Autumn is one of the most crucial times of the year for lawn care maintenance. As the end of the year approaches and winter looming around the corner, it becomes essential to prepare your lawn for the harsh conditions ahead. Failing to prepare can lead to the establishment of lawn diseases and persistent weeds that can persist throughout winter and into spring when we want to start using our lawns again.
Red Thread is a common lawn disease that can develop due to humid weather conditions. Brown patches appear on affected lawns, sometimes with a red tinge. On close inspection, very fine red threads can be seen on the leaves, which give the disease its name. This is the early stage of the disease; once it matures it produces pink ‘candy floss’ type clumps that will produce spores. These can be spread by shoes, lawn mowers, water and other items moved around the grass.
It most commonly occurs from late spring throughout summer and into early autumn, meaning that Red Thread may already be well established in your lawn at this time of year. The good news is that apart from being a sight for sore eyes, Red Thread very rarely kills grass. However, if left to develop, the patches may increase in size and eventually merge, transforming a once appealing green lawn into an unappealing, patchy lawn.
It can attack at any time of the year, but Fusarium patch most commonly occurs during autumn and winter, when the grass remains damp for extended periods. This dampness can result from excess moisture due to rainfall or overwatering. Compacted soil, excessive thatch, and poor lawn drainage can also contribute to the development of Fusarium patch.
Fusarium Patch gives the surface of the lawn a white-pinkish cotton look, forming circular or irregular patches of dying grass. If Fusarium Patch is already present in your lawn, it's important to take action promptly.
Lawn Master offer a range of lawn care treatments during autumn. However, caring for your lawn doesn’t always require a visit from your local Lawn Master expert. There are several simple and cost-free measures you can take to help prevent problems with your lawn in autumn.
The easiest and most important lawn care advice we can give for autumn is to clear fallen leaves as quickly as possible. When left on the lawn, they block sunlight and airflow, suffocating the grass and impeding its growth. It is essential to regularly rake fallen leaves and remove any debris to prevent the development of weeds or diseases.
Not only does this enhance the overall appearance of your garden, but it also helps prevent the spread of lawn diseases by improving airflow and sunlight penetration, reducing moisture build-up. Cutting back trees, bushes, and herbaceous borders also reduces the amount of leaves and debris falling onto your lawn, making the task of raking them quicker, easier, and less frequent.
After summer is over and the temperatures drop, we tend to use our lawns less often. If this is the case, clear away any play equipment and garden furniture. This prevents shade and maximises the flow of air across the grass, keeping it drier and reducing disease pressure.
Most disease problems, such as Fusarium Patch, occur when dew stays on the grass all day long. By gently raking the grass, you can lift and disperse the dew, enabling the grass to dry more quickly. This reduces the amount of time that the grass blades remain moist, minimising the development of diseases.
To prepare your lawn for the challenges of autumn and winter, Lawn Master can provide a wide range of professional lawn care treatments. Our treatments offer several benefits for maintaining a healthy lawn, including preventing the occurrence of lawn diseases, controlling moss growth, and reducing thatch levels.
One of the most important treatments of our standard treatment programme as it prepares your lawns for the harsh winter conditions ahead. Our autumn fertilisers strengthen the grass roots to ensure the plant is healthy through the colder months and able to withstand disease establishment.
Learn more about Fertiliser Applications.
This is the process of removing thatch and organic matter from lawns. Removing the dead matter allows new and stronger grass to grow through. Scarifying should typically be completed annually to ensure a fit and healthy lawn. The process reduces both thatch layers and moss levels, as well as allowing all the important nutrients that naturally occur to have better access to the soil.
Learn more about Scarification.
Over-seeding is the process of applying a matching grass seed to a lawn, to improve the sward density and to compensate for grass decline.
In most instances, lawns require over-seeding because of sparse areas or bare patches, usually caused by foot traffic over a period of time. Introducing new grasses will ensure a thicker and dense sward which ultimately makes your lawn more resilient.
Learn more about Over-seeding.
Top dressing is the application of a soil or organic material to the surface of a lawn to improve the quality of the soil over a period of time. Top dressing can consist of a mixture of minerals such as sand, silt and clay, or a combined mixture of them all. Top dressings can improve the overall level of your lawn, allowing it to be more usable and easier to maintain. Most importantly, top dressings will improve the soil structure, which in turn improves the soil’s nutrient retention capabilities.
Learn more about Top Dressing.
Learn more about Our Lawn Diease Control Programme.
Learn more about Our Standard Treatment Programme.
Written by Lawn Master Head Office. 25 Years of Professional Lawn Care Services
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