Prepare for lawn winter

After giving a final cut for the year, thoughts can turn to renovation works that put back good health into the grass sward

The end of October was traditionally the time to give the lawn its last cut but, with the prevalence of milder winters, the grass often continues to grow until the end of November. If your lawn is firm enough to take the mower without causing any damage, continue to cut the grass. However, for these later cuttings raise the blades to leave the grass a bit higher to help it through the winter.

Local authorities have the same problem, but as they use large, heavy ride-on mowers the weight can do serious damage to the surface so they are more likely to stop cutting earlier if the surface is too wet.

A couple of weeks after the grass has recovered from cutting, the autumn renovation can proceed to put back good health into the grass sward.

When the grass is dormant we can carry out some serious repairs and renovation.

Lawn edges often break down but can be repaired with a wee bit of work.

Bare areas (dog and cat damage) can be returfed or prepared for a spring sowing.

Moss control can now be tackled and surface aeration can be given to help drainage.

Any weed problem will have to wait until spring as most chemical weedkillers require the weeds to be growing to absorb the weedkiller and translocate the chemical to all parts, especially

Any weed problem will have to wait until spring as most chemical weedkillers require the weeds to be growing.

the roots. Always read the labels when buying lawn weedkillers as most broadleaved weeds respond quite well to chemical eradication, but clover is a lot tougher and needs especially formulated chemicals.

SURFACE RENOVATIONS IN AUTUMN

Wherever there is poor surface drainage, often after a lot of compaction if the lawn is used a lot, moss can take hold and grow rapidly.

This can also weaken the grass, especially in winter, as the moss continues to grow and smother it. This is another good reason to leave the grass higher than normal after the last cut.

This is where the springbok rake is used to rake out as much moss as possible from the surface, as well as thatch built up over the year.

The resulting debris can go on the compost heap.

If you have a large lawn you can hire or bring in lawn specialists with machines to scarify the surface. It is faster and more efficient than the springbok rake.

This is usually followed by spiking or hollow tining. You can buy a hollow-tining hand tool or, on a small scale, use the garden fork.

For large lawns, a machine will carry out this work effortlessly.

Hollow tining removes a complete core, whereas the garden fork creates a hole without removal of soil.

Cores left on the surface need to be brushed off and go to the compost heap.

These holes require filling with a lawn autumn top dressing of sand, sterilised soil and a slow-release lawn fertiliser which often has a moss killer added, (usually sulphate of iron).

Brush this in until it disappears. Lawn-top dressings can be bought already made up to help drainage, feed the lawn and control moss.

Small bare patches can be scarified and top dressed with compost or sterilised soil, but do not sow fresh grass seed until early spring.

Attention can now be turned to edges. Repair any damage by cutting a turf one foot by one foot and one inch or so deep in from the damaged edge and lift and turn the turf around so the new straight cut is on the edge. Firm it down and make sure it is level.

Now the lawn is sorted, turn attention to the mower. Winter is the time for cleaning, repairs and maintenance to make sure the blades are sharp and the rollers the correct height for the next year.

Clockwise: Raking out moss and thatch; leave the grass a bit higher on the last cutting to help it through the winter; sorting the apples; and spiking the lawn.