The one 60-minute job you should do in September to make your lawn lush next summer

Lawns can take a battering over the summer months
-Credit: (Image: Getty)


Summer months can see your lawn given a bit of a hammering. From kids playing football to pets scratching or digging away, grass takes a fair amount of punishment over the summer as people spend more time outside.

But specialists have now set out one simple task which will help get your garden in pristine shape when the sunshine returns next year. Ben Agnew, grass expert at Lawnsmith, said sorting out any bald spots is easy but important to do now.

He said: “Lawns that get any kind of use over the summer months are bound to look slightly bedraggled by the time autumn arrives. Gardens are there to be enjoyed and there's no better time for this than when the weather is warmer. But with less rainfall and plenty of footfall, they can look far from their best by the time kids go back to school.

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“However, repairing these wear and tear zones is a relatively simple job - using just a few tools and taking no longer than an hour. And the rewards will be well worth it as action taken now, before the weather turns really cold, will ensure healthy grass come next year.”

Mr Agnew said the process is called “overseeding” and best done before the end of this month. That is because the ground is still warm and will give the new grass time to establish a root system that can withstand the harsher conditions.

He set out the steps starting with mowing the whole lawn first as this won't be possible while the new seeds are establishing themselves. He said: "Rake away debris and leave it for around 10 days to cultivate. If weeds appear during this time, remove them by hand.

“Put fast-acting fertiliser on the area and water it until dissolved. This will help to encourage growth from the start. Then it’s time to ‘overseed’ the worn zones. Aim for a rate of 35g of seeds per square metre.”

It’s key to keep feet and paws off the treated patches for a while, and water daily for the first six weeks unless there is some decent rainfall. Holes or completely bare patches are also fairly easy to get back to full health.

Mr Agnew added: “Cut away the affected grass and build up the area with compost or topsoil until it is level. Once the seeds are sown, add some more soil to keep the birds away and then keep the area moist to encourage the necessary growth.

“One thing to be careful of is overwatering. It’s much better to do it little and often rather than spending ages drenching it with a hose. With a bit of time invested, and some knowledge about what works, it’s pretty easy to get your lawn in shape and keep it that way into next year.”