Johnsons Lawn Seed is warning that the nation’s lawns will need extra TLC this spring, if grass is to recover from the extreme conditions experienced during last summer’s heatwave and drought.
The company, established in 1820 and the oldest lawn seed brand in the UK, is urging gardeners to take action from mid-spring by overseeding and feeding to nurse drought-hit lawns back to health. It is anticipating strong demand for its pioneering portfolio of lawn seed and lawncare products, as concerned gardeners seek to transform patchy, tatty turf into lush lawns in time for summer.
According to the Met Office, summer 2018 was the joint hottest on record, together with 2006, 2003 and the scorching summer of 1976. With temperatures peaking at 35.3C on 26 July, and a lack of rainfall making it the driest summer since 2003 – the nation’s lawns have been left in desperate need of renovation. Last autumn, Johnsons Lawn Seed witnessed a sales uplift of 300% as gardeners sought to restore lawns that had suffered during the exceptionally hot, dry summer.
Johnsons Lawn Seed’s Guy Jenkins said: “The extreme dry conditions experienced last summer left lawns across the UK patchy and in need of repair, and consumers are demanding products that work fast. Johnsons Lawn Seed mixtures use varieties that develop 38% more roots than standard perennial ryegrasses, germinating fast, even early in the season. Combine these with our new Super Smart Lawn Feed and gardeners will have a beautiful lawn in no time.”
DLF, the parent company of Johnsons Lawn Seed, has been breeding grass seed for over 100 years. Its R&D and breeding teams have brought to market advanced seed that germinates fast and establishes quickly – perfect for overseeding and sowing new lawns from mid-spring onwards. Johnsons Lawn Seed is highlighting a number of its innovative products that will help consumers to revitalise lawns this spring, offering superb results in time for summer.
The Johnsons Lawn Seed 2019 offering
Lawn Thickener Lawn Seed with Seedbooster®
Lawn Thickener Lawn Seed with Seedbooster® is perfect for breathing new life into tired and patchy lawns – fast! This innovative lawn seed combined with fertiliser is an easy one-stop solution for quickly reinvigorating lawns, resulting in thick, green and inviting grass with just one application.
The secret behind Lawn Thickener is Seedbooster®, a two-in-one coating that was developed for the professional turf market. Each seed is wrapped in its own parcel of fast and slow-release fertiliser, so it feeds the seed and not nearby weeds, making it environmentally-friendly as no fertiliser is wasted. This clever technology leads to faster seed germination and establishment, while Seedbooster®-treated seed provides up to 30% more grass for a denser lawn. And for peace of mind, Seedbooster®-treated seed is safe to use around children and pets.
Gardeners who use Lawn Thickener Lawn Seed with Seedbooster® can relax in the knowledge that birds won’t flock to feed on freshly-applied lawn seed. That’s because Seedbooster® coatings are unpalatable to birds and act as a harmless bird deterrent, ensuring that seeds are left alone to germinate. Containing fine-leaved dwarf perennial ryegrass species, Lawn Thickener will energise tired, patchy or even new lawns, quickly resulting in drought-tolerant and wear-resistant grass.
Available in 500gm and 1.5kg cartons.
Luxury Lawn
For gardeners who strive for a bowling green style lawn, Luxury Lawn is a traditional grass seed mixture that’ll effortlessly create a fine, dense sward. Incorporating Seedbooster®, it’s perfect for establishing a top-quality lawn that’s capable of being mown short and, subject to using a lawnmower with a rear roller, displaying that all-important striped effect.
Luxury Lawn incorporates chewing fescue, strong and creeping red fescue and browntop bent – a customised mix for gardeners who demand the very best: a deluxe lawn with uniform, fine grass. And while Luxury Lawn is the go-to product for creating a top-quality new lawn with a high-end appearance, it’s ideal for overseeding, too, thickening-up lawns when applied in spring or autumn.
Available in 500gm and 1.5kg cartons, as well as 10kg and 20kg bags.
Shady Place
Gardeners can enjoy lush lawns in the most challenging shaded parts of the garden, thanks to Shady Place Lawn Seed, which also incorporates Seedbooster®. Whether it’s beneath the canopy of trees or in the shadows of high walls or hedges, this specially-formulated seed mixture will produce a top-quality lawn with good drought-resistance.
Perfect for overseeding or creating new lawns in areas starved of sunlight, Shady Place Lawn Seed comprises hard fescue, strong and slender creeping red fescue and brown top bent – a customised mix that establishes fast to form a top-quality lawn that’ll maintain its appearance and colour in dry or damp shade and semi-shade.
Available in 250gm, 500gm, 1.5kg and 5kg cartons, as well as 10kg and 20kg bags.
Super Smart Lawn Feed
Johnsons’ new Super Smart Lawn Feed is the only feed that gardeners will need to revive tired looking turf this season. A UK first, Super Smart is a 100% organic lawn feed with triple action: it feeds lawns, boosts root growth and enhances the natural green colour of grass.
Super Smart’s clever formulation combines beneficial bacteria (Azospirillum) that feed grass by fixing nitrogen to roots, precisely where it’s needed, so weeds are not fed and leeching is minimal. The bacteria also excrete plant hormones, cytokinin and vitamins for a vital nutrient boost. And with up to 80 per cent of a grass plant comprising root, nutrients are delivered exactly where they’re needed.
Beneficial bacteria work in harmony with soluble mycorrhizae which can boost the surface area of roots by up to 150 times. The mycorrhizae in Super Smart are soluble and can be easily applied to new, existing and establishing lawns – unlike many mycorrhizae products that have to be applied to bare soil or used for new sowings.
The third essential element is seaweed extract, which enhances the process by adding micronutrients, resulting in dense, green and even growth. Unlike many lawn fertilisers, Super Smart does not use iron to green-up lawns, as iron can have a long-term detrimental effect on soil. In addition, there are no animal by-products or synthetic fertilisers in Super Smart, making it perfect for gardeners who are keen to harness the benefits of natural solutions that result in top quality lawns.
A 1kg carton of Johnsons Super Smart Lawn Feed has an RRP of £12.99.
Find out more
To find out more about Johnsons Lawn Seed products please visit http://www.johnsonslawnseed.com/product-range.aspx
For more information, interviews or images please contact:
Kimberley Hornby Tel: 07851610573 Email: kimberley@hornbywhitefootpr.co.uk
Marc Rosenberg Tel: 07931645170 Email: marc@hornbywhitefootpr.co.uk