Autumn lawn care
Now’s the time to treat your lawn to some TLC - top lawn care! After working hard over the summer, it deserves some pampering to see it through the colder months, ready for next year’s spring
After a busy season of garden games, paddling pools and sunbathing, there’s every chance your grass might look a bit tired. Don’t worry though - with a bit of effort you’ll soon have it back in tip-top shape. Just follow our guide and complete these simple tasks and you’ll have it sorted in no time
KEEP ON CUTTING
While you need to mow less through autumn and winter, you should continue to cut for as long as your grass grows. Raise the height of mower blades as temperatures dip and autumn progresses. Don’t mow if conditions are very wet or freezing
TOP TIP: A hover or manual push mower is great for a small plot, while a petrol mower is good if you have a large lawn. Choose a cylinder mower if you want bowling-green stripes
FEED IF HUNGRY
Most lawns will recover well without feeding, but if yours needs a boost then apply an autumn feed. Autumn feeds are designed to help grass produce strong roots, making them generally tougher the following year. Make sure the feed you’re using is specifically for autumn application, as any other type will encourage leafy growth that can end up doing more harm than good during freezing temperatures
TOP TIP: Buy a special applicator for applying lawn fertiliser – this will help make sure it’s evenly spread and will give your lawn the best possible chance of looking healthy
TOP DRESS FOR A TIP-TOP LAWN
Brush top-dressing over the surface of your lawn to get rid of lumps and bumps, and to encourage grass to thicken and put down more roots. Top dressing is a mix of soil, sand and well-rotted compost, - you’ll find pre-mixed bags of topsoil in-store or online
TOP TIP: Apply two lots of top-dressing, allowing a couple of days between each – this will allow the mixture to settle into any holes and dips
CLEAN UP leaves
Huge amounts of leaves will fall into your garden over the autumn and can smother your lawn. Clear them as soon as they fall to prevent them from rotting and damaging the surface of your grass. Use a rake or broom to gather leaves and other debris together. You can use them to rot down into leaf mould, which is a great soil improver. Fallen leaves under hedges or in out-of-the-way places can be left to provide shelter for wildlife over winter
TOP TIP: Run your mower over large lawns to collect leaves. It makes light work of the task, although be sure to keep the blade setting high
GET RID OF MOSS
Use a spring-tine rake to remove moss from your lawn, a process known as scarifying. This stops the moss from smothering your grass, giving it a chance to grow. Scarify your lawn before it gets too cold to allow the grass time to grow and recover from summer. It might look slightly patchy afterwards, but it will quickly recover and be beneficial for your lawn in the long term
TOP TIP: Tackle a large lawn with a scarifying machine
IMPROVE DRAINAGE
Plunge a garden fork into the ground all over your lawn as deep as you can, moving the fork back and forth to create larger holes. This process is called aerating. Aerating your lawn will improve drainage and air movement, help your grass withstand periods of drought or waterlogging, encourage grass root growth and in a general, result in a healthier lawn
TOP TIP: If you have a larger lawn, you can just focus on areas that are worn-down or compacted