Four reasons why you should feed your lawn - plus one reason why you shouldn't

As our gardens start the transition from spring to summer, now's the time to start mowing your lawn.

The grass should be growing strongly by now, so you'll need to cut it at least once a week. But if it's still patchy or the yellow tinge hasn't turned green yet, it probably needs some extra attention.

Just like we do, grass needs the right nutrients to help it grow, and a good-quality lawn feed can really help. But that's not all it can do.

Find out why feeding your lawn shouldn't be an afterthought. And keep scrolling to discover one reason why you might want to avoid feeding it altogether.

See our round-up of the best lawn feed with moss and weed killer

Four reasons why you should feed your lawn

1. To help it grow stronger and greener

Giving your grass regular feeds will brighten up a lacklustre lawn and ensure it stays as healthy as possible. If your grass uses up all the nutrients in the soil and has nothing to feed on, it can become thin and patchy and start to turn yellow.

2. To reduce weeds and moss

Feeding the lawn is a great way of reducing unwanted weeds without using weedkiller. Weeds and moss thrive in low-nutrient conditions, so fertilising will provide a boost for the grass and discourage weeds.

3. To support healthy soil

While feeding the lawn doesn't necessarily protect the soil, it does add more nutrients to it to help support the grass. Therefore, a healthy lawn that's well fed will support the soil and all the creatures that live in it.

4. To reduce maintenance

Feeding the lawn will also make it easier to maintain. Not only will it reduce weeds, but it will also stop patches that would need to be resowed and help it to withstand all the summer activities ahead.

Keep your grass tidy using one of our top five lawn mowers for 2021.

One reason why you shouldn't feed your lawn

Not everyone wants a neatly cut lawn, especially the bees and butterflies. So, if you want to turn your lawn into a wildflower meadow instead, then don't feed it.

Introduce a plant called 'yellow rattle' that weakens the grass and makes it easier for wildflowers to grow.

Next, sow wildflower seed mix or use plug plants to bring wildflowers to your lawn. Then avoid mowing until the wildflowers have set seed.

Discover the best garden plants for attracting bees.

How to feed your lawn naturally

If you'd prefer not to use chemicals in your garden or you can't get hold of any fertiliser, try feeding your lawn naturally.

• Trim your grass with a mulching mower or a robot mower that drops clippings. As they rot down they'll act as a fertiliser.
• Remember to cut regularly to keep the clippings small. Large clumps of grass take a long time to decompose and won't look good.

See all our lawn mower reviews. Or head straight to our guide on how to lay turf to discover our recommended suppliers.