Blog



Autumn Lawn Care

Now that Autumn is around the corner your lawn could probably benefit from some tender loving care

It will need to recover from the hot and dry days over the summer months, and will also need preparing for the cold winter months up ahead.

Autumn Leaves

Try to remove fallen leaves from the lawn as regularly as possible. If not done regularly the leaves will build up and the grass will be underneath a blanket of moist, rotting vegetation, which needless to say is not healthy for the lawn. Clearing leaves should be done at least weekly throughout Autumn. Depending on the size of your lawn either a rake or mechanical blower will help you collect up the leaves. You can then use the leaves for compost if you have a compost bin.

Rehydration

If you have spent a lot of time in your garden over the summer your lawn may have had a lot of feet trampling all over it.

Using a fork to aerate the lawn helps to strengthen the grass by improving drainage. Making holes into the top few inches of soil allows rain and air to penetrate into the soil and helps to relieve any compaction. Without help, vital rainwater may run off a dry lawn and be wasted.

Feeding

After regular mowing during summer the lawn can benefit from a feed to help strengthen it before Winter. Choose a suitable Autumn fertiliser with balanced nutrients and slow release nitrogen. Whichever feeding product you choose, apply it to the lawn according to the directions and the lawn will be healthier and greener in Autumn and will survive through Winter ready for Spring and Summer next year.

Repairing Bare Patches

Drought and heavy use during Summer can cause dead patches to appear in a lawn. So can scraping of the surface by a mower which is set too low. Re-seeding a bare patch during Autumn can be the best remedy.

To repair a bare patch of soil follow these steps:

  1. Prick the surface of the bare patch with a garden fork.
  2. Rake the soil to form a level seed bed.
  3. Scatter grass seed evenly over the area and then cover with a thin layer of compost.
  4. Pat down the area with the back of a spade.
  5. Water the patch regularly.