FAQs

Aerating your lawn not only helps the grass but your soil as well. Aerating your lawn once or twice a year is the best thing you can do to improve the condition of your lawn. It will remove thatch and reduce soil compaction, improving the absorption of nutrients resulting in stronger root development and a healthier lawn.

It is recommended to aerate your lawn in Spring and Autumn. Aeration is a simple process that uses a machines to pierce the earth to make holes, allowing air, water and nutrients to penetrate down to the grass roots.

Lawn aeration is applied with a machine that makes holes in the earth to a depth that will improve the absorption of water and nutrients into the soil. You can achieve the same results by inserting a pitch fork into the lawn, although this is hard work and time consuming as the holes need to be evenly spaced and must cover the whole lawn. It is easier to aerate a lawn if the soil is moist, but it won’t work if the soil is wet. Aerating after scarifying a lawn will produce better results.

Scarifiers have blades that cut downwards and also remove thatch, so if you have a lawn with a lot of thatch it is best to use a scarifier. Rakes are best used on lawns that have a lot of moss as they only work above soil level. Moss is not deep rooted so it can be pulled away easily with a lawn rake.

The ideal time to scarify a lawn is in Spring and Autumn as it will help maintain the lawn condition over hotter summer months as well as over the colder winter months. It will take 8-10 weeks after scarifying for your lawn to look its best.

A lawn scarifying machine is a vertical mover with steel blades spaced out along a reel that cuts out the thatch layer. These blades also trim the grass, cutting downwards rather than the usual cross-cutting motion when you move. This type of cutting encourages extra shoots to grow and as a result your grass thickens.

Lawns accumulate organic matter, which is made up of grass clipping, leaves, plant debris and dead grass. This thatch builds up over time and if not removed it causes problems such as patchy and mossy lawns that are not drought tolerant. Lawn disease is also promoted by the build up of organic matter on a lawn.

Ants are active during the summer and ant hills often start to appear in dry soils or in sand between paving stones. Ants excavate soil to form mounds above ground which can cause mower problems. Using soluable ant killer sachets which can be watered in without leaving powder residues are the best way to stop ant activity in the lawn. Brushing the ant hill to disperse it over the lawn or removing it with a suction device is the best way to remove the soil to allow for mowing once the ants activity has stopped or significantly decreased.

The leatherjacket is the larvae of the crane fly (Daddy Longlegs). If you notice birds pulling up grass, moss and thatch out of the lawn, and if your lawn is receding and looking in poor condition, you may have a leatherjacket or chafer grub infestation. It is easy to test for leatherjackets or chafer grubs. Place a bin bag over 1 Sqft of lawn that you think is infected and hold it in place with a couple of weights. Leave it for 12 hours and the grubs will come to the surface. Lift the bag and if you see more than 5 grubs then you have an infestation. Nematodes are the best treatment. These are insect-parasitic roundworms which will seek out the grubs when watered into the soil however they must be applied at the correct stage of grub development, so it is best to seek the advice of a professional.

Brown or yellow patches are likely caused by a lawn fungal disease, however, it is best to ask for an expert assessment before treating as it could be a symptom of other issues such as soil compaction, poor drainage or insect infestation. Lawn fungal disease is caused by drought, mowing on too low a setting, overwatering, too much fertiliser or erratic variances in temperature and humidity.

Preventing weed growth can be challenge, but the key is to tackle the conditions that are promoting the growth of the weed. A weed control plan may be required for persistent perennial weeds. Weeds will grow where there is space in the lawn, so it is vital to have a thick, dense sward to reduce weed growth. Common annual weeds can generally be removed with a hoe, however you need to be careful not to spread ungerminated seeds. A weedkiller treatment is a more effective and less arduous option. Greenmile Lawncare offer 3 weed control applications throughout the year to keep weeds at bay.

Winter is the time to allow your lawn to rest as it can damage more easily in the winter as it can’t repair itself until Spring. The Autumn treatments will help the lawn to maintain its condition over the winter period. The treatment we apply in winter is primarily a moss control to reduce the chance of moss spreading. It can also help protect the lawn from winter diseases. Keeping the grass clear of leaves and debris is also a worthwhile task as it will help prevent the build up of organic matter which will result in thatch if it isn’t removed.

Autumn is the time to prepare your lawn for winter. Autumn treatments will improve the quality and health of your lawn the following year. These treatments should include essential nutrients to strengthen the lawn over winter and feeds that will enhance the colour of the grass. Scarification, aeration, top dressing and overseeding are recommended Autumn treatments as well as clearing the lawn of leaves and debris to help to prevent the build up of organic matter.

Regular mowing and watering deeply during the summer months is the best care you can give a lawn during the summer months. A summer feed will continue to provide the nutrients the lawn needs throughout the summer months. Our treatments are adaptable to weather changes to ensure your lawn is at its best, whatever the weather!

Spring is an ideal time to aerate and scarify a lawn. It is best to aerate and scarify during the growing season as the grass will heal naturally to fill any patchy areas that may occur. Reseeding and top dressing will also help to improve the thickness of the lawn and applying bio-stimulants will enhance the condition of the lawn during the growing season.

This happens when a lawn is under drought conditions. Lawns on sandy soils are more likely to dry out, but after long, hot spells many lawns will be needing regular and deeper watering. You will want to get the water reaching to a depth of 4-6 inches, so water it for 30 minutes and put a spade into the soil to see how deep the water has penetrated. If it hasn’t reached this depth, then water it some more. Aerating your lawn will also help, and giving your lawn a Spring and early Summer treatment will also help it maintain its health during hot, dry spells.

Mushrooms are actually a sign of healthy soil and won’t harm your lawn. Mushrooms help to break down organic material into nutrients that are beneficial for strong lawn growth. Mushrooms disappear as quickly as they appear, but if you have children or pets then it is recommended to pick them off as soon as the caps appear. Mowing them can spread spores and cause more mushrooms to grow. If you want to prevent the growth of mushrooms then applying nitrogen fertiliser to the lawn will speed up the decomposition process, so the mushrooms won’t have anything to feed off.

Seasonal lawn treatments are the best way to improve the condition of a lawn. Lawn treatments that will help improve the condition of your lawn include aerations, fertiliser applications, weed treatments, bio-stimulant application, moisture retention treatments, moss treatments, pest control, and lawn scarification treatments.

Top dressing a lawn will help to improve drainage after lawn aeration as the sandy mix of top dressing will work down into the holes created. Top dressing also improves drought resistance by filling these holes and regular applications will help to break down thatch as it will aid decomposition which results in a natural breakdown of the thatch.

Deep watering is key to improving the colour of your grass. Water your grass for 30 minutes and put a spade in the grass to see how far down the water penetrated. It needs to get to 4-6 inches, so if it hasn’t reached this depth, water some more, but don’t overwater. Sandy soils can tolerate more watering than heavy clay soils so water according to soil type and climate conditions. Your grass may also need some added nutrients such as nitrogen, iron or phosphorus. Treating your lawn in the Autumn will allow the grass to store energy and nutrients over the winter so it will have stronger, healthier growth in the Spring.

If your lawn is looking a little tired and out of condition you can revive your lawn with regular lawn treatments and maintenance. We offer a FREE, no obligation, lawn analysis that will identify the reasons why your lawn is out of condition. Once the lawn analysis is completed we can create a customised treatment plan that will give your lawn the nutrients and treatment it needs to get it looking great again.

You will start to notice a considerable difference to the condition of the lawn within a couple of weeks. The weeds will start to curl up and the lawn will start to look greener.

Not generally no. However, if there is no rain for about 3 days after treatment it would aid the treatment if you did give the lawn a watering. The best time to water the lawn on hot days is early morning when it is cooler. This allows the water to soak in rather than burn off through the heat of the sun.

No, not for our Seasonal Lawn Care maintenance programs. We want our customers to continue with our service based on our success in creating a healthier greener lawn for them. We do, however, require a contractual arrangement for any new lawns we create, either from turf or seed. Any follow up lawn care treatments applied following laying the new lawn, no contract is required.

As members of Which Trusted Trader and Checkatrade, and with over 200 positive reviews, you can feel reassured that your decision to invest in the Green Mile Lawn Care treatment program will be a good one. There are some lawn treatment companies who do not have the relevant experience or qualifications that we have. Your lawn needs specific nutrients at certain times of the year, we use several different types of fertilisers and treatments according to the requirements of your lawn, time of year, soil type and weather conditions. We are aware of some companies who use the same feed all year round, irrespective of the weather and who use products with a using high nitrogen content. Too much nitrogen will create thin top growth and neglect the roots, resulting in long term problems.

Absolutely!  A large majority of our customers have the same thoughts but have been surprised at the dramatic improvement in the condition and appearance of their lawn following the application of the Green Mile Lawn Care Seasonal Treatment Program.  Those troublesome weeds have died and not come back and the grass is lush and green.

The majority of our customers are not at home when we call to treat the lawn. Since all our vehicles and operatives carry all that they require to treat your lawn we can carry out the treatment as long as we have access to the lawns. If you want to be in when we call at your home to treat the lawn, we will do our best to accommodate your request.

Yes they are safe. All we suggest is that you stay off the lawn after we have sprayed herbicide for two hours so that it has a chance to dry and be absorbed by the weeds. It is also advisable to keep grazing animals such as rabbits etc off the lawn for 2 weeks and not to let them feed off the grass for at least 2 weeks after treatment.  Do not use the first set of clippings for compost. All of our staff are trained and NPTC qualified to use herbicides and pesticides.

We can start our Seasonal Lawn Care Program any time of year, there is never a bad time to start treating and improving a lawn.

We do not seek to replace you gardener or odd job man. We have access and know how to use lawn care treatment products not generally available to gardeners, which will substantially improve the condition of your lawn and help it stay healthy. Many gardeners do not have the relevant qualifications, experience or insurance and will just buy products from garden centres and charge you for spreading them.

The professional seasonal fertilisers we use are specific for lawns and grassed areas and will feed your lawn up to 3 times longer (8-10 weeks) than the average garden centre fertiliser. Our herbicides will also control a broader range of weeds for longer. We guarantee that using our lawn care services will save you time and money.