I’m a gardening guru and there’s a disastrous lawn mistake that encourages weeds – it’s super common in hot weather
IF you want your lawn to impress this season, then you’ve come to the right place.
With the weather finally heating up, more and more Brits will be looking to spend time in their gardens.
And if you want your grass to leave your neighbours open-mouthed, then you’ll need to listen up and take notes.
It turns out that there’s a very common lawn mistake that many people make that is actually encouraging weeds.
So if you are fed up with spending ages on your hands and knees picking out weeds, then we’ve got you covered.
Oliver Johnson, a gardening guru from HomeAdviceGuide.com, has dished out his advice on typical lawn care errors made by homeowners and how to sidestep them.
Oliver also shares some simple maintenance tips to keep your turf in tip-top condition.
According to the gardening expert, one major faux pas is overwatering the lawn, which can be “disastrous”.
Excessive watering can lead to waterlogging, which hampers root growth.
As a result, in wet conditions, additional watering may not be necessary.
However, with the UK set for hot weather over the next few days, gardeners should aim for about an inch of water weekly to keep the lawn quenched without causing a flood.
Another big no-no is scalping the lawn, which Oliver described as a “recipe for disaster”.
Cutting the grass too short may seem like a shortcut, but it actually “stresses the grass” and leaves it susceptible to diseases, drought, and pests.
In addition to this, another lawn pro, Chris Bonnett, the founder of Gardening Express, has warned that when dealing with long grass, the “worst mistake you can make” is cutting it too short.
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- Scarify the lawn with a rake to remove any old leaves and moss
- Add nitrogen fertiliser into the soil
- Alternatively, put granular feed over the lawn, or a ‘plant soup’ from plant material over the lawn
Chris explained that doing so can harm the roots, encourage weeds and damage lawnmowers.
Insead, he advised aiming for a height of around three inches.
Seasonal lawn care schedule
Lawn care varies from season to season, with some tasks helping to encourage growth and root development whilst others help maintain the soil quality.
Claire Baglin, landscaping category manager from Toolstation has shared lawn care tasks and tips for each season:
Spring (March, April, May)
- Start to mow the grass bi-weekly in March when the soil and air temperatures typically reach above 6C.
- Fertilise the lawn for the first time during March using some quick-release fertiliser that is rich in nitrogen to help promote shoot growth.
- Scarify the lawn for the first time during April to remove any built-up moss or thatch that can accumulate throughout the winter.
- Aerate the lawn during April by spiking holes into the soil surface. This will help to loosen the soil and encourage growth.
- Overseeding can also be carried out throughout April to patch up any thin or bare areas of grass.
Summer (June, July, August)
- From June start to cut your grass once a week – apart from in periods of extreme heat and droughts. Increase the cutting height to protect the lawn from any possible droughts.
- In June make sure to treat the lawn for any weeds – this can either be manual removal for individual weeds or using weed killer for larger clusters.
- During July and August make sure to water the lawn at least once a week by giving it a soak for 5-10 minutes.
Autumn (September, October, November)
- From September reduce the lawn mowing frequency back to once every two weeks and conduct the last mow of the year in November.
- Fertilise the lawn for a second time during October using a slow-release fertiliser that is rich in phosphorous and potassium to strengthen the lawn.
- Throughout October and November remove any fallen leaves and other debris from the lawn surface.
Winter (December, January, February)
- From December to the end of February leave the lawn alone. Grass typically does not grow in the colder winter temperatures.
- Winter is the perfect time of the year to conduct any lawnmower maintenance including checking over the blades and filters.
This will ensure the grass retains its top growth, which will keep it strong and resilient.
Another essential but often overlooked aspect of lawn care is aeration, which is “crucial” for “healthy growth”.
The gardening pros revealed that aeration involves poking holes in the soil to allow water and nutrients to penetrate more effectively.
This is an important step for compacted or clay-heavy soils and can be done using a manual aerator or even a garden fork.
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