Autumn 2020 is set to be the new spring for lawncare

After lockdown halted gardeners’ spring lawn improvement plans, autumn presents the ideal opportunity to sown new lawns and restore turf to its former glory, says Johnsons Lawn Seed

Autumn is nature’s natural season for sowing – and there’s no better time to start a new lawn from scratch or improve turf so it’s in good stead to face up to the ravages of winter. This autumn will be more important than ever for giving tired turf a little TLC, after lawns were robbed of their opportunity for a springtime feed or overseed while garden centres were ordered by the government to remain shut during the initial Covid-19 lockdown.

Gardeners’ difficulty in obtaining lawn seed and fertiliser in April and May is just part of the story. Spring lockdown, followed by a summer of enforced staycations, resulted in lawns being subjected to abnormally heavy levels of wear and tear as families, children and pets isolated and holidayed in gardens at home.

As if that wasn’t tough enough on turf, the nation’s lawns endured a winter of extreme flooding, followed by the sunniest spring since records began in 1929, with grass baking under more than 573 hours of sunshine. Records were smashed again in May, which was crowned as the driest on record by the Met Office, with less than 10mm of rain falling across England on average – leaving formerly lush lawns looking parched.

Johnson’s Lawn Seed’s Consumer Manager, Guy Jenkins, said: “This year has been anything but normal, and we share gardeners’ frustration at not being able to buy lawncare essentials at the start of the season to repair and sow lawns before the warmer months arrived. With lawns now showing war wounds from a long season of heavy use, autumn is set to be the new spring for renovating tired turf. That’s actually a bonus, because whether you’re overseeding, fixing patches or sowing a new lawn from scratch, September and October are the best months for getting lawns underway, while temperatures are cooler and soil is warm and moist. Don’t miss out on the chance before winter sets in!”

To ensure that new lawns establish before winter, sowing with quality lawn seed is essential. Here’s a snapshot of the latest seed technology that’s incorporated into Johnsons Lawn Seed’s range – with mixes tailor-made for every garden situation:

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 established 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.

7 Super Smart Lawn Feed

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 is the only lawn feed that gardeners need! Containing only natural ingredients, Super Smart Lawn Feed can breathe new life into new and existing lawns, creating dense, green, slow-growing grass. Apply between February and September, except during drought or in freezing conditions.

Find out more

To find out more about Johnsons Lawn Seed products please visit http://www.johnsonslawnseed.com/product-range.aspx

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Words: 914

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

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Editors notes

Established in 1820 Johnsons Lawn Seed is the oldest lawn seed brand in the UK with a long and prestigious record of product innovation and grass breeding.