When it’s time to pack up the swimming pool and swingball set after three months of summer fun, it’s worth putting thought into autumn lawn care in NZ. After all, with the changing of seasons comes the changing of methods for how you take care of your property.

Though, if you’re not sure where to begin, it can be a lot easier to carry on as you were, and hope your prized plants and lush lawns don’t suffer as a result. Fortunately, we’ve put together an autumn lawn care guide for Kiwis that covers a few of the many things that the average yard-proud homeowner can do.

Caring for Your Lawns in Autumn

Our lawns can take a real beating in summer. Rainfall can be inconsistent, and swimming pools leave behind a large, flat, dead patch of grass long after you pack them away. Use the changing of seasons as an opportunity to get your lawns back in tip-top shape.

De-Thatching

Part of lawn care involves taking care of thatch, consisting of roots, leaves, and stems in a tight, spongy layer at your lawn’s base. While a small amount of thatch is okay, more than 2cm can be a party zone for pests and disease.

Many things contribute to thatch, such as compacted soil, poor drainage, and poor soil pH. You can use a dethatching product to break down thatch or move it manually with a de-thatcher rake or scarifier.

Drainage

The changing of seasons often brings more rainfall, which means drainage is an integral part of lawn care. Using a spike aerator or plug aerator, you can poke holes in your soil that allows rainfall to reach grass roots for healthy growth.

If you’re not confident doing this job on your own, there are always plenty of gardening experts out there ready to lend a helping hand.

Repairing Dead/Dying Grass

Whether the summer heat has taken its toll on your lawn, or you’ve left the swimming pool up for far too long, you may find yourself with dead or dying grass. Fortunately, the process for bringing it back to health or starting afresh is straightforward.

Remove thatch, aerate the soil and till it, and use organic compost on the earth if you’re worried about fertility. It’s now time to go shopping for climate-appropriate grass seed! Once you’ve purchased the best grass seed, you can apply a thin layer to the soil.

Keep the soil damp and water daily for at least three weeks. Don’t mow your new lawn until it’s at least 1.5 times higher than the regular cutting height recommendation.

Fertilising Your Lawn

With the arrival of autumn comes the knowledge that winter is just around the corner. Take this small window of opportunity to improve your lawn health so it can survive what’s yet to come. You can give your grass the nutrients it needs through fertiliser. These products are designed to help with both weed control and nutrients while also improving root health and frost tolerance.

Tree and Shrub Trimming

While lawn mowing and maintenance are essential parts of lawn care, so is shrub and tree trimming. It’s important for the health of your plants, but it can also be necessary for lawn health.

If you notice that some of your trees or shrubs are shading parts of your lawn, consider trimming them back. The more light your lawns have on the shortest days of the year, the healthier they can be.

Leaf Raking

As arduous as the job of leaf raking can be, it’s crucial for your lawn’s health. Piles of leaves left on a lawn can cause the grass structure to weaken during the colder months of the year. It also becomes a haven for pests and disease.

If you’re strapped for time or motivation, consider outsourcing the job to a child looking for pocket money or a lawn care company.

Adjust Your Mowing Habits

The weather and your location can dictate how you mow your lawns during summer. With a mixture of rain and sunshine, you may be cutting more often than you usually would. However, if rainfall is infrequent, those mowing sessions may be kept to a minimum. 

You may need to alter your mowing routine as the seasons change. Throughout the colder months of autumn and winter, raise your mower height so you can keep your grass height at around 40mm.

Call in the Experts

Not everyone has the time or desire to spend their free time tending to their lawns. If you’d prefer to be focusing on your hobbies than tinkering with your lawnmower, why not contact a lawn care company? They can take care of everything from lawn mowing and tree trimming to hedge pruning and garden clean-ups. You can then sit back, relax, and admire your yard from a distance.