IF you’ve managed to end this summer with a lush green lawn, and no unexplained bald patches or a depressing brown sheen – then well done you.
The majority of people I’ve spoken to have been left with grass that’s definitely looking a bit under the weather (literally).
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But fear not.
One of Britain’s biggest shorts-wearing lawn lovers has got some golden rules for Sun Gardening to whip that outside space back into shape.
Jonny Hinks – AKA @gardenwithjonny on social media – describes himself as a self-taught gardener, firefighter and full time garden obsessive from Warwickshire.
And with nearly two million followers on instagram alone – it’s not just his comedy videos that have caught the attention of garden lovers everywhere.
His lawn is spectacularly well maintained – and even in the midst of one of the hottest summers on record, it still managed to look a lot better than most.
“Now is the perfect time for Autumn lawn care”, he told Sun Gardening.
“It’s nice and moist, the soil is warm from the summer. So in terms of germination for grass seed, it’s just the perfect conditions.
“And it’s also a good time because the grass is still growing and if you get it all sorted now – the roots will be established enough to take the Winter cold that’s on its way.
“Everyone’s lawns have been suffering and turning brown from all the sun – and although it will come back if it hasn’t already, there’s a few things you can do now to help it along.”
FEEDING
“Be careful you buy the right feed. What you need now is high potassium Autumn feed, which helps the grass improve its root strength.
And low nitrogen – as you don’t want too much leaf before Winter as there’s a risk if it’s too leafy it will be prone to disease.
SCARIFY
“This is like exfoliating your face. Basically you just need to take off all the moss and thatch, which is a layer of dead grass and roots – and too much of it prevents water and nutrients from reaching the grass.
It lets the lawn breathe, which is so important. I use a battery-powered scarifier, but there are manual ones, or you can use a rake.
Go diagonally in one direction and then again in the other direction. It’s a great work out
AERATE
“This is when you create air pockets within the lawn which reduces compaction, and like scarifying, allows water and nutrients to penetrate the earth.
“This makes for better root systems. I don’t like using a fork or aerating shoes for this – that just spreads the soil apart.
“Instead I have a tool a bit like a fork, but with hollow tines, that takes plugs out the lawn.”
TOPSOIL AND SEED
“As soon as I’ve finished all these jobs – I scatter a covering of grass seed over the area – and then cover with a thin layer of topsoil.
“I have been known in the past to do a mix of both together, but I’ve found this way works well. And then water, of course.”
Also in Veronica’s Column this week…
Top tips, Gardening news, competition and Plant of the Week
FOR more gardening content, tips, news and competitions, follow me @biros_and_bloom
PLANT OF THE WEEK! Nemesia Melody Morello Ice – still bringing colour to your garden now – this lovely Nemesia is totally hardy, with masses of dark green foliage, flowers from March to October, perfect for filling baskets, containers, beds and borders and has a sweet scent. Grow in moist well drained soil in sun or partial shade.
JOB OF THE WEEK! Prune climbing and rambling roses, remove any leaves covering pumpkins to get them ripe for halloween, if you’ve got rotten apples on the tree, remove them to prevent disease.
TOP TIP! It can be confusing as to which bulbs should be planted when – so here’s a few tips. This month – September – you can go for early spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths and crocus.
Especially daffodils – as it will help with their root establishment.
You can also get hardy summer flowering bulbs like Alliums and Lillies in now as well. None of the above mind the soil still being warm.
But wait until November for Tulips – as they much prefer the colder soil to get them going. Always plant bulbs in groups to get a better display. And they like the warmth and sun – so keep that in mind. Try and plant them three times the depth of the bulbs – this is when a sturdy bulb planter comes in handy.
TOP TIP! If you’ve noticed dead patches, loose turf and even holes appearing in your lawns, you could be under attack from Leatherjackets – the destructive larvae of crane flies, AKA daddy long legs.
They feed on grassroots and seedlings, and can also attract birds, badgers and foxes that dig up turf in search of a snack, adding to the damage. But there is help at hand.
Nowadays you can basically water in a beneficial nematode – called Steinernema feltiae – which are basically microscopic worms that naturally target and kill leatherjackets. They enter the grubs body and then release bacteria that kill the pest from within. Sounds grim, but it works. There aren’t many brands on the market – I’ve used Nemasys, which was great – but you can also find them from Dragonfli and Dobies online.
TOP TIP! Clean out old pots to make sure they don’t have old compost/bits of dead plants – that can hide pests and diseases over winter and check online to see if you’ve got local recycling – some garden centres take them.
NEWS! Great Comp Garden’s Bulbs N Things Autumn fair has doubled in size this year. Taking place at the seven-acre Kent garden, it will have a huge range of unusual bulbs, including dwarf iris, crocus, anemone, hyacinth, erythronium, fritillary, hermodactylus, leucojum, muscari, puschkinia, scilla and more. There will also be gardenware, handmade gifts, rare and unusual plants and curated sellers at the two day event October 11 and 12.
WIN!! Two lucky winners will receive a Westland Autumn Lawncare bundle worth £100 each – including feed, seed, a scarifying rake and aerator. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/WestlandAutumn or write to Sun Westland Autumn Lawncare competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. September 27, 2025. T&Cs apply