Bawden’s guide to a beautiful lawn for the summer season.
Mowing
Hotter summer temperatures and lower rainfall will slow grass growth and cutting will be generally less frequent. When you need to mow the rule is not to scalp the turf, never taking off more than a third of the height of the grass in any one cut and making sure your mower blade is sharp. Avoid mowing if your lawn is suffering from drought stress.
Feeding
It is important to feed your lawn during the spring, when the grass is growing vigorously, to ensure a healthy sward. It is not necessary to feed it in the summer months.
Watering
Well tended grass that is aerated and scarified to reduce the presence of moss will develop strong roots that are better able to withstand the arrival of periods of low rainfall and high temperatures. During the summer, lawns can soon turn brown and straw-like but if your lawn is well maintained at other times of the year it will soon recover when cooler, wetter conditions arrive. If drought restrictions have not been imposed by your local authority and you are still able to water your lawn, do so at the first sign of drought stress when the grass is losing its lushness. Water the grass evenly in the early morning or in the evening when the benefits of watering will be enhanced. In periods of drought your grass will grow less rapidly and you should, in any case, mow as little as possible.
Weed treatment
Broadleaf weeds in your lawn should be treated using the appropriate selective herbicide or removed by hand using a knife or mechanical weeder to ensure the entire root is taken out.
Pest infestation
Leatherjackets and chafer grubs are every keen gardener’s worst nightmare as they can wreak havoc on the most diligently maintained lawn. The first sign of infestation is usually yellowing patches of poorly growing grass and if you look carefully at the base of the blades of grass you will spot signs of grubs feeding on the roots. Often, however, pests are not visible and it is only by having a sample of the sward and root analysed that the cause of the damage is known for sure. If you suspect that either leatherjackets or chafer grubs are the cause they can be controlled by using nematode based products designed to deal with each particular pest. Chafer grub infestation should be treated from mid July to the end of October and leatherjackets from August to late October.