The Lawn Care Guide - September

The green, green grass of home

If the lawn suffered from the hot weather now is the time to bring it back and prepare it for the winter. This is the best month to treat for moss, which you can do with lawn sand or an organic treatment such as MO Bacter. Scarifying the lawn will remove dead thatch and moss, while aerating will provide drainage and get air to the roots of the grass.

If dry spells continue to parch the lawn then heavy watering will be needed. If you haven’t too much of a moss or thatch problem you can treat with EverGreen Complete 4 in 1 which thickens and greens up the lawn while killing weeds and moss. There will be less frequent mowing now. Towards the end of the month, raise the cutting deck or mower height to leave the grass enough protection from the end of the dry weather and the winter months.

Once you have done the preparation, weeding and feeding, the lawn will benefit from a good top dressing. If you have planned and prepared for a new lawn, seeding should be done now, allowing ten to fourteen days to germinate. When it reaches 2 to 3cm (1”) high it will benefit from a light rolling.

When it’s 6.5cm (2½”) long it can have its first cut with the cutting deck or mower blades set 2.5cm (1”) high to encourage growth. It’s important to ensure the blades on your mower are sharp for a smooth cut without ripping the new grass. If you are laying turves for a new lawn it’s better to wait until October to November when the ground will be wetter but still retaining warmth to promote growth.