Well it certainly has been a wet summer so far hasn’t it with some weeks even getting close to 62mm of rainfall in a week. Feels more like that in a day thought sometimes! So how does this relate to lawn care? Well surprisingly we’ve had more interest in the rain than we’ve had in previous years including how it is affecting your lawn and how it aids or hinders mowing your lawn.
Let’s start with how it’s affecting your lawn. All soils will benefit from the rain but the different soils will have their own benefits and problems. For instance, some of our Preston based customers will have a clay based soil and this will enjoy good grass growth but will also face the problem of waterlogging which can increase lawn disease and the growth of moss. (Incidentally we’ll be running an extra moss killing service again at the start of the new year in anticipation of a moss overload) For our Fylde, Southport and Formby based customers who have sandy based soil will also enjoy good growth but may experience increased leeching whereby the nutrients in the lawn get washed through a quicker than normal leaving it a little patchy. Don’t forget too that there is still quite a bit of red thread around which is leaving the lawns patchy.
Whilst still experiencing good growth and looking fresh and green in the rain it is essential to leave some length in the grass when you begin mowing. Why?
Longer grass tends to grow more slowly which means it’s exerting less energy in growth and more in roots and health. The extra length in the grass leaf will also mean better photosynthesis takes pplace aiding health and reducing disease. The extra length and density of the grass will also help to keep weeds and moss away. Cutting the grass short in these conditions will produce anaemic grass, thinning grass, more weeds and more moss. So keep it long(er)!!
Don’t forget that you can also aid your lawns health through regular aeration especially in heavy traffic areas such as around the clothes line or where the postman walks etc…It may even be a good idea to put fresh seed down on these areas to keep it at its best.
For help on any of the above do give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to help.
Lawn treatments start from as little as £13 a quarter. It really is more cost effective than doing it yourself.
Red Thread
Hi there! This is just an update on what's proving to be a issue this year....RED THREAD!!! Due to the changing weather conditions we've experienced over the last few years this fungus has become more and more apparent. It has always been around but the mild wet...
