Autumn Lawn Care Tips

Is your lawn feeling the weight of all that summer fun and games? It's time to give it some relief! Compacted soil from heavy traffic can restrict nutrients and water from reaching grass roots. Aerating your lawn can loosen the soil, allowing for better absorption of water, nutrients, and air. This leads to strong root development and growth and a healthier, more resilient lawn!

Aeration can be completed using a garden fork, hand or mechanical corer (also known as a lawn aerator). Hand corers are great for small, lightly compacted areas but it is highly recommended to use mechanical methods for areas that are large or heavily compacted. Mechanical corers can be hired or a contractor organised to do the job. Cores should be made every 5 cm.

Bare patches in lawns occur due to various reasons. One of the most common culprits is heavy foot traffic. When we constantly tread in the same spot, the grass can get compressed and eventually die, leaving behind an unattractive bald spot. Similarly, other areas may struggle to grow grass if they receive insufficient sunlight or water. Vigorous play and the activities of our lively pets can also contribute to bare patches.

Repairing these bare patches is crucial for maintaining a healthy lawn. The empty spaces provide an opportunity for weeds to grow and spread in the grass. By promptly repairing these bare patches, we can restore the aesthetic appeal of our lawn and prevent further damage. Fortunately, fixing these patches is relatively simple. Here's how:

Remove any debris, such as rocks, sticks, or dead grass from the bare patches. It is essential to have a clean and clear area to prevent issues with germination and growth.

Use a rake or hand fork to loosen the soil. This softens the soil and encourages the seeds to establish strong roots in the ground.

Choose a high-quality lawn seed suitable for your lawn type. Yates Lawn Seed Repair contains a blend of Couch, Tall Fescue, and fast-germinating Rye grasses to help thicken up bare areas. Sprinkle the seed over the affected area, making sure to distribute it evenly. Note: If you want to match your existing lawn, consider using the same type of seed or opting for instant turf sods for repair.

Water the area thoroughly and continue to water regularly to ensure the top 1 cm of soil remains moist at all times. Moisture is essential for seed germination and root establishment. 

Autumn is a good time to start a new lawn. You can grow it from seed or lay turf. Sowing seed is cheaper and covers large areas well, but takes longer to establish. Turf is pricier but gives faster results. 

Before starting a new lawn from seed, consider factors such as lawn variety and soil preparation. For best results, follow our comprehensive guide on How to Grow Grass from Lawn Seed & Choose the Right Type. By selecting the appropriate variety and preparing the soil correctly, you will achieve a better outcome for your lawn.

In order for the turf to establish, the roots of the grass must be encouraged to grow from the turf down into the soil. This will happen far more readily if the soil is well-prepared beforehand. Follow our guide on How to Lay New Turf - Preparation to ensure your surface is ready for laying. Once you've prepared your soil properly, you'll be ready to lay new turf. Follow our steps on How to Lay Turf for best results.

Autumn is an important time to feed established lawns. A lawn fertiliser provides the grass with essential nutrients, helping to promote a lovely deep green colour and thicker, stronger growth, get it in top condition before the cold weather arrives, and encourages the lawn to bounce back faster in spring. Yates Dynamic Lifter Concentrated Lawn Food combines the goodness of chicken manure with an extra boost of fast-acting mineral nutrients and is ideal for promoting healthy lawn growth, as well as adding valuable organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Apply it evenly over the lawn during autumn and water in well.

Many of Australia's common broad leaf weeds are winter annuals. This means they germinate in autumn and grow through spring. Mid-autumn (April) rains are generally what kick starts weed growth, particularly Bindii.

It is important to remove weeds in autumn before they have a chance to develop further and set seed, as this not only helps maintain a great lawn but also reduces seed germination in the following year. Yates Lawn Weed Control products to help control various growing weeds. Remember weeding isn't just a job for autumn; keeping on top of weed control throughout the year will keep your lawn healthy and feeling soft all year round.

Lawns can be attacked by a range of insect pests and diseases. Here's the 'how to' on how get them under control and keep your lawn healthy and looking great.

Lawn Armyworms are caterpillars of night-flying moths that feed on grass foliage and stems, leading to dead patches in the lawn. Bird activity on the lawn may indicate a Lawn Armyworm infestation, as they prey on the caterpillars.

Apply Yates Grub Kill & Protect as soon as Lawn Armyworm symptoms are noticed. Yates Grub Kill & Protect will also control other lawn grubs, such as Curl Grubs, the larvae of the African Black Beetle.

Lawn diseases can appear as circular brown or dying patches of grass. Moist and cool weather during autumn can lead to lawn diseases such as Brown Patch and Winter Fusarium. To help reduce the incidence of lawn diseases, water lawns in the morning so the grass has a chance to dry off during the day. Wet grass foliage overnight can promote disease.

For the control of Lawn diseases (Dollar Spot, Brown Patch, Fusarium and Helminthosporium only), try Yates Mancozeb Plus Garden Fungicide & Miticide.

Different types of grass should be cut in specific ways during autumn to ensure optimal growth for the following spring. For cool-season grasses like Ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass, cutting them short allows sunlight to reach the bottom of the blades. Warm-season grasses such as Couch, Kikuyu, and Buffalo should be left taller to protect them from frosts.

Your lawn still needs water even though it's not the height of summer. While you may not see any damage from heat stress, you will be missing out on the lateral growth and root development that lawns love to engage in this time of year. This is important for density going into winter and for summer next year. A good soaking once or twice a week will keep turf green and healthy throughout the winter.