Autumn lawns

After the long hot summer most lawns need attention but with milder weather on its way, autumn is the perfect time to get a lawn looking loved again. Even on the saddest looking surfaces, a complete re-sow is not always necessary.

Feed to support the flush of growth. A good lawn fertiliser contains the correct proportions of nitrogen and other essential nutrients for healthy root growth and disease resistance. Water regularly in the absence of rain, especially when the weather turns hot or windy.

Over-seeding can make a patchy lawn look as good as new. Eliminate weeds first then prepare the ground so that the new lawn seed can make good contact with the soil. Use a weed grubber tool to remove large weeds by hand. Mow the lawn short then rake to remove thatch and create shallow grooves in the soil. Add a layer of weed-free topsoil or lawn mix, then scatter the seed and water gently. Feed and water as for a new lawn.

Using a garden fork to aerate compacted areas can make a huge difference to compacted areas, improving water absorption and getting air and water into the roots. For larger areas core aerator machines are available for hire.