Everyone loves a beautiful green lawn, but for gardeners across the UK, a pristine expanse of turf (pictured, left) is a far cry from reality. Weather extremes during 2020 have left lawns looking far from lush – but the good news is that autumn is the ideal time for treating grass to a makeover.
Mother nature’s assault on turf began last winter with severe flooding, followed by the wettest February in England and Wales since records began. As lawns recovered, along came the sunniest spring ever recorded, while May was crowned the driest. As if that wasn’t tough enough, heavy wear and tear took its toll on lawns as families stayed at home during the pandemic, while this month’s heatwave has left grass looking parched.
Johnson’s Lawn Seed’s Consumer Manager, Guy Jenkins, said: “Lawns have a remarkable ability to shut down when the going gets tough and bounce back when temperatures cool and autumn rain falls. It is strongly recommended that gardeners scarify their lawns this autumn to rake out the thatch (dead material) and moss. Scarifying, combined with aerating by pricking lawns with a garden fork, will revitalise turf by allowing air and water down to the rootzone. Of course, scarifying can leave gaps, but it’s the perfect time to overseed and thicken-up lawns, and Johnsons Lawn Seed offers an extensive range of quality seed mixes that have been engineered to perform in even the most challenging of situations, such as shady areas or locations that are prone to moss.”
Even lawns that survived the last 12 months unscathed will benefit from a little bit of autumn TLC to help grass to withstand the ravages of winter. Super Smart Lawn Feed is packed with beneficial bacteria that feed lawns; micronutrients from seaweed extract that enhance a rich green appearance and soluble mycorrhizae that can increase a lawn’s root system by up to 150 times. This unique 100% organic fertiliser, which can be used until the end of September, breathes new life into new and existing lawns, creating dense, green, slow-growing grass.
How to choose grass seed that’s proven to perform
Autumn offers a limited but prime opportunity to sow a new lawn or overseed to thicken existing grass. Here’s a look at the leading line-up from Johnsons Lawn Seed – including what’s new for 2020, and a focus on seed technology that guarantees great performance.
1 Tuffgrass with Dog Patch Resistance
New for 2020, Tuffgrass solves a problem that’s dogged lawn-owners for years: ugly patches that appear after four-legged friends use grass as their toilet. By incorporating naturally dog urine-tolerant fine-leaved dwarf perennial ryegrass, scorched yellow patches in lawns have been consigned to history while lawns sown from Tuffgrass have excellent drought-resistance and stand up well to low temperatures and snow.
2 Quick Lawn with Accelerator-treated seed
Who has time nowadays to wait for a new lawn? Quick Lawn’s new formula, fresh for 2020, offers rapid germination and fast establishment – all while needing just a third of the amount of water that’s usually required to get new lawns going; perfect if autumn is dry. Gardeners benefit from a strong, thick and healthy lawn, even in cold or wet conditions, with the seed mix delivering 38% more grass within the first seven days, compared to grass seed that doesn’t benefit from Johnsons’ innovative, quick-off-the-mark Accelerator seed coating.
3 Luxury Lawn Lawn Seed
Are you craving a fine, dense, deluxe lawn that’ll have the neighbours swooning over its manicured stripes? Luxury Lawn is a traditional mix that’s designed to be mown close while retaining a lush, high-class appearance. Offering excellent drought-resistance, Luxury Lawn will thrive in shady areas too, with its dense sward giving unsightly weeds little space to establish. It’s the one to choose for a superb lawn that’s the envy of the neighbourhood!
4 After Moss Lawn Seed
With wet winters and drought-hit summers now common across the UK, conditions are ripe for invasions of moss – which is particularly problematic in poorly drained and low nutrient soil, in shady areas, or as a result of mowing too close. Let After Moss come to the rescue: it’s coated in a special calcium carbonate-based shell that gently raises the pH level of the soil to help deter the return of moss. As an added bonus, the mix incorporates Green Lawn technology for a lush, green sward to be proud of.
5 Lawn Thickener Lawn Seed with SeedBooster
Transform tired lawns, fix patches, sow new lawns and benefit from 30% more grass with this latest seed technology. Developed for professional turf care, each seed is wrapped in a parcel of fast and slow-release fertiliser. The result? Seeds germinate sooner and establish faster! The clever coating also harmlessly deters hungry birds from feasting on newly-sown grass seed.
6 Shady Place Lawn Seed
Every garden has a shady area that’s home to scruffy grass due to a lack of light or dry ground conditions. Offering excellent drought-resistance for one of the most challenging situations in which to nurture a lush lawn, Shady Place is ideal for semi and relatively shaded areas under trees, or next to high walls and hedges. It thrives in damp or dry shade, resulting in lawns with a fine appearance.
[Pull-out box] How to sow a new lawn from scratch:
- In early autumn the soil should be moist, warm and workable – while the weather is unlikely to be too hot or cold to cause problems.
- Good preparation holds the key to success. Prepare the seed bed by ensuring that all perennial weeds are removed from the area that is destined to become a lawn.
- Next, dig or rotavate the area. If soil is poor or sandy, dig-in well-rotted organic matter. Tread the area over to firm soil down. Leave for a few weeks to settle.
- Before sowing, again remove or kill any weeds, ensuring that weed roots are teased from the soil. Tread the area then rake it level, raking in several directions.
- If the area to be sown is large, divide it into sections using string held in position with garden canes. Sow evenly using Johnsons Lawn Seed, at the rate stated on the pack, then lightly rake the seed into the soil and water gently (if using a watering can, ensure that it’s equipped with a fine rose). Keep off the new lawn while seed is establishing and water regularly if conditions are dry.
Find out more
To find out more about Johnsons Lawn Seed products please visit http://www.johnsonslawnseed.com/product-range.aspx
ENDS
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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