A grass expert has shared his top tips for getting your lawn looking like a Premier League playing surface – and it is easier than you might think
A grass expert is encouraging UK homeowners to draw inspiration from the kick-off of the Premier League season to get their lawns in tip-top shape for autumn. Football stars like Mo Salah, Erling Haaland and Bukayo Saka are back on the pitch, chasing goals and glory.
However, lawn specialist Chris McIlroy, from top seed supplier The Grass People, reckons one of the most striking aspects of the early weeks of the season is the pristine condition of the pitches. Gone are the days of muddy messes and patchy fields, today’s football grounds are as well-kept as bowling greens.
The fact that they maintain this standard throughout the chillier, rainier months of a busy season is a testament to the expertise of groundsmen. Chris is advising folks to adopt some of the best practices for maintaining football pitches to enhance the appearance of their own lawns.
He said: “When you walk into a Premier League stadium, what often grabs your attention first is the immaculate, vivid green pitch.
“This is due to top-notch grass care and turf management techniques, but you can borrow many of these methods to transform your own lawn into something worthy of a trophy and victory lap.
“The main thing to remember is that lawns need consistency, so make sure you stick with whatever techniques you’ve committed to. But it shouldn’t take too much time and effort to see the benefits.”
Here are Chris’s top tips for drawing inspiration from the return of the Premier League.
Choose the right seed
Top-tier groundsmen often team up with turf agronomists to create bespoke grass seed blends that are fine-tuned for factors such as playability, recovery and climate adaptability. But you do not need a full stadium crew to boost the appearance and health of your lawn.
Choose wear-resistant seeds – like ryegrass and fescue – and customise the mix to your conditions, such as soil type, sun exposure and rainfall. It’s also worth splashing out a bit more as quality seeds offer superior long-term resilience and recovery.
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Soil health
Premier League pitches are frequently aerated to alleviate soil compaction and encourage healthy root growth. This is a top tip to follow as compacted earth makes it difficult for water and nutrients to reach where they are needed. Instead of using a posh hollow-tine machine, simply grab a garden fork in the autumn or spring to keep your soil breathing.
Mowing with consistency
Those responsible for famous football pitches mow several times a week during the season, carefully adjusting blade height and alternating their patterns to reduce stress. Home lawn care should do the same. Keep your mower blades sharp, mow regularly at around 2-3cm height and change the direction to prevent ruts.
Water wisely
Stadiums often use underground irrigation systems to deliver deep and even moisture without oversaturation. Aim to water your own lawn deeply but sparingly, and doing this early in the morning is ideal.
Frequent light watering only encourages shallow roots, so let the top few inches dry slightly before watering again.
Feed like a pro
Professional pitches do not just rely on water – ground staff also apply specialised fertilisers at key times of the year. To make the most of your home turf, choose a high-nitrogen feed in early spring to green up growth, a balanced feed in summer, and a potassium-rich autumn feed to fortify roots for winter.