A garden lawn should be lush and green, and in order to get it that way and keep it that way, a bit of forward planning is required. Having a beautiful lawn doesn't need to take up a lot of time, but it does require a bit of effort. Read on for 5 top tips in creating a lush green lawn, and how to keep it that way.

1: Springtime maintenance

Set up a maintenance schedule which is planned around the springtime season. Most likely your lawn will have taken a bashing over the winter period, and may have developed some issues such as compacted soil. As soon as springtime arrives, it is time to check the condition of soil and lawn. First, check if your soil has compacted. To test this out all you need to do is stick a garden fork in the ground. If the tines of the fork fail to penetrate 2 inches of soil easily, then you have compacted soil on your hands. You can remedy this problem by loosening the soil with an aerator. If you notice that your lawn has dried out, then take a rack and lightly rake over to irrigate. If there are any depressed areas then fill them in with soil, and if there are any areas which are raised, cut away the soil, in order to create a flat ground. Then, clear your lawn of any weeds that have grown.

2: Re-seed the lawn

After you have completed the preparation of your lawn, you may notice areas of the lawn which are brown, bare, or patchy. These areas need to be re-seeded with grass seed. Take time to go over the lawn, seeding the problem areas by hand, or via a broadcast spreader (if the area is sizable). Make sure that you keep the area fertilized and moist once seeded, to help ensure growth. Re-seed when temperatures are right for seed germination, which is usually around the 65 degrees Fahrenheit/18 degrees Celsius mark.

3: Fertilize regularly

Feeding your lawn is important in helping it grow lush and think. Apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer early in the season when the turf begins to grow. Note that if fertilizer is applied too early or late, any lingering cold or early heat can cause stress on the grass, reducing the quality and growth. So fertilize only when required.

4: Trim the grass

Keep grass trimmed using a good quality mower in order to keep it looking its best. However, make sure that you cut at the right height. Using lawn mowers to cut grass overly short exposes the soil to sunlight, which allows weeds to take hold more easily. Ensure that the soil is long enough to keep the soil shaded, which will allow the soil to retain water more effectively.

5: Don't forget to edge

Lastly, don't forget to edge your lawn neatly. You can do this with garden edgers. Garden lawn edgers will give you neat straight edges around flower beds and paths, resulting in neat looking lawn.