These are the simple steps you can take to repair wear and tear on your lawn to get it ready for a well-earned winter rest, according to an expert.
From kids playing football to four-legged friends scratching with their claws, garden grass takes a fair amount of punishment over the warmer months as people spend more time outside.
But one specialist has revealed the easy methods for patching-up the bald spots to ensure your treasured turf looks lush again next year.
Simple job
Timothy Green from ICANLAWN.com said: “Any lawn that gets some kind of use over the summer is bound to be slightly bedraggled by the time Autumn swings into view.
“Gardens are there to be enjoyed and with less rainfall and plenty of footfall, they can look far from their best by the time kids go back to school.
“But repairing these wear and tear zones is a relatively simple job, using just a few tools and taking a short amount of time.
“And the rewards will be well worth it as action taken now, before the weather turns colder, will ensure healthy grass come 2024.”
Withstanding harsher winter conditions
Mr Green explains that the process is called “overseeding” and is best done before the end of this month.
That’s because the ground is still warm and will give the new grass time to establish a root system that can withstand the harsher winter conditions.
He added: “It’s best to mow your whole lawn first as you won’t be able to do this while the new seeds are establishing themselves.
“Then rake away any debris and leave it for around 10 days to cultivate. If weeds appear during this time, remove them by hand.
“Put some fast-acting fertiliser on the area and water it until dissolved. This will help to encourage growth from the off.
“Then it’s time to ‘overseed’ the worn zones. Aim for a rate of 35g of seeds per square metre.”
More handy hints for expert lawn care
Mr Green says it’s key to keep feet and paws off the treated patches for a while, and water daily for the first six weeks unless there is some decent rainfall.
Holes or completely bare patches – maybe the goalmouth that has seen some epic football clashes over the summer – are also fairly easy to get back to full health.
“Cut away the affected grass and build up the area with compost or topsoil until it is level,” he explained.
“Once the seeds are sown, add some more soil to keep the birds away and then keep the area moist to encourage the necessary growth.
“One thing to be careful of is overwatering. It’s much better to do it little and often rather than spending ages drenching it with a hose.
“With a bit of time invested, and some knowledge about what works, it’s pretty easy to get your lawn in shape and keep it that way into next year.”
