You’ve gotten great use out of your lawn this past summer and the grass looks greener than ever. Meanwhile, autumn is fast approaching where leaves start changing into a multitude of colours. It’s the perfect time of the year for you to start with your lawn treatment because the temperature of the soil is still warm enough to facilitate grass growth. By starting your lawn treatment in this season, it’ll be able to handle the cold elements much better. In here we’ll be discussing how to care for your lawn in autumn so it remains resilient and healthy when the colder months arrive.
Start with fertilising your lawn
The sun might not be as high up in autumn compared to summer, but it’s still enough to actively grow your lawn. This provides a great opportunity for you to begin fertilising the grass and help promote strong root development. The healthier your lawn is, the more resistant it will be to colder temperatures. In general, it’s best to be winter-ready during Easter, which means that you should fertilise your lawn right around late March or early April. The most important thing is that the soil should still receive adequate sunlight in order for the fertiliser to take effect.
Speaking of fertilising your lawn, the best fertiliser to use is a slow-release NPK fertiliser. NPK fertilisers contain 3 essential minerals and trace elements for grass growth such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. These macronutrients are the primary building blocks for healthy grass growth that provide structural strength and root growth. After the fertilising is complete, follow these autumn lawn care treatments to maintain the health, look, and feel of your lawn.
Lawn care treatments to follow during autumn season
- Scarify your lawn.
Scarifying your lawn is a process wherein thatches are removed with the use of a rake or a dethatcher. Thatch is a layer of organic matter that accumulates due to dead grass, moss, and other debris. Thatch can hinder the growth of your grass by preventing fertiliser and water from penetrating its roots. Scarifying your lawn during autumn allows you to rake the grass a bit deeper than you would in spring or summer since you don’t have to be delicate when raking.
- Trim down the edges.
It’s normal for your lawn to have overgrown edges during the summer months. This makes autumn the perfect time to trim it down and make it look neat again. Usually, the bed edges of your lawn will be overgrown horizontally. All it takes is a couple of snips with a lawn scissor to have it neatly trimmed. Don’t forget to pick up the trimmings once you’re done.
- Flattening uneven areas.
Your lawn receives plenty of abuse during summer season, especially if you have pets or children playing around in it. This can result in bumpy or uneven areas that look unsightly when disregarded. To flatten bumps in your lawn, use a half moon edger and shave the ground level. Aerate the soil afterwards and relay the turf level to the rest of the lawn. If there are troughs in your lawn, follow the same process to evenly flatten these areas.
Some areas of your lawn will be heavily compacted which requires forking to break it up and help improve drainage once rainfall starts pouring down. This also sets up your lawn for aeration which is the next step we’ll get into.
- Aerating your lawn.
Aeration is a crucial part of autumn lawn care. Without enough oxygen, your grass won’t grow properly. Aerating your lawn is a process of perforating the soil with small holes that promote airflow to get to the roots of the grass. This also allows more water and fertilizer to reach the grass roots that result in a lush and vibrant lawn. By aerating your lawn, it’ll be able to survive through waterlogging which is a common issue during winter months.
- Keep an eye out on lawn grubs.
Lawn grubs are a major threat to the health of your lawn. They feed on grass roots and cause areas of your lawn to die off. These little buggers are most active during the early summer and late autumn months. It’s important to check if you have any infestation of lawn grubs so you can treat it immediately before the winter season. Telltale signs of lawn grubs are brown patches on your lawn where grass has died off.
If an infestation is confirmed, make sure to fertilise your lawn right away. Apply grub control products on the affected areas to control the infestation.
- Apply top dressing.
Once your lawn has been properly maintained. It’s time to apply some top dressing. Top dressing helps increase soil structure while promoting strong root development. This makes your lawn much more vigorous which is essential for keeping it healthy during winter season. To apply top dressing, spread it evenly on top of the grass and use the back of a rake to distribute it.
Conclusion
Caring for your lawn during autumn is a very important process that you should not neglect. The winter months can be harsh on your lawn and the low temperatures can hinder grass growth if you don’t take care of it properly. By following these steps, your lawn will fill out strong and green when spring season finally arrives.
