The Lawncare Guide - August

The grass is greener where you water it – Neil Barringham

The South and South West are likeliest to be drier this August, we are told, so it may be time to get the hose sprinkler on the lawn if you want to keep it green. Give it a good, long soaking each week. If you don’t want to use the water and it goes a little brown don’t worry, it will perk up with a bit of rain.

If you scarified and aerated last autumn or spring that will help to get the water deeper and the roots pushing down for a healthier sward. If you didn’t, make a plan to do so this autumn and you’ll see the difference next year. If you’re thinking about a new lawn area, now is a good time to start preparing the ground for seeding or laying turf in September/October.

Hot and dry Augusts call for setting the cutting height on your garden tractor or mower a little higher because cutting the grass too short leaves it with less protection from the sun and encourages weeds. If you do have weeds, spot weeding will tide you over until you can do a full weed and feed treatment in September.

Fine turf frequently mown but underfed can become patchy so give it a feed only now unless it’s dry, in which case hold on until autumn.