Lawns will be better prepared to survive heavy rainfall this autumn if gardeners identify compacted areas now, according to outdoor living expert Laura Bradbury of Vonhaus.
With the final weeks of August offering ideal conditions, a simple screwdriver test can reveal where soil has become compacted over the summer. Bradbury advises pushing a long screwdriver gently into several sections of the lawn. If it enters some areas easily but meets resistance in others, particularly where furniture, paddling pools or heavy footfall have been, the soil may be compacted.
Why timing matters
Identifying these areas now allows homeowners to plan aeration once conditions are cooler and suitably moist, rather than discovering a drainage problem only after persistent autumn rain has arrived.
Another preparation task is checking how rainwater will move across the garden. While clearing drains is important, the route water takes to reach them can be blocked by loose soil, plant growth, leaves and grass clippings collecting on patios, paths, gravelled areas and drainage channels. Once autumn rain arrives, this material may divert water away from its intended path or towards doors, sheds and seating areas.
Simple checks and cleaning
Homeowners can observe the garden during ordinary rainfall or pour a small amount of water onto a suitable paved area to see which direction it travels and whether it pools, then move any items that obstruct the water's path.
Bradbury also stresses the need to clean beneath pots and furniture and around hidden corners in the last weeks of summer. The hidden areas beneath pots and furniture are often left until everything is moved at the end of the season. Clearing them while debris is still dry can prevent a much larger cleaning job once leaves, rain and dirt begin to build up.
