Lawn

The lawn in September

September is traditionally a time when you look at your lawn and check for any problems and plan for any improvements which can be made in the cooler months of autumn.

Continue to mow the lawn, but start to reduce the frequency of the cuts. You should still have the height of the mower quite high.

This is a good time to apply a high in potassium, autumn feed which will prepare your lawn for the coming winter months. Feed after the lawn has been scarified and aerated but before applying a top dressing. Do not apply summer feeds as these are very different in nature and will weaken your lawn.

Top dressings with a sand or loam base are applied at a rate 2Kg per sq m and applied to the lawn with a stiff brush or the back of a rake. If you have bought one, check the dispensing instructions before you use it.

September is a great time to create new lawns or repair damaged or patchy lawn from seed or from turf. The lawn levels can become uneven over a number of seasons of applying top dressings so this may need to be taken in hand now.

Check for a build up of thatch between the base of plants and the soil in your turf. This grows to create a mat of dead grass which makes the lawn tend to feel spongy. This environment is ideal for red thread and dollar spot.

Autumn is a great time to think about adding drainage to your lawn if it is necessary.

Spiking and hollow coring the lawn in autumn and winter months will benefit the grass by allowing the roots to grow deeper into the soil and maintaining a better colour in summer months.