Lawn care through the year
Everything a home gardener needs for a healthy lawn: how high and how often to mow, when to feed, the autumn routine that brings a tired lawn back, and how to deal with moss, weeds and brown patches. Short videos, quick checks and a checklist for your own garden in every lesson.
10 lessons18 minutes of video42 flashcardsLifetime access
Start with lessons 1 and 2: what grass needs and how to mow it well. Most lawn problems are solved by those two lessons and the autumn routine in lesson 4.
Mowing and the basics
What grass needs, the lawn year, and mowing well
- 1How a lawn worksThe two kinds of lawn, what grass needs to grow thick, and the lawn year at a glance.
- 2Mowing wellHow high to cut, how often, the one-third rule, and what to do with the clippings.Free lesson
Feeding and seasonal care
Spring and autumn feeds, drought, scarifying, aerating and top-dressing
- 3Feeding and wateringWhen and what to feed, feeding safely, and why an established lawn doesn't need watering.
- 4Autumn renovationScarifying, aerating and top-dressing: the autumn routine that brings a tired lawn back.
Lawn problems
Moss, weeds, brown patches, leatherjackets and chafer grubs
- 5MossWhy moss comes, how to remove it, how to stop it coming back, and when to leave it be.Free lesson
- 6Weeds in the lawnThe common lawn weeds, removing them by hand, keeping them out, and why many gardeners keep some.
- 7Brown patches and lawn grubsTelling dog urine from drought, feed scorch and scalping, and what to do about leatherjackets and chafer grubs.
New lawns, repairs and wildlife
Repairing patches and edges, new lawns from seed or turf, wildlife and shade
- 8Repairing a lawnReseeding bare patches, mending broken edges, levelling bumps and hollows, and aftercare.
- 9A new lawn from seed or turfChoosing seed or turf, preparing the ground, sowing, laying turf and the first cuts.
- 10Lawns for wildlife and shadeMowing less, adding wildflowers, cutting long grass safely, and lawns in shade.
Before you buy
Do I need special products or machines?
No. A mower, a spring-tine rake and a garden fork do most of the work. The course explains when hiring a scarifier or hollow-tine aerator is worth it, and why most lawns don't need weedkillers.
My lawn is mostly moss and weeds. Is it too late?
Usually not. The course shows how to find the cause, renovate in autumn and reseed thin areas; lesson 9 covers starting again from seed or turf if you need to.
Are GardenSteps courses RHS courses?
No. GardenSteps is independent. Our courses follow the Royal Horticultural Society's published guidance, but they aren't affiliated with or endorsed by the RHS.
Who are the courses for?
Home gardeners in the UK, from complete beginners to people who garden every year and want to stop guessing. You don't need any experience.
How long does each lesson take?
The videos are about two minutes each. With the quick check, the flashcards and the checklist, a lesson takes around ten minutes, so you can do one over a cup of tea and then go out into the garden.
How long do I have access?
A single course is yours for as long as we run it, with no subscription. If we ever close a course, we'll give you at least 12 months' notice and a way to download its summary sheets. The all-access pass opens every course for 12 months.
What is the all-access pass?
One payment of £79 opens every GardenSteps course for 12 months, including any new courses we release during that time, with all the summary sheets and handouts. It doesn't renew automatically: we email you a month before it ends, and renewing early adds the new year to the end of your current one. Handouts you've downloaded are yours to keep.
Which devices can I use?
Any modern phone, tablet or computer, so you can take a lesson out into the garden. The summary sheets are PDF files you can print.
Can I get a refund?
You can cancel within 14 days. Because the courses are digital content, the right to cancel ends once you start the lessons, and we ask you to confirm this at checkout. See our refund policy for details.