Autumn Lawn Care

Autumn Lawn Care

This summer has been very tough on our lawns so giving your lawn a bit of attention in the autumn will give it a chance to regenerate before winter sets in. Autumn jobs include removing thatch, moss and weeds, aerating your lawn, fixing patches and even feeding it if it really needs some care

In autumn, hours of daylight are reduced so the grass has less available time to photosynthesize the sun's light and produce energy for growth. If you raise the height of your mower blades you will ensure there is more grass to photosynthesize which means more sugars are stored in the roots for future growth.

Mow less frequently in autumn

You should mow less frequently now because the grass will be growing slowly and it is important not to cut a wet or frosty lawn, as this can damage the grass.

Scarifying can dramatically improve the health and vigour of your lawn

Scarifying is the process of removing moss and thatch, simply rake the lawn vigorously with a long-tined lawn rake to remove moss, creeping stems and trodden-in decaying material that has accumulated over the summer. The grass will recover quickly and will grow thicker and lusher as a result.

Following heavy use over summer, lawns can become compacted, so spike the surface with a garden fork, about 8cm deep every 15cm. This boosts grass root growth and improves surface drainage, preventing waterlogging.

Add some grass seed

Where you have large bare patches, simply loosen the bare soil with a fork and scatter grass seed over the surface then cover with topsoil and water in. Seed should germinate and establish quickly in the warm soil so the bald patches will green up before winter sets in.

Autumn Feeding

Most lawns will recover on their own after summer, However, if you think your lawn needs a boost you can apply an autumn lawn feed. Do not use a high nitrogen spring feed, your lawn requires an autumn feed rich in potassium and phosphates to encourage root growth and overall vigour rather than leafy growth.

Encouraging strong root growth will result in more leafy growth next spring.

Apply autumn lawn feeds just before rain is forecast, at the rate specified on the packet. Scatter it as evenly as possible, calibrated to the correct application rate. If it doesn’t rain within a day or so, you must water it in, so timing is essential.