A Seasonal Grounds Maintenance Checklist for Sussex, Surrey & Hampshire Properties

Grounds maintenance isn’t a single task — it’s a rolling schedule that changes shape across the year. A site that looks sharp in June can fall behind fast if the winter work gets skipped, and a lawn treatment programme timed to the wrong month can undo a season’s progress. Here’s how we structure a typical annual schedule for commercial, residential and public sector sites across Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire.

Spring (March–May)

Spring is when growth accelerates and any winter neglect becomes obvious. Priorities at this point are:

• First cuts of the season, gradually reducing mowing height back to the target level rather than scalping the lawn in one go
• Scarification and aeration, if not already done in autumn, to clear winter thatch and relieve soil compaction before the growing season picks up
• Weed control, catching broadleaf weeds and moss early before they establish
• Hedge and shrub inspection, checking for winter dieback before the first major trim

Summer (June–August)

This is the highest-frequency period of the year for most sites — weekly or fortnightly visits are typical for commercial grounds maintenance contracts through summer.

• Mowing frequency increases to keep pace with growth
• Hedge cutting and perimeter management to maintain sightlines and access
• Irrigation and drought stress monitoring during dry spells
• Litter and waste clearance on high-footfall commercial sites

Autumn (September–November)

Autumn is arguably the most important season for lawn health — most turf specialists agree early autumn is the best window for scarification, since the grass still has time to recover before winter but the summer heat stress has passed.

• Scarification and overseeding where needed
• Leaf clearance, ideally on a rolling schedule rather than a single end-of-season blitz, since a thick leaf layer left on turf for weeks will smother and kill grass underneath
• Final fertiliser application to build root strength before winter
• Hard landscaping checks — clearing gutters, drains and paved areas before wet weather sets in

Winter (December–February)

Growth slows dramatically, but winter isn’t a maintenance-free period, particularly on commercial and public sector sites where safety is the priority.

• Site safety inspections — checking paths, car parks and access routes for slip hazards
• Structural hedge and tree work while plants are dormant
• Salting and gritting on contracted sites during cold snaps
• Planning next season’s landscaping or planting projects, since dormant season is often the best time for hard landscaping and planting work

Building this into a contract

The value of a scheduled grounds maintenance contract — rather than ad hoc visits — is that this seasonal rhythm is planned in from the start, rather than reacted to after a problem becomes visible. If you’d like a schedule built around your specific site, get in touch or take a look at our grounds maintenance and lawn & turf care services.