The Lawn Care Guide – June

“A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except learning how to grow in rows.” Doug Larsen

Back in April and into May it seemed as if the grass would never grow and in patches left after scarification newly sown seed lay dormant. Then the rains came and the ground warmed up, to be followed by the late May sunshine and hey, away we go with the mowing.

As fast as the grass grows, the weeds will compete, so if you haven’t applied weed killer that’s suitable for the lawn, this is the last summer month in which to do so, the next period being September/October. If you don’t like the idea of using any concentrated synthetic chemicals, you can implement an organic lawn care programme by controlling thatch, using the correct mowing techniques, with a mowing height of 2.5”/63.5mm minimum and making sure the blades are sharp and clean. 

When you apply organic fertiliser, look for product with low ratios of nutrients e.g. 15% Nitrogen – 10% Phosphorous – 15% Potassium. By now you will have reduced the cutting height when you mow, according to the growth of the grass, to reach the summer height of cut. 

If you find you have a problem with thatch in the lawn, it’s not too late to scarify and collect the debris and if you overseed you will need to water the lawn in dry weather. Give it a really good soaking because light watering will only encourage shallow rooting grass. With a prolonged soak once or twice a week, the grass roots will push down and produce a better top growth, especially if you have aerated the area. Which of course means more frequent mowing. 

The opposite will be the case if we go into prolonged drought, which will mean more frequent watering to keep the lawn green, and assuming no hosepipe ban. Again, a really good soak in the morning or evening will be required. In long, dry periods, leaving the collector off the garden tractor and mulching the grass will help protect it from the sun. The clippings returned to the lawn makes efficient use of fertiliser levels by recycling nutrient content in the cut leaf.