Lawn Care6 min read

Preparing your lawn for autumn

Autumn is the best time to feed, repair and thicken your lawn. Here's how to get it right.

Created by jflgardens.co.uk

The warm, damp days of early autumn are the ideal time to work on the lawn — the grass is still growing, and any repair you make now is thick and healthy by spring. Get the basics right and an autumn lawn is a step ahead all year.

1

Feed for roots, not leaves

Swap your summer feed for an autumn lawn fertiliser with less nitrogen and more potassium. This builds strong roots and hardens off the turf for winter, without forcing a flush of soft growth that will spoil at the first cold spell.

2

Scarify and aerate to decongest

Once growth slows, rake out thatch and moss and spike any compacted patches to let air, water and nutrients reach the roots. These simple jobs stop the lawn becoming spongy and weak, and are the perfect autumn reset.

3

Overseed and repair bare patches

The mild, moist conditions of autumn are ideal for grass seed germination. Rake over bare patches, scatter a suitable seed mix and keep them gently watered, and the new grass will knit in and establish well before winter.

4

Keep mowing, but gradually higher

Continue mowing as growth slackens, gradually raising the blade so the sward stands a little taller into winter. That extra height keeps the grass thicker and more resilient, and it bounces back better in the spring.

Need a hand with this in your own garden?

From seasonal garden care to a full lawn care-style overhaul, the JFL Gardens team works across Surrey and London.

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