Lawn Maintenance in Spring to Autumn – Costs Compared to Doing it yourself

Paying a lawn maintenance company is, of course, easier than doing it yourself. However with living costs always on the up and prices increasing, it might be time to start thinking about doing your own lawn maintenance.

That’s why in this post I’m giving you the EXACT step by step guide to doing it yourself.

I’ll also explain why Spring and (or) Autumn are the most important times to execute your own maintenance plan.

First, let’s look at the cost savings you might make when doing your own lawn maintenance.

We’ll base the comparison on the maintenance of 100m2 area of grass.

So, for example, if you were to buy a full year’s lawn care kit from Relentless Gardener for 100m2 it would cost somewhere between £60 – £80

Then if you buy a scarifier so you can get the thatch out once or twice a year, it would cost between £80-£200. I usually recommend going for a mid range one that will stand the test of time.

A quick snapshot from the Google search shows you the prices as of this writing.

As well as the seasonal treatments supplied in the kit, you may wish to apply top dressing once a year. The average spend on top dressing for a 100m2 lawn is approximately £50-100

So, when we total this together, the cost of buying your own products would be between £110 and £190 per year for the products.

And a one off of £100 on a scarifier.

Costs for lawn maintenance by a company

Check a trade have created a useful post about the average prices charged by lawn treatment services.

They suggest a one-off treatment usually costs around £45. This means if you have 6 treatments per year, it will cost £270 but you won’t have to do anything.

Then you’ll need a scarification at least once a year. I’ve heard costs ranging from £100 to £300. So, for arguments sake, let’s say it costs £200 for one scarification.

DIY vs Lawn Company Comparison Costs

So, summarising all of the above. That tells me you’ll pay a total of £120 a year to feed and top dress your grass when doing it yourself.

Whereas you’ll pay a total of £470 for just feeding and scarifying if you get a lawn maintenance service on it.

A total saving of £350 per year and that doesn’t even include the top dressing.

All-in-all, I’d say it’s a big enough difference to take the dive into a DIY approach for your lawn.

The question is – is it something that needs to be done by a professional? Let’s discuss.

Here are my thoughts on that.

Yes, it’s definitely possible to do lawn maintenance yourself, and many homeowners find it both rewarding and cost-effective. Basic tasks like mowing, edging, watering, and feeding can be managed with a few essential tools and a little dedication.

Over time, you’ll get to know your grass and will. be able to determine what needs doing and when. Especially when it comes to Spring or Autumn maintenance.

Dealing with persistent weeds might require a bit more effort and knowledge, but they’re still manageable with the right equipment and guidance.

Online resources and tutorials can be very helpful for these.

Ultimately, if you enjoy working outdoors and are willing to invest in some tools, DIY lawn care products can be a fulfilling way to keep your yard looking great.

Tools Needed

I’ve written a full post on the best and most necessary lawn care tools.

In summary, you’re going to need a few tools to get you through the lawn care seasons Don’t worry though, you can pick most of them up for cheap. If you look on aftermarket sites too, you might be able to get second hand ones for next to nothing.

So, you’ll need a spreader, scarifier, mower and edging tool. That’s about it in terms of tools.

In addition to the tools needed here’s a brief outline of the tasks and products you’ll need to use to keep the grass maintained throughout the year.

Lawn Maintenance in Spring and Autumn

Spring or Autumn are the prime times for doing a full renovation and overseed. I usually recommend doing one of these every 18 months.

This will include –

• Apply iron sulphate moss killer at 4g per m2 (mixed with water)
• Wait up to 1 week then Scarify – preferably with an electric scarifier
• Apply Signature Spring Summer Lawn Feed or Autumn Feed depending on the time of year 30g per m2. Note organic alternatives are available too
• Wait a week, then apply overseed grass seed at 25g per m2 (when the temps are above 10 degrees)
• Optionally apply 70/30 top dressing to improve seed to soil contact
• Wait 2 weeks, optionally apply Liquid Seaweed 2 weeks after overseed
• Wait 8-10 weeks and do 2nd application of Spring Summer Lawn or Winter Feed

The above steps are your classic tasks and most of them can be fulfilled in one day once the moss has been killed.

You can skip the iron sulphate if your lawn doesn’t tend to get moss.

• lawn Maintenance in Winter & Summer

• These are the month’s when you’ll do less with your grass. Mowing will reduce massively in Winter. Most people don’t mow at all
• It may also reduce in Summer if there’s extreme heat. Sometimes it can go brown. Don’t worry though, it usually revives itself.
• Avoid applying high-nitrogen products in the Summer or Winter. Instead apply a liquid feed.
• Don’t apply anything during a drought (in Summer) or when frost is present (in Winter)