• Sow grass seed in Autumn, whilst the weather is still warm.  Sow as soon as the weather conditions permit to ensure good, strong growth before the frosts start.  Remember not to mow new grass too soon.
• A more costly but instant option is to lay turf and October and November are an ideal time to do this.  The key to laying turf is to prepare the ground well in advance of laying and only buy your turves when you are ready to lay them.
• If you have a very mossy lawn use Autumn Lawn Feed and Moss Killer, eradicating your moss and topping up nutrient levels to help your lawn through the winter months.  Alternatively try using our new Autumn & Winter Lawn Enhancer which increases the root system of your lawn improving water and nutrient uptake and reducing the risk of drought or disease.
• Scarify your lawn using a spring tine rake to remove dead grass and moss, often referred to as ‘thatch’.  Whilst this may leave your lawn looking a little patchy it will thank you for it and soon recover.
• If your lawn is compacted you can aerate using a fork or hollow-tine aerator.  By opening up the lawn with small holes you will vastly improve drainage and reduce the risk of moss taking hold.  After aerating apply Lawn & Turf Dressing to help create a thicker, healthier lawn.
• Toadstools can be unsightly during Autumn but don’t despair.  Simply brush them off with a besom broom, they won’t cause any long term damage to your lawn.

Mowing

As the weather starts to change the grass will be growing much more slowly. Adjust the cutting height on your lawnmower so that it cuts the grass higher. Mow about once a fortnight until about mid October, depending on the weather conditions.

Recut the lawn edges with a half moon edging iron to create a neat finish.

Trim the lawn edges every week using lawn-edging shears to give a neat finish.

Feeding and Conditioning

Don’t be tempted to use a summer feed on the lawn now. Instead treat the lawn to Westland Autumn Lawn Feed & Moss Killer which will deal with moss and feed the lawn in one easy application.

You can still give the lawn a boost with Westland Aftercut Lawn Feed & Conditioner. This can be applied after mowing until the end of October.

Aerate compacted areas and apply Westland Lawn & Turf Dressing to fill in any holes, cracks and hollows.

Weed and Moss Control

If the lawn is very mossy then either treat with Westland Autumn Lawn Feed & Moss Killer or use Westland Lawn Sand. Wait until the moss has turned black, (about 2 weeks) and remove the dead moss with a spring tine rake.

Lawn Repairs

Re-sow bare patches using Westland Lawn Repair Kit. For futher advice follow our guide on How to Repair your Lawn.

Be sure to sweep up fallen autumn leaves and to keep the lawn free from debris.

New Lawns

Autumn is a very good time to sow a new lawn from seed. The soil is still warm from the summer and the autumn rain will provide vital moisture as the new lawn develops. It is vital to prepare the soil thoroughly and to keep the developing lawn properly watered. See our guide on How to Sow a New Lawn.

Repair damaged or worn areas of the lawn. Large areas can be top dressed with Westland Lawn & Turf Dressing and then over sown with an appropriate lawn seed. Westland Fast Acting Lawn Seed is ideal for quick establishment or choose a lawn seed that is specially formulated to suit your garden conditions and the way you use your lawn.

The most obvious reason is the cost. A box of lawn seed costs a fraction of the amount that a similar area of turf would cost.

But more importantly by choosing the right seed to suit your needs you can ensure that your lawn can thrive under the conditions in your garden.  Specific mixes have been formulated for shady lawns, premium lawns and lawns which are prone to drought as well as hard wearing multi-purpose lawn seed for high traffic areas such as the family lawn.

When you make the right choice and follow the sowing and growing instructions, you will create a weed free lawn in a matter of weeks. However it will be a few months before it can be used for football, or will withstand general wear and tear.

Mowing Lawn

In their natural habitat wild grasses are grazed by animals such as sheep and cattle. In order to survive the grass plants have evolved to grow from the base. By regularly mowing the grass we mimic the effect of grazing, which stimulates the grass to grow more strongly from the base. Here are our top tips for keeping your lawn in the best condition:

• Keep the blades on your lawn mower properly adjusted and sharpened.
• If the conditions are ideal for growth (warm, moist and sunny) then you may need to mow twice a week to keep it looking good.
• Don’t mow the lawn too short when it is very hot.
• If you are on holiday, cut the lawn before you go. Don’t be tempted to cut it very short, as this will cause it stress. Weak grass cannot compete well with invading weeds and moss and will suffer. Cut it as normal as near to your leaving date as possible.
• Don’t cut the grass when it is wet, or when the soil is waterlogged.
• It is safe to cut the lawn during winter months if it is still growing, but keep the blades high and avoid wet conditions.
• Never cut the grass in frosty conditions.
• When mowing a newly seeded lawn allow it to reach about 5cm (2inches) in height and then cut to 2.5cm (1inch).
• Very short grass clippings produced from regular mowing can be left on the lawn as a mulch during summer when the weather is hot. This helps to reduce water loss. Don’t allow this to build up though, or it will create thatch.
• Don’t compost grass clippings treated with Westland Lawn Feed, Weed & Moss Killer.

Watering Your Lawn

Apart from newly turfed or freshly seeded lawns there is little need to water a lawn even during a summer drought. Although the lawn may go brown it will almost always recover.

Do water lawns that are sown or laid in the spring or autumn,  especially in dry weather. Water thoroughly at dusk so that the water has a chance to reach down to the new grass roots and soak into the soil.

You can help your lawn tolerate drought by keeping it well fed, free from moss and weeds and by not cutting it too short.

1.  

   Step 1.

   If you are replacing an old lawn the quickest method is to kill off the existing grass (and weeds).  Use a glyphosate based weed killer, such as Resolva, this will enable you to sow as soon as the old grass has died off. Alternatively skim off the top layer of grass and the immediate soil below and stack it up in a corner of the garden to break down into loam.

2.  

   Step 2.

   Dig over the whole area, removing large stones, roots and other debris. If the topsoil is shallow or poor, add more Top Soil to improve it. Sandy soils should be improved using Soil Conditioner. Be aware when adding partly composted organic matter to the soil that it will break down and could lead to hollows forming. Rake the area to break up soil clumps and level the site. Getting the level right is critical. Place something with a straight edge over the area, a ladder is ideal, weigh it down at both ends and trail it over the surface.  Firm gently and then rake lightly to create a fine see bed. If possible allow the area to rest for a week, hoe off any new weed seedlings that appear.

3.  

   Step 3.

   Mark out the area in square meters using canes. Sow the lawn seed at a rate of 33g/m2 over the top.
   For more even coverage scatter half of the lawn seed evenly over the area in one direction and then move round 90 degrees and scatter the other half at right angles to ensure good coverage. Repeat this for every square metre. For easy sowing use the Fast Acting Lawn Seed handheld spreader. It contains sufficient lawn seed to cover an area of about 30m2, and allows you to distribute the lawn seed at the correct rate evenly, whatever the shape of the area being sown. The handheld spreader creates a spreading width of 70cm (28in) so it is fast and easy to apply.

4.  

   Step 4.

   Keep off the area and protect the seed from birds. Keep the soil moist to aid germination. If there’s no rain within a few days of sowing then water the area gently but thoroughly. Continue to water in dry spells.
   

1.  

   Step 1.

   Loosen the bare soil surface. Remove any weeds, moss or debris present.

2.  

   Step 2.

   Apply some Lawn & Turf Dressing or Top Soil over the area to create a surface suitable for sowing seed.

3.  

   Step 3.

   Scatter the lawn seed lightly but evenly over the area. Apply the granular fertiliser over the top to give the grass seed a head start.

4.  

   Step 4.

   Water the area with slightly tepid (warm water) and keep moist until the seeds have germinated and are growing strongly.

Choose early daffodils so that the lawn can be mown after they have flowered. For the best results choose one variety. Small species narcissi will spread more easily if allowed to set seed. Narcissus ‘Tete a Tete’ is a pretty, small, vigorous variety that will naturalise well in short grass.

1. 
   
   
   

   Step 1.

   Scatter the bulbs over the area to be planted. This will create a random planting pattern so that they look more natural when they come up.

2. 

   
   
   

   Step 2.

   Plant each bulb where it lands. Cut the lawn turf in the position, removing a section of turf. Excavate the soil beneath the turf and dig out a hole that is three times the depth of the bulb.

3. 
   
   
   

   Step 3.

   Loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole and mix in some Bulb Planting Compost. Position the bulb in the hole and refill with more Bulb Planting Compost.

4. 
   
   
   

   Step 4.

   Replace the turf over the hole and water well so that the grass can re-establish. The bulb will grow up through the turf in spring.

1. 

   Step 1.

   In spring use a hollow tine aerator to remove small cores of soil from the lawn.

2. 

   Step 2.

   Push the hollow tines into the grass at regular intervals; each new position will force the removed soil up the tines.

3. 

   Step 3.

   Using a besom or garden broom sweep Westland Lawn and Turf dressing into the holes to stop them filling back in with soil. Now feed the lawn with a lawn tonic such as Westland Aftercut Lawn Feed & Conditioner, which should be applied after mowing.