Sometimes it feels like the weather is against us and that it is a constant uphill struggle to maintain that perfect green lawn. But within this blog, I will unfold some tips and tricks for keeping your garden the best it can look and giving neighbours that envious the ‘grass is greener’ on the other side of the fence feeling. It is amazing how quickly your lawn can change when you start to pay attention to it.
When cultivating your lawn, remember that it doesn’t always need the typical neat, mowed look. You can leave longer sections of grass around the borders or even let parts of your lawn remain untouched. As a company, we are passionate about supporting wildlife and attracting it to our gardens. Allowing patches of your lawn to grow wilder encourages bugs and birds to find shelter, and hedgehogs love the extra-long grass.
This RSPB article demonstrates how long grass can benefit local wildlife:
https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-you-can-do/activities/stop-mowing-your-lawn-for-nature
Common ‘Problems’ with Lawns
Dandelions
I have grown to like Dandelions as their seed heads and flowers can be very pretty. However, they aren’t ideal for achieving a ‘perfect lawn.’ It depends on what you want from your garden, but as a company, we encourage you to keep a few dandelions because they are a vital source of nectar for early-emerging pollinators and overall wonderful for wildlife.
The main issue with dandelions, which often overshadows their benefits, is that their flower heads cast shadows on the grass, leading to patchiness. Additionally, their broad leaves make them difficult to mow over, so I usually have to manually remove them by digging out their roots. To eliminate them, you need to dig out the entire root, and you might have to repeat this process to weaken the plant.
Moss
Moss can be fairly easy to deal with if you scarify your lawn in the Spring. Scarifying requires you to manually put a rake through the soil, which will take a long time if you have a large lawn, or you can use a mechanical lawn scarifier. Once you have scarified the area you can scatter seed and then keep It well watered.
Again, with most thing that grow naturally there are benefits to moss, moss can help with getting cleaner air as it absorbs nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. Therefore, if you are wishing to improve the air quality and you live in a more urban environment maybe consider leaving some moss in your garden to Improve air quality plus moss can be a great habitat for small creatures like beetles and woodlice.
A Lumpy Lawn
Don’t use a roller, this can compact the soil and make more problems in the future. A good way to solve this problem is by slicing an ‘X’ shape into the sunken area and then peeling back the sections, you can then fill this space in to make it level. Deal with a bump in the same way, create the ‘x’ peal the edges back but then remove excess soil.
Bare Patches
This can be one of the main challenges with your lawn. There are various methods to address this issue, one of which is using turf. However, with so many types available, you might find that your lawn looks different. To resolve this, you can use leftovers from the edges of your lawn to fill in these areas.
Compaction
Around this local area, Oxfordshire, we have to struggle with the clay soil, which can get very compact. A way to help with this is to aerate the soil, you can do this by pushing a garden fork into and then gently rocking back and forth. The point of aerating the soil is to open up the soil and allow the roots to breath and will encourage roots of grass to grow. There are some ways to help with the clay soil, when you are aerating it you can fill sections with it with brush Sharpe grit or fine horticultural grit.
Lawn Care Through the Seasons
Spring
Something for you to consider when moving into Spring is that grass begins to grow whenever the temperature rises above 7 degrees. Mid-March – Lightly mow the grass, and from this month, you can cut the grass every two weeks as growth is still slow.
April – The grass will grow much faster by now, depending on the unpredictable English weather, but you should be mowing weekly or biweekly.
This is the season to lay new turf or sow new lawns if that is on your to-do list.
Aerate your lawn, especially if you struggled with compaction over the last year.
Tackle any weeds and keep on top of them as they could easily start to become uncontrollable as we move into summer.
Summer
Mow the grass weekly, except during hot, dry weather. You can also create ‘wildlife’ patches on your lawn by allowing some grass to grow longer. You could even mow walkways through your lawn.
In hot, dry conditions, raise the cutting height and mow less frequently.
Be sure to water your turf to encourage growth, and don’t let it dry out before it has time to root.
Autumn
Collect any fallen leaves to prevent the grass from turning yellow. Rake them up or use your mower to chop them before adding them to the compost heap.
This is an ideal time to sow new lawns due to fewer weeds and the beneficial rain aiding root growth.
Pull out and stay on top of any weeds. There should be fewer weeds this season, making it easier.
Spike and brush in sand, which is especially beneficial for Oxfordshire clay, as it adds air to the soil and can help with waterlogged soil.
Now is also a good time to tidy up the edges after summer.
When the ground is moist, sprinkle autumn lawn feed or organic fertilizer over the lawn. This will strengthen the grass and develop strong roots without causing excessive growth that needs frequent mowing.
Winter
Winter is a time to prepare for the Spring, but you can still be weed and tidy lawn edges.
Stop mowing as the weather gets colder.
Should you Leave Lawn Clipping on your Lawn?
It depends on the season. In summer, it is usually too hot, and you may be mowing the lawn once a week. It’s best to remove the clippings and add them to your compost heap, as leaving them could cause the grass to turn yellow. In spring and autumn, however, the moisture in the soil helps break down the clippings, which benefits the lawn’s health.
What are Fairy Rings and How to Deal with Them on Your Lawn?
Fairy rings consist of the fungus Marasmius oreades, which forms slowly and can get larger and larger each year. This fungus resides among turf roots, changing the grass’s appearance and producing toadstools, typically in late summer and autumn.
To prevent fairy rings, you can start by aerating the soil to improve water penetration and break up the fungal growth. Regularly water and fertilize your lawn to promote healthy grass growth.
If you have existing fairy rings and want to eliminate them, begin by preventing further spread. Remove the toadstools as soon as they appear to prevent them from spreading spores. Only mow the affected area after properly disposing of the toadstools. If you’re having difficulty eradicating the problem and are committed to doing so, consider removing the infected lawn and soil, ensuring proper disposal.
What Can I do Instead of a Lawn in my Garden?
You might find that maintaining a lawn is more hassle than you initially thought, but you can transform your garden into a more interesting and wildlife-friendly space. Consider creating a wildlife-friendly patch by planting species that attract pollinators and other wildlife, such as buddleias, foxgloves, and asters.
Alternatively, you could install a pond with rockery around the edges, incorporating diverse and interesting plants to create a seamless and attractive transition from pond to garden. If you are looking for a new design for your garden, you can get in contact https://gloucestershiregardendesign.co.uk/contact/
How to Deal with Ant Hills in Your Garden?
Ants are not all bad as they contribute positively to the ecosystem and offer several benefits. They aid in dispersing seeds, improving soil structure, and enhancing drainage, addressing many other lawn issues. Additionally, ants play a role in controlling pests by feeding on the larvae of more harmful insects that can damage the lawn.
However, they can ruin the finish of a smooth green lawn, there are a few ways to get around this. You can decide on a drastic design change to your garden and opt for a more wildlife-friendly garden with grasses and wildflowers, this way the lumps and bumps of ant hills will not bother you as much. Or you can try to brush out the soil when it is dry.
What is Thatch and How Does it Form on Your Lawn?
Thatch on a lawn is a layer of dead grass, roots, and other organic matter that accumulates between the soil and the actively growing grass blades. It forms naturally as a result of grass roots and shoots continually shedding organic material that doesn’t break down quickly. Thatch build-up can also occur due to excessive use of fertilizers, infrequent mowing, or poor soil aeration, which slows down decomposition.
If you are seeing thatch building up in your garden It is always good to rake out the dead material, which will prevent fungal growth.
Insects that help the Lawn Health
Remember that not all bugs are bad and with the decreasing number of bugs we like to encourage as much life to our gardens.
They aid in pollination, ensuring the reproduction of grass and other plants. Insects like ladybugs and ground beetles act as natural predators, controlling harmful pests that can damage the lawn. Additionally, insects such as earthworms improve soil aeration through their burrowing activities, enhancing root growth and nutrient uptake.
Lady bugs are wonderful buys to encourage into your garden. On lawns, they keep aphid populations to a manageable level. “The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture reports that a single ladybug may eat as many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime.” https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/lawn-care-2/beneficial-insects-lawn-garden/
Overall, a diverse insect population helps sustain a balanced and resilient lawn environment, supporting plant health and biodiversity. They are a vital element to maintaining the perfect lawn.
When Is the Best Time to Sow a New Lawn?
September is the best month for planting a new lawn because it can still be warm enough from the Summer and the Autumn showers will be great for keeping it moist and encouraging roots to grow. Also, the new grass will be able to develop when you are less likely to be using the garden, giving it time to grow before winter.
