Gardening: Cool enough to refresh worn torn lawn

If summer and children's games have left your lawn a little tatty, autumn is the right time to administer first aid. Photo / Getty Images

Autumn might be wind-down time for many plants but the slightly cooler temperatures and increased moisture in the ground make it the ideal time to sow new lawns and rejuvenate existing turf.

Location, location
If you're creating a new lawn, think carefully about where you position it. Steep banks, for instance, are difficult to sow and mow.

Sometimes they're better planted in low groundcover shrubs or perennials. Tiny, narrow or awkwardly shaped areas often are not worth the bother, either. What's the point of getting the lawnmower out (or paying someone) to mow a smidgen of green grass? Better to plant with an ornamental grass such as chamomile, prostrate thyme, mondo grass or some other groundcover.

Grass often won't do well in shady areas under trees or on the south sides of buildings, although there are some specialist lawn seed mixes now that are designed to cope with these conditions. If you have children or dogs, choose a hard-wearing turf or grass seed mix.

Prep school
Preparation is the key to many DIY projects, and with lawns this axiom is especially relevant. Start a few weeks before you intend to sow or lay turf, clearing stones and weeds, cultivating soil lightly with a fork or rotary hoe until it's crumbly then levelling it. Allow about 10 days for perennial weeds like dock or dandelion to pop up again then dig out or respray. Covering the ground with cardboard or plastic for a few months is an organic weed removal option.

You may need to add sandy loam topsoil (8-10cm deep) if your soil is heavy clay or even install drainage coils on boggy sites. Soil acidity is important. Ideally, the pH should be in the 5.5.-6.5 range. Buy a testing kit from a garden centre if you're unsure and add lime or gypsum if the soil is strongly acidic. Do this two to three weeks before laying turf or sowing seed.

Rake soil so the surface is relatively even, making sure the lawn is not sloping towards your house, if possible, to avoid future run-off. Leave for a week to settle. Consider hiring a roller to firm it if the soil is spongy, or tread evenly over its surface when it's damp.

Fed up
Food is essential for all healthy plants but, for lawns, it's paramount as there are many closely packed hungry grass plants to feed in an average lawn. Once you have done your lawn prep the final stage before sowing or laying turf is to give the soil a good feed.

Grass seedlings and turf need phosphorous for a healthy start, so choose a fertiliser with good levels of that, plus nitrogen and potassium. Spread evenly over the soil and water well.

Sow what
When sowing seed, choose a windless day and divide the mix in two, sowing half in a north-south direction, the rest in an east-west direction. Lightly rake soil and keep moist until seedlings are established. Reduce watering frequency gradually, giving the lawn a good, deep drink once or twice a week if the weather is dry.

Turf it
Turf is more expensive than sowing grass seed but has the instant wow factor and is excellent for steep sites. Be sure you buy from a reliable supplier, your turf is weed-free and is laid as soon as possible with the sides of each roll butting up to each other. Firm well with a roller or by foot to remove air pockets. Water every day for the first two weeks, more if it's hot.

Renovation rulesTo renovate existing lawns, rake well to remove old leaves and runners, dig out perennial weeds and fill bare patches with a quality garden compost mixed with a handful of lawn seed. Feed with a general lawn fertiliser (this time, low in phosphorous) and water well.