During the year your lawns needs change. Our summer month feeds will gently provide your lawn with the correct balance of nutrient to help replace that lost by summer cutting.
Summer Overview
The weather, always a challenge…. We have experienced very dry and windy conditions which have started to take its toll on many lawns especially those with fine grasses. We would welcome some steady rain as a welcome drink for the lawn and garden.
Whilst our summer feed, will gently release nutrient over the summer months, it doesn’t require watering in, however, if you keep your lawn short which will reduce the amount of morning dew, we would recommend a light watering after application.
Our weed control emphasis on this visit will focus on any weed activity, especially those difficult to control weeds like Speedwell and Selfheal. If you are one of the many UK households growing your own we would recommend that you do not compost the next four lawn clippings following any weed control application.
Don’t forget to check out our recommendations for lawn ants, a common problem for many homeowners.
To get the best effect from any lawn treatment, avoid mowing for three days after treatment. This gives time for the weed-killing element to move down to the roots.
Why is all feeding and cutting important?
If you regularly cut the grass in summer to a minimum of 30mm and it is well fed, then the lawn will become thick and strong, this will naturally help eliminate weeds and moss as the don’t get a chance to thrive.
Mowing Tips
We promote regular mowing all year, a golden rule would be “little and often”, if we are experiencing a dry patch raise the cut height:
- Ideal cutting heights for the majority of lawns is 30/50mm, if you have a fine lawn the 25/35mm
- Keep the mower blades sharp for a great cut
- Don’t forget to keep the edges trim for that great finish
- Watering – Just in case we need to!
When I should start to water?
It is more efficient to water your lawn at the first sign of drought, rather than wait until the lawn has become stressed or dormant. Initial signs of a water deficit in the soil are wilting of the turf, at this stage footprints in the grass do not spring back. An additional sign of drought is a colour change from its normal green to a green/blue.
For more information about watering your lawn see Watering Advice.
Summer Lawn Diseases – Red Thread
This disease is often seen on lawns in the UK from mid summer through to and including the autumn time. It is often seen on fine fescue lawns, but can develop on all lawn types. It is a fairly minor disease that in most cases does relatively little damage, but can spoil a well kept lawns appearance. It is spread by spores within the air.
Difficult Lawn Weeds
During the summer application we review and treat those difficult weeds, persistent weeds like Speedwell may require additional treatments, for more information about this weed and how to reduce it click info
Ants – Are they a pest in your lawn?
The main pest our customers encounter are ants, although not as harmful to turf as wormcasts, ant hills can disfigure lawns. They usually appear in summer, especially prevalent in damp conditions and should be dispersed by brushing the soil when dry. This will avoid smearing them on the lawn when mowing. Over time left untreated the lawn may become uneven. Ants can also damage roots which may cause yellowing.
Ants can be controlled by treating with either biological nematodes or chemical treatments. Our customers have great success using Ant Stop Granule with a pro active approach during the summer. Available from our Van or on line.