Autumnal lawn care plan

Get your grass in good nick before winter, said Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

IT’S hard to know where to start when talking about our lawns this autumn. In large areas of the UK our grass has been fried to a brown crisp that crunches when walked upon.

Northern areas have had more rain, and hopefully, have lawns in better condition – though here you may be running the risk of waterlogging and compacted soils.

Whatever the weather, summer is a tough time for our lawns as this is when they get the most use, so it makes sense that in autumn we start to make repairs before the worst of the winter weather arrives, giving our grass the best chance of remaining healthy through to next spring.

Autumn is the season for clearing and feeding, for tackling moss, pests and diseases, and also laying new turf or sowing grass seed in areas that are starting to look threadbare.

Do the latter now, and the new grass will have time to grow and bed in before winter – you are also less likely to be using your lawn for a few months so it can grow undisturbed.