most gardeners will be willing to share their local knowledge and may even highlight a few things that you may not have considered.

Lawns only ever add beauty to a garden when they are well kept. A poor quality, unhealthy and balding lawn can look so bad that the eye is immediately drawn to it in preference to a gorgeous flower bed therefore destroying a great deal of hard work. In contrast a lawn which has been carefully cared for that is lush and green will draw the eye onto the flower beds thus enhancing the beauty of it. There is something really special about a freshly mowed lawn so take the time to learn about lawn care so that you can ensure strong growth throughout the growing season year after year.

Eric Johnstone has been a landscape gardener for over 15 years and writes for a small number of landscape gardening sites in his spare time.