The gardening year is winding down, but there’s plenty to do through the autumn and winter, says Tom Brown, head gardener at West Dean Gardens.
He tells the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine: “The weather and temperatures will fluctuate in the coming months, leading to some challenging times, but with a little-and-often approach while connecting with your garden on a regular basis, you’ll not only put your garden in a great position but also feel a sense of fulfilment as you become more in tune with it.”
As overnight temperatures drop, plants become more vulnerable to frosts and our lawns need a little extra attention.
Autumn winds will blow dead leaves onto your lawn, blocking what little sunlight we do get in these shorter days, and causing unsightly brown patches.
The most important thing you can do is to make sure your lawn is scarified as the growing season comes to an end.
To make sure your lawn looks its best next year, you should first remove leaves and any other debris as soon as you can.
You can remove them either with a wide fan-shaped rake or, if you’re feeling a little less energetic, you can simply run a lawnmower over the area with the blade set high.
Collect all those leaves and twigs in your wheelbarrow, and you’ll be set for an impressive bonfire in November.
Take advantage of any dry spells and brush any wormcasts that you see into the turf. Don’t be tempted to do that particular job when the grass is wet, Tom says, “you will end up smearing the soil across the lawn, causing the grass to die back and weeds to grow.”
If you spot any bare patches on your lawn, rake them over and re-seed them while there’s still a bit of warmth in the soil.
Scarifying your lawn in autumn helps prevent fungal problems, improves aeration, and allows those autumn downpours to drain away quickly. “If done properly,” says Tom, “the lawn will look terrible for a couple of weeks, but will grow back much stronger.”
The easiest way to scarify your lawn is with a dedicated machine, which you can buy for between £50 and £100. Simply mow the lawn quite short, then use the scarifier to remove thatch – the fine layer of old grass stems, dead moss, leaves, and other debris that becomes compacted in your lawn over time.
Start with the scarifier blades on a high setting, and gradually lower them to avoid digging too deeply into the soil and damaging the turf.
Work steadily across your entire lawn in one direction, just as you would with a mower. For your second pass, turn the scarifier 90 degrees and go over the lawn again, lowering the blade height slightly if needed, but taking care not to let the mechanism dig into the soil.
The next job is to use a rake or – if you must – a leaf blower to banish all that thatch once and for all.
Your final task is to check for any bare patches where the thatch had been preventing the grass from growing. Lightly sprinkle some grass seed over them and gently rake them into the soil.
To maintain all that hard work, make sure your soil doesn’t dry out, lightly watering on dry days until new grass begins to grow. You can also apply a nutrient-rich feed to help the lawn recover and thicken.