Summer lawn care

Mowing

Whilst growing conditions are favourable lawns will require more frequent mowing than usual for the time of year. As temperatures rise grass growth will slow down and mowing frequency can be reduced. Mow as and when necessary, never taking more than one third of the length of the plant off in any one cut. If you are going on holiday, especially for more than 1 week, make arrangements for someone to mow your lawn whilst you're away.

During periods of low rainfall we recommend increasing the cutting height slightly. Leaving lawns a little longer will help trap moisture by reducing evaporation from the surface and encourage deeper roots to grow.

Feeding

Whether you need to feed your lawn during summer will depend on the weather and growth patterns. A late spring application of Lawn Fertiliser, Weed & Moss Killer should see your lawn through to autumn, but during cooler, wet summers an additional application may be required, to replace nutrients which have been taken up by grass plants or leached away.

The ideal conditions to apply a fertiliser are when the soil is moist and the grass leaves are dry. After application, a shower of rain to wash the fertiliser into the soil will complete the job. Do not apply fertiliser during periods of drought as this may scorch your lawn.

Toadstools in lawns

Toadstools are a naturally occurring form of fungus that can appear on any lawn given certain weather or ground conditions. Their appearance on recently laid turf is not unusual as the action of harvesting, transporting and laying new turf can sometimes stimulate the fungi to produce toadstools. They most commonly appear when the weather is warm and humid and will usually disappear after a few weeks or when the weather conditions change.

Toadstools can be removed by picking them off by hand (wearing gardening gloves as a precaution) or brushing them off. Alternatively they can be mown off with a box on the mower in order to collect them. In new lawns they are very unlikely to reoccur, however in established lawns there may be an underlying issue which will require further investigation to prevent repeat occurrences. 

Broadleaf weeds & weed grasses

Broadleaf weeds can be treated using a selective herbicide or an all-in-one treatment such as Rolawn GroRight Lawn Fertiliser, Weed & Moss Killer or removed by hand. Weed grasses, such as Annual Meadow Grass, should be removed by hand by cutting the plant out and removing the roots. Any gaps which are left can be filled with a mix of top dressing and lawn seed to help prevent new weeds and weed grasses from germinating. Annual Meadow Grass is usually more prolific in spring, but the recent wet conditions have been ideal for it to flourish.