How to care for your lawn in Autumn
Autumn Lawns: Setting the Foundation for a Healthier, Greener Spring.
As the leaves begin to fall and the days grow shorter, many think of autumn as the winding down of the gardening season. But when it comes to lawn care, this time of year is anything but a period of rest. In fact, autumn is one of the most important seasons for giving your lawn the attention it needs to thrive through winter and bounce back beautifully in spring.
From tackling common problems like moss and thatch to preparing your lawn for the colder months ahead, a bit of autumn TLC can make a big difference. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the essential steps—from leaf removal and mowing to aeration and beyond—to help you keep your lawn strong, healthy, and full of life all year round.
Let’s make the most of those crisp autumn days and give your lawn the care it truly deserves.
Autumn Lawns
Although the latter months of the year often symbolize preparing for an end or a decline, it’s actually the opposite. Autumn lawn care is essential for addressing common issues such as compaction, thatch, and moss, but with the right approach, you can ensure your lawn remains lush, green, and healthy throughout the colder months.
Autumn lawn maintenance is the key to getting your lawn ready for winter and preparing it for a vibrant spring. Here are some important steps to follow as part of your autumn lawn care routine.
Make the most of any dry days and give your lawn some TLC…
Remove Leaves
We strongly emphasise the importance of consistently removing leaves from your lawn. They may seem harmless, but allowing leaves to gather on your lawn can block out sunlight and air which your grass need to survive. At GreenThumb, we advise you to remove the leaves from your lawn daily or at least once a week. This is one of the best autumn lawn care tips to help keep your lawn healthy.
Your GreenThumb Lawn Operative may be unable to treat your lawn if it’s covered in leaves.
Remove Furniture
It's crucial to tidy up any items left on the lawn. Leaving items out, especially during cold and wet weather, can have negative consequences. The weight and lack of sunlight can create unsightly dead spots on the grass. Come spring, the affected area will likely have stunted, and thinner growth.
For a thriving grass plant, sufficient light is crucial. After removing leaves and furniture, we recommend to trim shrubs, bushes, and overhanging branches. This also helps with your autumn lawn maintenance.
Mow the Lawn
A lot of people stop mowing their lawn around autumn time, however, grass will still grow at 5°c and above, so it will still need to be cut, although no lower than 1 inch (25mm). The important factor for cutting is to ensure that you have a sharp blade on the mower and do not cut the lawn too short.
And of course, wait until ground conditions are suitable.
Long grass makes the first cut hard work and leaves the lawn struggling to recover. This is why it’s important to keep your lawn trimmed to a sensible height.
Install a Water Butt
Now would be a good time to install a water butt to catch all the autumn, winter rain we experience. Your lawn will truly benefit from this harvested rainwater when the hot weather returns.
How GreenThumb Can Help You
To ensure your lawn can reach its full potential, we recommend beneficial machine work – Aeration and Scarification. Over the year, your lawn naturally becomes compacted and thatch if formed.
Thatch is a natural accumulation of organic matter and dead grass. It naturally forms, however when it gets too thick it suffocates the roots of your lawn, slowing grass growth which weakens the lawn and encourages weeds, moss, and lawn diseases.
By prioritising Aeration and Scarification, you can unlock the full potential of your lawn’s health and growth.
Aeration creates tiny holes within the soil, enabling vital nutrients, light, and air to reach the root zone. Uncompacted soil encourages root growth and therefore a healthier lawn overall. In order to reduce thatch, fondly known as the perfect environment for moss to thrive, it’s essential to have your lawn scarified. Scarification not only removes surface thatch and reduces moss, but also allows the roots access to what they require to thrive.
GreenThumb’s Autumn/Winter Long treatment has been specially formulated to support your lawn over the winter period and helps to control moss. It continues to give the lawn a long-lasting green colour and helps to toughen the grass plant for the weather conditions incoming. By using this lawn moss autumn treatment, you’re not only managing moss but also preparing your lawn to withstand the colder months, ensuring it remains healthy and resilient.
Although this treatment will help to reduce moss that is present, it doesn’t stop it from returning. Moss thrives in damp conditions, so to reduce the moss in your lawn, you need to remove the moss-loving environment. This is why, we also recommend Aeration and Scarification.
Autumn is the Most Important Season for Your Lawn – Don’t Miss It
Support your lawn through the colder months with professional autumn care. From moss control to scarification, we’ll help you lay the groundwork for a greener, healthier spring.
NutraGreen Autumn/Winter
Our NutraGreen Autumn/Winter Long treatment boosts your lawn with a micronutrient feed, improving winter resilience. Applied October to December, it also dries out moss,, while aiding recovery from aeration and scarification.
Read more
What to Do With Leaves
Removing fallen leaves is essential to keep your lawn healthy, as they can block sunlight, trap moisture, and encourage disease. Instead of discarding them, consider composting, mulching, or using them in your garden to enrich the soil naturally.
Read more
Want a thicker, healthier lawn?
Aeration and Scarification improve overall soil health by boosting airflow, nutrients, and water to grass roots. These essential treatments reduce compaction and thatch, promoting stronger, greener, and more resilient grass.
Read More