As the nights draw in and the garden takes a breather, autumn is the most important season on the calendar if you want a show-stopping lawn next spring.
Summer’s heat and the heavy footfall from the school holidays can leave turf looking a little worse for wear, but a little seasonal TLC now will pay dividends when the weather warms up again.
British Garden Centres, which has a centre on Wigan Road, says that a lush, green carpet doesn't happen by accident, and the team has put together a guide to get your lawn primed, protected, and ready for the colder months ahead.
Adjust your mowing routine
Grass growth naturally slows as temperatures drop and days shorten, meaning you can finally give the mower a bit of a rest. Raise your cutting height to at least an inch, so the blades can retain more moisture and withstand the chill. Aim to mow no more than once a fortnight unless we experience an unusually mild spell. Always clear away fallen autumn leaves before you mow. If left to sit on the turf, damp leaves quickly rot down, smother the grass, block out precious light, and invite lawn diseases.
Tackle moss and weeds now
If moss and weeds have started encroaching over summer, they need to be brought under control before you start any intensive maintenance. Unwanted weeds and moss do more than just ruin the look of your lawn as they aggressively steal vital light, water, space, and nutrients from your grass roots. If you can remove them by hand, that's great. If not, once any treatments have had time to work their magic, you can move on to the next step.
Scarify your lawn
Over time, a dense layer of dead moss and organic matter, like thatch, builds up at the base of your turf, blocking water and fertiliser from reaching the roots. Give the lawn a thorough raking, known as scarifying, which will lift out this dead material and keep grass and clover runners under control. Doing this now ensures that air and moisture can get right down to where they are needed most, while preparing a clean bed for overseeding.
Aerate and repair worn patches
After the drought and lack of rain this summer, heavy foot traffic and garden furniture can severely compact soil over the summer, leading to poor drainage and weak grass. Push a garden fork into the soil at regular intervals to perforate the surface, letting air, water, and nutrients penetrate deeply to the roots. For uneven ground, lumps, or bumps, use an edging iron or spade to slice beneath the turf carefully, roll it back, and level the soil underneath before pressing it back down.
Where the lawn has worn thin or patchy, autumn’s warm and hopefully wetter soil and frequent rain make it the ideal time for overseeding. Sowing fresh seed thickens the turf, crowds out weeds, and restores a uniform, healthy green finish.
Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres, said: “By putting in a little groundwork now, you will enjoy a strong, healthy, and vibrant lawn the moment spring arrives. Creating a new or improved lawn in your garden needn’t be time-consuming. With our expert advice, you can create a lush green lawn that every gardener would be proud of. Whether it's seeding, aerating, removing moss, or feeding your lawn, we’ve got the lawncare solutions, tools, and information you need to get the job done."
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