The British summer has delivered its discombobulated offerings keeping us all our toes. From Maples to Marram its all been growing like Billio. This week the star of the show is the green velvet carpet beneath our feet that you can’t stop the dog from urinating on….it’s lawns.

How does your lawn grow? Do you tend to it as if a new born child? Do you choose a lazy lawn because the pubs are back open? Or do you scalp the lawn at every opportunity you have as a form of stress relief with your over priced battery lawn mower?

However, you do or don’t care for your lawn I’ve put together my favourite tips & tricks so you too, can be that proud purveyor of stripes and not thistles. If that’s your thing, which is my thing and why I’m writing about this.

1 Pull your weeds when you notice them (try after it rains). Weeds will suck the moisture from your fescue and rye master piece, that is your lawn. Be diligent, get out there, with your shoes and socks off. Our favourite tool a Niwaki Hori: https://www.niwaki.com/hori-hori

2 Length is everything. The longer the blades of grass the better. Your lawn should have blades of grass that are Approximately 1 1/2” long which will stop your lawn turning into a brown dust bowl. Let that grass hang out, it helps provide shade to the precious blades and also helps the lawn retain moisture. (Tight swards are for the cricket wicket.)

3 Aerate the lawn, possibly where you had the paddling pool or little Johnny uses that part as a football goal? Buy those funny spiked boots, rent an aerator or even call a specialist. The holes left by the aerator and spikes will allow more oxygen and moisture to reach the roots of the lawn, in theory preventing the grass from turning brown, or worse, dying.

4 Have you considered ‘grass cycling’ as an alternative to traditional fertilizer. To grass cycle, mow your lawn but allow the clippings to fall back into the grass rather than collecting them and throwing them away. The nutrients in the clippings will absorb into the soil when you water the lawn, which feeds the roots. It will also helps the lawn retain moisture despite the heat.

5 The need for feed – Use a nitrogen-based fertilizer two or three days after you water your lawn. Don’t wash it all away. This will help prevent browning and bare spots. Nitrogen levels applied should be low in autumn and higher in spring.

6 Water your lawn (lol) Water regularly, early morning is best, just avoid direct sunlight. The cooler temperatures mean you lose less in evaporation. Use a sprinkler to provide each area of your lawn with about 6 inches of moisture.

7 Scrat the surface and sprinkle grass seed in bare patches and areas that have turned brown in the August heat. Water the grass seeds daily until they sprout. Do this in the early morning or late evening so most of the water reaches the seeds rather than evaporates.

8 Scarify your lawn twice a year. A light scarify in spring and a heavy one in winter. This will remove the thatch, some red thread and breathe life into your lawn. Call us for your free lawn analysis if you would like help with any of the above.

Role on Summer. (no pun intended – rolling is a level up in lawn care)
Big love Ed