Lawn burnt through excess fertiliser
Here are 3 common mistakes people make which can result in a huge bill to fix. Save your lawn and yourself the hassle by making sure you're aware of what not to do.
In the short term, your lawn can turn into a nightmare overnight if you use the wrong products or accidentally misuse products. 4-in-1s are particularly notorious for leaving burn marks or uneven growth.
In the longer term, your lawn will deteriorate over the course of the growing season or a few years if you let it become overrun with weeds, moss or pests.
1. Misusing products
Overfertilising
Make sure to follow all product dosage guidelines or risk scorching the roots and the grass blades, similarly to when pets leave marks on the lawn from urine. Once the grass is killed due to scorching it will need to be fully raked out and reseeded as it wont grow back.
If you think you have overfertilised then water the area thoroughly for the next ten days to help wash it through the soil.
Uneven Spreading
Another important factor is not spreading your lawn products evenly. In order to achieve uniformity, desired results and prevent lawn burn, use a spreader instead of applying solid products via hand and use a pressure sprayer instead of a watering can for liquids.
Result of uneven fertiliser application
2. Leave Moss & Weeds To Spread
Once you start leaving moss and weeds they begin outcompeting the healthy grass for air, water and nutrients. On top of this, the knock on effect of not having healthy, lush grass actually encourages pests and disease to take over your lawn as the grass is weaker. So make sure to stay on top of everything using the products on the next page.
Moss Control
Iron Sulphate. Due to legislation, iron sulphate cannot be sold as moss control without a license. However, rest assured that it is all the same stuff and is the best way to kill off any moss populations. In addition to blackening and killing off moss, iron sulphate will also harden your turf (make it more resistance to disease and wear) and give a quick ‘green-up’ effect.
Apply at 4-5g per diluted in at least 100ml of water per SQM to blacken and kill moss.
15-minute comparison of before and after iron sulphate application
Weed Control
Various Methods. Some weeds are more difficult to get rid of than others so don’t be surprised if a repeat application is required in some cases.
Selective Herbicide
A selective herbicide is one which targets and controls only the desired plants and doesn’t affect others. In this case you want a herbicide which kills the weed and leaves the grass. Weedol is one commonly used selective herbicide or there are other professional solutions such as Cabadex which require a license to spray.
Always ensure to follow all safety and application recommendations as these products are harmful and dangerous if misused.
Manual Pulling
The old school way. Get on your knees and pull. Or invest in a manual weed puller. You want to try and get as much of the root out as possible or you risk the weed coming back.
Glyphosate
Glyphosate is a very strong herbicide and wont distinguish between your lawn and weeds. It is often used when lawn owners want to start again or if the lawn is too infested with weeds.
3. Let Pests Infest Your Lawn
Pests are actually becoming more and more common across the UK and have turned many a lawn from perfect to completely ruined in the space of a season.
The two most common pests are leatherjackets and chafer grubs. While a few pests are to be expected in most soils, it is essential to deal with them if they are present in high numbers.
Leatherjackets
Commonly known as the larvae of the crane fly, these pests can completely destroy a lawn if left unchecked. While a small population is becoming more and more common in domestic soils and isn't always essential to treat, a larger population definitely needs to be controlled.
Leatherjacket
How To Spot Them
Leatherjackets are grey with a tubular body with no legs or obvious head.
They are typically found in large numbers in the soil beneath areas of stressed or dead grass as the feast on the grass roots.
A sudden increase in bird or badger activity is a sure sign of leatherjacket infestation. These predators leave holes in the lawn (or tear the whole thing up in the case of badgers!) as they try to feed on the leatherjackets.
How To Deal With Them
Control of the pests can be achieved using specific leatherjacket nematodes from April through to May or in September through to October. Ensure to follow product application guidelines carefully for nematodes as they are a living organism and die easily. It is also worth noting that in spring a double dose is required as the fully mature larvae are less susceptible to nematodes.
Chafer Grubs
The larvae of chafer beetles are very similar to leatherjackets in that they feed on the grass roots, can be spotted using the same methods and are dealt with using specific nematodes.
Chafer Grub
How To Spot Them
Chafer grubs are milky white and curved in a C shape.
How To Deal With Them
Chafer grub nematodes.
Ants
Another pest which plagues some lawn owners is ants. While they are not always an issue, their mounds can be unsightly and can create an uneven surface.
How To Deal With Them
You could simply brush the ants away if you are not bothered by the infestations. Alternatively there are various solutions on the market such as ant powders (e.g. Ant Stop). Or you can use ant-specific nematodes which the ants do not tolerate being close to so they move their nests. To achieve total control a combination of a course of 3 ant nematode treatments followed by a final application of ant powder in any remaining nests is recommended.
You're set!
Now you know exactly what to problems to avoid with your lawn and how to fix it if one of them happens. Take this advice and keep your lawn looking lush, healthy and weed, pest and moss free all year round!
Check out our 3-step guide for quickly transforming your lawn without hiring a professional if your lawn needs a bit of a pick-me-up or might do at some point in the future.