Looking After Your Lawn This October

October is one of the most important months for lawn care, as it’s the last real chance to improve or repair your lawn before winter sets in. With the soil still warm and moisture increasing, it’s the ideal time for lawn maintenance that sets the foundation for a healthier lawn next spring. Here are the top tips for looking after your lawn in October:

✅ Keep Mowing – But Less Often

• Continue mowing the lawn while the grass is still growing.
• Raise the cutting height slightly to avoid stressing the grass.
• Avoid cutting when the grass is wet or frozen.

🍂 Rake Up Leaves Regularly

• Fallen leaves block light and trap moisture, encouraging moss and disease. 
• Rake or use a leaf blower weekly to keep the lawn clear.

⚒️ Scarify (Remove Thatch & Moss)

• Use a spring-tine rake or mechanical scarifier to remove moss, dead grass, and thatch. 
• This helps improve air and water movement to the roots. 

🛠️ Tip: Only scarify if your lawn is in reasonably good health — it can stress weak grass. 

🌱 Aerate the Lawn

• Use a garden fork or a hollow-tine aerator to relieve compaction, especially on heavy clay soil. 
• Improves drainage and root development. 

💩 Top-Dress After Aeration (Optional)

• Apply a mix of loam, sand, and compost to improve soil structure.
• Brush it into the holes made by aeration. 

🌾 Overseed Thin or Damaged Patches

• Sow lawn seed over bare or weak areas.
• Choose the right mix (e.g. shady lawn, hard-wearing, ornamental). 
• Lightly rake in and keep moist for 2–3 weeks to aid germination. 

🍽️ Feed with Autumn Lawn Fertiliser

• Apply a low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertiliser designed for autumn. 
• This strengthens the grass for winter without encouraging soft, lush growth. 

🚫 Avoid spring/summer fertilisers now – they promote growth that’s vulnerable to frost and disease. 

🚶 Reduce Traffic on Wet Lawns

• Avoid walking on soggy or frosty lawns as it can cause compaction and damage the grass. 

🌧️ Improve Drainage (if needed)

Persistent puddling or soggy patches? Consider: 

• Installing lawn drainage 
• Switching to raised beds or mulched borders in very wet areas

📋 Plan Lawn Improvements for Next Year

If your lawn struggled this year, consider: 

• Replacing areas with wildflower turf 
• Reducing lawn size in favour of borders or gravel 
• Laying new turf or seeding entirely in spring