Autumn Lawncare

Autumn is the time of year that the lawn lover really needs to prove his commitment to his garden. To survive the British winter it is essential that the lawn is correctly prepared to create a hardy base to see it through the dormant growing period. Follow TruGreen’s top five tips and your lawn should look after itself until spring.

Steve Welch, TruGreen’s technical lawn expert advises that autumn treatment is best started as early as possible when the grass is still receptive and before the soil temperature drops and the lawn becomes dormant.

Scarification:

Prepare your lawn by removing thatch (dead grass and organic matter) and moss by raking the surface with a spring-tine rake.This process is known as scarification.

Aeration:

Autumn is one of the major growth periods for moss as it is when the spores are produced, so moss control should be one of your key focuses if your lawn is susceptible to it. The best way to eliminate moss from your lawn is by aeration, which will improve drainage and alter the conditions moss needs to grow. You can do this either by pushing a fork into the ground every 10cm (4in) or use a spiking machine.

Top-dressing:

After the lawn has been aerated, apply a top dressing to improve the surface texture and the health of the soil beneath. Top-dressing is a mixture of loam, sharp sand, and peat-substitute, which can be bought ready mixed. Apply evenly onto your lawn using a spade or shovel and then work into the surface using the back of a rake.

Fertilising:

Apply an autumn lawn fertiliser to kick start the growing cycle and prepare it for next summer. Ensure the fertiliser has the following combination of nutrients – Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.

Finally:

If your lawn is suffering from large bare patches as a result of heavy summer usage, it may need to be seeded as it is unlikely to re-grow. After aerating the lawn apply the grass seed either by hand or using a mechanical spreader for larger areas and finish by raking it in thoroughly. Finally water twice a day to allow it to establish.

To carry out the above treatments Trugreen recommends you call in one of their specialists who will be able to use their expert knowledge and product know-how to assess your lawn and create a bespoke programme which will address its key needs.