Post-Summer Lawn Care in Autumn

21

MARCH, 2018

DIY
Maintenance

Proper lawn care in autumn will help your lawn recover from summer stresses and prepare for the long, hard winter. It is also the easiest time to get your lawn into peak condition.

Even healthy lawns can struggle through summer and may just be coping by the end of it. Summer often brings heatwaves, BBQs, parties, home-made slip and slides and backyard sport with it. All of these add extras stress onto your lawn.

It’s also difficult to get the watering and mowing balanced during this time, which can lead to compacted soil or lack of nutrients.

But lawn care in autumn is much easier. Now is the time to take advantage of the lower temperatures and stored up energy from the summer sun. Your lawn will find it easiest to bounce back from any maintenance that needs to be done.

De-thatch: It’s a good time to de-thatch before winter sets in. If your lawn is feeling spongy, it’s a sign that it’s time to de-thatch.

Aerate: Kids, pets and extra guests take their toll on your lawn and can cause soil compaction. To check if you need to aerate, plunge a long screwdriver into the soil. It should get 100-150mm deep without too much resistance.

Lift mowing height: A longer leaf over winter will allow it to receive more sunlight. It’s time to start mowing a bit higher in preparation for this.

Fertilise: A balanced, slow-release fertiliser will replace all the nutrients lost over summer and give your lawn a boost to kick it back to its healthy self.