Issue 24 - September 2012 (PDF) - Chipping Norton Times

8
A beautiful lawn is no accident...
- it’s the result of a programme of care over a
sustained period. In this monthly column, local lawn
expert Alan Mann of Beautiful Lawn, talks how to
restore your own lawn to vibrant good health.
Following one of the wettest and coolest
summers ever recorded, your lawn may
look green and healthy but a host of
problems have been created by these
unprecedented conditions. Now that we are
moving into autumn, it’s
time to deal with them
before they really take
hold.
We all know that grass
needs water. We may not
know that it doesn’t like
being permanently wet, particularly not
when combined with warm temperatures.
This creates a damp, airless environment
that encourages the development of two of
the biggest threats to the health of your
lawn - moss and disease.
Moss loves the conditions that grass
hates - so, if you have moss in your lawn,
it’s likely that your grass is already
struggling. Moss is particularly invasive
because it breeds twice a year - in the early
spring and autumn. If it is allowed to breed
unchecked it spreads exponentially and can
take over a lawn very quickly. To stop the
problem getting any worse in the
immediate future
your moss should be
treated with a ferrous
sulphate spray in
early autumn to stop
it sporing this season.
The resulting black
moss debris will need to be removed with a
hard scarification.
However, that won’t stop moss breeding
again in early Spring. To completely
eradicate moss from your lawn, you need
to address the conditions it enjoys - in
particular, shade and damp. Start by
removing the lower limbs from trees and
cutting back shrubs that cast permanent
shadow over your grass. This allows air and
warmth to circulate through the grass. The
biggest difference you can make is to
improve the drainage in the soil underneath
the lawn and this should be done using a
hollow-tine aerator to remove plugs of soil
from the lawn. Then apply a top dressing of
sand and loam and brush it into the lawn.
This will fill the holes left by the aerator and
introduce looser material into the sub soil,
improving drainage and easing soil
compaction.
““TToo ccoommpplleetteellyy eerraaddiiccaattee
mmoossss ffrroomm yyoouurr llaawwnn,, yyoouu
nneeeedd ttoo aaddddrreessss tthhee
ccoonnddiittiioonnss iitt eennjjooyyss””
Your
Lawn
in
September
Fungal infections which are normally only
seen in the autumn have thrived during this
wettest of summers. Many of them enjoy
the same conditions as moss so they can be
addressed in the same way, although a
chemical control will require the application
of a fungicide and this is best carried out be
a professional.
Finally, don’t forget to raise the height of
your mower blades as the rate of growth
slows during September. Keep mowing the
lawn for as long as it keeps growing, but
this should be at less frequent intervals as
we move later into the year.
ALAN MANN