You may think with the summer ending that August is the month to sit back and relax when it comes to lawn care. Surprisingly so, August is a very important month for your lawn. If you want a beautifully healthy lawn in spring, your work begins now.
Your guide to a healthy lawn
But where to begin? You have put all your love and hard work into your lawn all summer long, but the work is not done yet. To prepare a healthy turf for the coming season, we guide you through the main steps.
- Weed control
Always pull weeds as soon as you notice them. A couple of weeds won’t do big damage to your lawn, but a large number of weeds will suck the moisture from your grass and leave it too dry to grow. - Mow in a high setting
Especially when there’s been a couple of hot days, your lawn can dry out and turn brown. Mowing the grass at a higher level helps provide shade to your grass and allows the lawn to retain its moisture. - Apply fertiliser
To kick-start the next growing season, you best apply fertiliser at the end of summer or beginning of fall. During this period, the lawn is low on nitrogen and potassium. These two are important nutrients for your lawn to survive. Fertilising with these two elements will allow for a faster growing rate and a healthy lawn come springtime. - Aerate your lawn
Our lawn may be beautiful to look at, it’s mostly there to use. We walk on it, our kids play on it. But all those steps lead to compaction. When the soil on your lawn is too compact, the grass roots have no room to grow. A healthy lawn needs to aerate. A common tool for aeration are spiked aeration shoes. But, unfortunately these do more harm to your lawn than good. Hence we advise you to use an aeration machine. Very easy to handle and very pleasant for your lawn. - Sow new grass in August or September
If you notice some spots of dead grass in your lawn, do not worry. This is completely normal to happen over summer. But this is also why it’s best to start overseeding in the middle of August or early September. Sow the seeds and use a rake to work them into the soil. Add some water to the freshly sown seeds and enjoy a healthy turf next season!
Planning is key
Our final tip is this: plan your lawn care. Grass likes routine, just like many of us. Dedicate one day in the weekend to mow your lawn, find a week in August to do major lawn care and use spring for ongoing maintenance. Work your lawn care into your schedule and be sure to have a healthy and vivid lawn all year round.
