A gardening expert on TikTok has shared some of their top tips for the key things you need to do to take care of your garden. Only a few simple things are needed this autumn
One gardening expert has shared his top tips for maintaining your lawn this autumn to make sure it is in great shape for spring and summer.
Wet weather and less footfall means autumn is the perfect time of year to take care of your lawn. Summer can mean you use the strip of grass much more, whether it is barbecues in the sun, football or other fun activities. The TikTok account ‘grassgains’ said in a video last year that autumn lawn care requires only a few simple and easy steps. In the clip, the gardener advises people to follow a series of steps including mowing the garden regularly as long as the weather is fine. Further steps include keeping the garden clean from leaves, removing moss or thatch and using overseed and patch repair on areas of grass that were worn down over the summer.
BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine also has a load of great tips similar to grassgains that will ensure you have a lush, green patch of grass to enjoy next year. The magazine said: “Giving your lawn a bit of attention in autumn will get it back into good shape before winter sets in. This can include removing thatch, moss and weeds, aerating your lawn, fixing patches and even feeding it if it really needs some care.” The magazine has an easy list of things you need to take care of your lawn this autumn. They are as follows:
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Lawn mower
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Spring-tined lawn rake
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Garden fork
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Lawn seed
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Hand fork
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Watering can
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Autumn lawn feed
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Taking care of your lawn
Start by cutting your grass with a lawn mower; around 4cm should be enough. Do this carefully by raising your mower blades to “ensure there is more grass to photosynthesise available sunlight, which means more sugars are stored in the roots for future growth”, Gardeners’ World said. Once you have done that, make sure to collect the clippings and add them to a compost heap. The nutrients from the pile can be added back to your garden at a later date.
You should follow a process known as ‘scarifying’ your lawn. This means removing moss and the brown material found under grass blades known as thatch, using a rake. This will help new grass to grow and more moss to form. Gardeners’ World said: “Scarifying once a year can dramatically improve the health and vigour of your lawn. Simply rake the lawn vigorously with a long-tined lawn rake to remove moss, creeping stems and trodden-in decaying material that has accumulated over the summer. The lawn will end up looking rather ravaged but not for long – the grass will recover quickly and will grow thicker and lusher as a result.”
Follow this by spiking the surface with a garden fork, making holes of between 8cm and 15cm deep. This should help growth and improve drainage. Once you have completed the steps above, loosen bald or thinning patches of soil with a fork and place grass seeds on the surface before covering with compost and water.
