Gardeners are being urged to follow a four-step method to achieve a lush green lawn this month, with the key tasks being scarification, aeration, over-seeding, and quilting. The right tools are essential for the best outcome, and the grass should not be cut until the job is done.
Four key steps for lawn care
The first job is scarification, using a spring tine rake or scarification rake to rake out thatch and moss. This clears the living grass of suffocating moss and thatch.
The second job is to aerate the lawn using an aeration spiker, which produces holes about six inches deep. Aeration allows air to reach the existing grass roots and reduces compaction.
Over-seeding and final touches
After scarifying and aerating, the third job is to sow quality grass seed across the lawn using a mini handheld spreader or drop spreader, ensuring seed gets onto all thin and bare patches. This technique, known as over-seeding, thickens the lawn by germinating new grass amongst the existing grass.
The final job is quilting the newly sown grass seed and ground with quality lawn dressing, using a lawn leveller or upturned rake. This snuggles the seed between the ground and the dressing, assisting germination, protecting the seed from hungry birds, and boosting nutrition in the existing soil.
Aftercare and autumn tips
Once the jobs are done, the warm soil, sunny daylight, milder temperatures, and seasonal rains provide everything the grass seed needs to germinate and establish before winter. The grass should not be cut until it is well established, as young grass does not like to be cut too short. A high cut is all that is required during autumn, and a granular feed can be applied as autumn progresses to keep roots healthy and strong.
