Autumn Lawn Care and Maintenance

• Autumn is the time to do the things that really matter - Autumn Lawn Care
• Keeping worm casts under control - Easy to do without killing the worms!
• Moss-killer - This is a good time to be doing this - and thinking about positive action to prevent moss happening in the first place
• Scarifying a Lawn - A great way to keep fit - but not if you have a weak back - and this is the time of year to do it.
• Aerating the Lawn - Lawn aeration goes a long way to providing you with a good strong healthy lawn.
• Over-seeding - Bare patches are easily dealt with, and this can be achieved when you carry out top-dressing as well
• Feeding your Lawn - What to Feed Our Lawns in the Autumn?
• General repairs - including the edging of the lawn.
• Creating a bit more lawn - maybe.

So! Autumn is here. You have mown the lawn for the last time this year, maybe even cleaned up and oiled the mower - now stored in the shed - and lawn care is done for the next few months. Right? No! WRONG! We are now into the realms of autumn lawn care!

If you really care about your grass - and let's face it, that is why you are reading this article, then the next few weeks of autumn will be even more busy and time consuming than the last few months of summer - when all you had to do (did) was mow the it.

Autumn is the time to do the things that really matter if you want that superb green lawn that will be the envy of neighbours next year.

Leaves on an Autumn Lawn

The great thing is, that unlike mowing - these care things only have to be done once. OK maybe twice!

Only if your lawn has looked a bit yellow and generally sickly over the past few months, should you bother about feeding it at this time of year. If you do, then it MUST be an autumn lawn feed. The feed you used in spring and summer is not suitable, for it will have too great a Nitrogen content.

This will lead to over-lush growth, which is not desirable at this time of year. It will weaken the grass and leave it prone to all sorts of turf diseases. You can actually care for your lawn too much at this time!

That's about all I can think of at the moment. Think positive, the maintenance tasks mentioned above are going to save you a small fortune in Gym fees! And just think how motivating it is to know that your lawn will be so much better next year than this after this care and maintenance. A downside is, that neighbours and friends will ask for your assistance next autumn when they need to care for their lawns, for you will be THE lawn expert of the neighbourhood!

Lawn worm casts

Worms - and their worm casts - on the lawn, are a pest - especially in autumn. They are not even the friendly worms that we welcome in other parts of the garden and are an essential part of the autumn care and maintenance programme. The type of worms that make worm casts in the grass, are not good aerators of soil, and they do NOT help drainage! There are no chemicals that are allowed for killing them - so just keep brushing off the worm casts as they appear. (So many writers and gardening broadcasters extol the virtue of using the worm casts as soil for sowing seeds. Can you imagine how many worm casts would need to be 'collected' to fill a seed tray with what is basically mud! Forget it. For when this cast soil is dry it will set like rock, and when it is moist it will resemble porridge - without the oats!)

Moss in Lawns is probably one of the least understood of all grass lawn problems. Treating or killing the moss is not the answer. Moss is a sign that something is basically wrong with your lawn. Too often, gardeners attempt to kill moss in lawns without tackling the problem that actually causes it. They are helped to this decision by the huge range of 'moss killers' and Lawn Moss Treatment available at local garden centres.

There are two basic lawn moss killers for lawns that are available - Ferrous Sulphate and Dichlorophen. One or the other is usually incorporated into typical lawns Feed and Lawn Moss killer combinations.

The causes of moss growth can be one of the following or a combination of.

• Waterlogging - in winter or summer.
• Poor feeding regime - usually denoted by light green grass.
• Carry out a test for Acid soil.
• Shaded Lawns - overhanging trees or large shrubs.
• Mowing lawns too close (too short) - a common cause, for it weakens the grass - allowing moss to take hold
• Drought - if severe enough to harm or kill the grass. Not to be confused with a bit of summer-browning
• Sandy - free-draining soils. This can weaken the grass and allow moss to take over. Some mosses are quite happy in these conditions.
• Compaction - continued use by children and pets with no remedial attention by way of aeration in the Autumn.

It may not be apparent which one causes moss growth, but if you do have an idea, autumn is the right time to tackle these issues.

Maxicrop Moss Killer

Or you can opt for a quick fix, Moss Killer, it is cheap and easy enough to apply. You can purchase some moss killer treatment, it will kill your moss for 12 months, unfortunately it will probably return.

There are a lot of Moss Killers on the market, which ever one you choose, it must contain Ferrous Sulphate and / or Dichlorophen, which they all probably do.

For this exercise I use a sole purpose moss killer, not the 3 in 1 or 4 in 1's, as this is a step of a process to a better lawn.

How To Kill Moss growing in your Lawn.

• Firstly, prepare your lawn, rake it through, removing all of the surface leaves and debris.
• Mow your lawn to a short cut, exposing the lawn moss.
• Spread your moss pellets thoroughly or by using a spreader. (If you use a soluable moss killer, follow the strengths and directions on the bottle
• Finally, Water thoroughly

There are a few Organic Methods to kill moss, non of them have I tried personally, but here is the likely Organic recipes.

Ingredients - One Litre of household Vinegar, 125 ml of household Salt, 50 ml of Washing up Liquid

Tools - Spear & Jackson Pump Action Pressure Sprayer, 5 L (or similar), Saucepan

• Put 125 ml of household salt into a saucepan, add 125 ml of water, gently heat on the cooker until the salt has dissolved into a soluble liquid
• Remove from the heat and rest until cool
• Add one litre of household vinegar and 50 ml of washing up liquid, stir to mix.
• Add the solution to a spray bottle and pressurise
• Spray the moss infected area generously (Do not spray on a windy day)

Within 2 weeks the moss should turn yellow and die.

After applYing a solution / course of moss killer, please leave your grass alone for 2 weeks to allow it to work through your lawn system.

Cross Section of a Lawn

The Image on the left shows a cross section of a lawn. You can see at the top a layer of yellow thatch. This thatch is dead grass, dead moss and debris, which gets trodden down and compact to the extent that it creates a barrier. The barrier can stop water and fertilizer getting to the roots and can cause it to die.

The Thatch needs to be removed without harming the grass, this process is called 'Scarifying'.

Scarifying a lawn should be done once a year, either in early spring or in the autumn. There are 2 schools of thought, both with logical methodology. Some gardeners say you should do it in the spring, before the new growth starts. In early spring, if the grass sod is damaged in the scarifying process, it has better chance of repair during rapid growth. Others believe it is better in the autumn, if the sod is damaged, it has all winter to repair, additionally, the lawn is less likely to be walked upon during winter, which could cause more damage. The lawn / soil will be dryer in the autumn, making the scarifying process easier, wet or damp ground could churn up the grass sods. I prefer to do it in the autumn.

The process of scarifying is the scratching of the lawn surface to dislodge and pull out the dead thatch without harming the lawn by pulling up the grass sods. For this process there are specialist tools to perform the job, these are also called a 'Scarifier'. The simplest version a fan type rake, with long thin teeth which are extremely flexible. You would use like a conventional rake, rigorously scratching at the lawns surface in different directions to dislodge and pull up the thatch. If you use a garden rake, the teeth are solid, if it catched a grass sod, you are likely to pull it out of the ground or damage it. You can use a garden rake carefully.

I would use a scarifying rake for small areas or small gardens, it can be hard work. If you have a large garden then I would consider obtaining an electric or petrol Scarifier. They do all the hard work for you with added features and benefits. The electric or petrol Scarifiers often come with 2 blades, one softer wire brush type Scarifier and one industrial blade, which does not just pull out the thatch, it also slices into your lawn. This improves aeration, drainage and most of all, stimulates growth.

Watch the videos below to see the differences and how they operate.

Before you rush out and purchase one of these, I would weigh up the costs, they are a high value ticket item with limited use. You have to assess your land size to see if its worth purchasing. Alternative options are I have seen them in tool hire stores, or you could call up a commercial gardener, they could do it all for you. It is an option to explore all options to keep the costs down

Aeration of a lawn can be carried out by using a garden fork and stout soles on your boots! If the lawn is large enough, then hire a mechanical spiking/aeration machine. Alternatively, purchase a hollow-tine fork. (A mechanical spiking machine is by far the best option - other then getting someone in to do the job for you. However, that would not be so satisfying would it?)

Holes from lawn aeration operations

The aeration process will leave you with a lawn full of holes, which will then need to be filled in! Apply a Top Dressing Mixture in the next paragraph. Use a mixture of soil, sand and peat, that will keep these new 'holes' free draining, helping future rain to get down to the roots and also the all-important air down into the soil. It will also make the lawn less prone to future compaction. You can only do this care operation in the autumn if the weather permits - otherwise carry out the top dressing in spring.

Aerating a lawn is a large subject and has its own page, you can find out more about What is Aeration? and why do it, When can I Aerate A Lawn Which Manual Lawn Aeration Systems are the best?, How to use Spiked Rollers?, Are Lawn Aerating Shoes Effective?, What types of Mechanical Lawn Aeration Equipment is available, When to Aerate A Lawn and how to Incorporate Sand into Lawns.

If this is all carried out before the onset of the 'nasty' part of autumn, then seeding of thin patches can also take place. (Once we are into winter proper, then forget any ideas of seeding.)

Did I mention that Autumn is a good time of year to carry out turfing?

We are getting there, feeding your lawn is relatively the last job, and it is important to know what do you feed your lawns in the Autumn? Surely, I would just use the same as a I did in the Spring to Feed my lawn. What is required for the autumn lawn feed is a different chemical balance to that used for spring and summer applications. It is used to restore balance to the plants system. All spring and summer, the feeding regime will have been to encourage foliage which you then cut off with the mower. The plant inherently becomes weaker as a result, so needs strengthening up again to face our brutal and diverse winters!

The word of the scribes and manufacturers is that the autumn feed is most important to feed the root system and generally toughen up the grass plants to with stand the cold of winter!

If it is applied, the autumn feed should not be left too late. End of September or into a mild October is fine. DO NOT be tempted to use the Nitrogen-rich leftovers from spring and summer. Use a proper autumn feed.

Nothing other than Autumn Lawn Feed should be used, unless you know what you are doing. Organic feeds often provide Nitrogen. It is NOT needed in the Autumn, so forget chicken pellets and the like.

You could mix up a batch yourself, but it is just as cheap to purchase a batch yourself, you do not need tonnes of it, just enough to give the lawn a light boost after you have just butchered it. Just assess your lawn size and buy appropriately. Depending upon your soil type you may wish to add other soil types to your mixture, read more on our Types of Soil for the Garden section to find out more.

Now you have your Lawn feed, you need to apply it your lawn, this is called, Top Dressing.

We have brutalised the lawn, but for a good reason, I would now add a few handfuls of grass seed into the mixture, it really does not harm and it makes common sense to do so.

Now all the jobs are nearly complete, our freshly completed aeration process needs addressing, or shall I say dressing. We need to apply a top dressing to our lawn with the feed mixture detailed above.

Top Dressing of Lawns is beneficial. It encourages new basal growth of the grass plants - giving a thicker sward of grass. Top Dressing is also a good way to 'level out' the bumps and hollows in an uneven lawn.

Top dressing is normally carried out in mid spring. It can be done at any time in the growing season (March-October), but a dressing in the Spring season is different mix to the Autumn mixture. The autumn mixture must contain a suitable fertiliser or feed, this will give the top dressing a little bit extra, especially after aeration.

Top Dressing Mix

If well mixed in with the top dressing, it is a good way of applying a 'tonic' mix to the lawn. We need to loosely fill in the holes we just created.

We need to give the lawn a light covering with your top mix, dont use nitrogen-based mixtures in the autumn. If you have a spreader, life is easier, I have used a soil Siv in the past. Fill up your spreader and give your lawn a light covering, then you need to lightly brush your lawn. This will fill up the holes missed on the first run. Then apply a second spreading and leave to rest.

Yes it can make the lawn look a little untidy right after carrying it out - even un-usable for a week or maybe two. But the benefits of top-dressing your lawn will be seen to advantage for the rest of the year.

For a detailed guide on How to Top Dress a Lawn?

And that is about it, you could leave it there, or you could just go over your boarder and pathway edges, detailed in the next paragraph.

Garden Edges

As a final job of the autumn you can just go round and reclaim your edges in preparation of the winter to come.

Edges are important for drainage, as pictured, the edge provides a run off from both the flower beds and your lawn. Weathering over the summer months, you usually can find these run offs can get filled. Simply just round with a spade and readdress these border edges.

The winters can be harsh to our gardens, its better to be prepared for the months to come.

Garden lawns have to stop at some point, often causing a minor problem as to how to end or edge your garden with your lawn. Much will depend upon the style of your garden, but you will also have to take into account basic things like, the type of lawn mower you want to use, and even the basics of, how much time do you want to spend giving your lawn a neat finish!

It is not normally a good idea to simply end your lawn at the boundary of your garden edge; against a wall or fence. This will inevitably lead to either additional maintenance work - or an untidy finish, where the mower blades garden border edge.

There are many different ideas, ways and materials with which to edge the lawn. It is nearly always best if the grass border garden edging of the lawn is taken into account at the design and construction stage! This does not always happen, so you are then left with the frustrating task of finding suitable ideas on how edge to the lawn. This is where we aim to help! We have a dedicated page on Ideas on how to Edge Grass Border. You maybe looking for a make over or some inspiration.

Question

What does scarifying mean?

Answer

The dictionary meaning: to make scratches or superficial incisions. In gardening terms, it refers to the process and the tool used in the process. To scarify a lawn, means to scratch the surface. It also refers to the tools used in the process, they are all called Scarifiers, which ever form they take.

Question

When should you scarify your lawn?

Answer

Ideally in the autumn, after a baking summer your grass would have a build up of dead grass and debris which has been trodden in by excessive walking upon. This is called a thatch, the thatch needs to be broken down before the winter

Question

Can I use a rake to scarify?

Answer

Yes you can, if used carefully. The difference being, the teeth of a rake are rigid, if used rigorously, you can catch the grass sod and pull it out of the ground. A Scarifying rake has springy teeth which wont pull up the grass sod. A grassed thatch may be compact, but comes out easier with a specialist scarifying rake.

Question

Which Tools are Best used for Scarifying?

Answer

You have heard the saying, the right tool, for the right job, It depends upon the size of your lawn? For a small garden, I recommend a scarifying rake, it is made differently to a normal garden rake, they are flexible with narrow teeth which dont harm the grass.

For medium sized gardens you may wish to invest in an electric Scarifier, it is a professional tool, with multiple speed settings and some are combined Scarifiers and Aerators which do all the hard work for you. The only draw back is it is electric, which means it has a cable, but they are affordable

For large gardens, I would definitely invest in a petrol Scarifier, they are a lot higher in price, which leads to the question, do I need to buy one for a couple of days work a year? Some thing you have to weigh up. They have all the features of a combi, and most are motor driven, make the job easier.

Question

Can I use an Organic feed to feed my Lawn in the Autumn

Answer

No. Organic feeds are high in Nitrogen

Question

Is there an Organic method to Kill Moss?

Answer

Yes there is, here is our method and recipe

• Put 125 ml of household salt into a saucepan, add 125 ml of water, gently heat on the cooker until the salt has dissolved into a soluble liquid
• Remove from the heat and rest until cool
• Add one litre of household vinegar and 50 ml of washing up liquid, stir to mix.
• Add the solution to a spray bottle and pressurise
• Spray the moss infected area generously (Do not spray on a windy day)

Within 2 weeks the moss should turn yellow and die.

Question

Can I use Moss Killer in the Rain?

Answer

Yes, you can, the rain can aid in getting the Moss Killer through the thatched layer to the root system.