Pre-Winter Lawn Maintenance Advice

Hi, looking for advice on any pre-Winter lawn maintenance especially around aerating, scarifying and overseeding.
Lawn is small (pic attached) and had turf laid down circa.4 months ago.
Have been cutting grass weekly to around 2.5 inches.
Just under a month ago I spread some Osmo Pro 1 on recommendation from local garden centre.

Osmo Pro 1 Lawn Fertiliser


I’m away in 2 weeks, for a week so that gives me less control over watering, although being in Ireland it will likely rain while I am away.

I have a scarifier attachment I bought, see link
https://www.lenehans.ie/wolf-garten...MI9tzG8_rpjwMV85tQBh3tphP8EAQYAiABEgKMjPD_BwE

I presume I just need to pull that along the grass (with the pole) not too aggressively and rake up any thatch/moss?
Should I cut the grass before scarifying?

Following scarifying, is aeration typically advised next?
I don’t have a lawn aerator but I have a garden fork and also these spikes which you can clip to the bottom of your footwear and just walk around the garden.
Will either suffice for aeration purposes?

Should I then cut the grass after aerating the lawn? If so, how short? Considering I’m cutting it to 2.5 inches and will probably be 3 inches when I cut it next and the whole 1/3rd rule, what’s the best approach to cutting the lawn, do I just cut it really short and accept it will look like a serious haircut?

Will I then give the garden a watering and look to spread some lawn seed across the garden
Following that, should I then spread some lawn dressing/top soil/compost across the lawn? I will prowbably use a shovel and just spread using the shovel. I presume I should not brush the topsoil/dressing/compost in as it will only move the seeds?

Sorry for the detailed post but have read a good bit into it and there are slight variations of the above advised across different sources.

Thanks

 

My feeling is that at four months old, it's too new for scarifying, and it shouldn't have built up a lot of thatch anyway.

Top-dressing and overseeding are generally for renovating older lawns that have got sparse (for example after removing a lot of moss or weeds), but if you have any thin areas you could just do those (use matching seed, the same type as your lawn - don't use one of those fast-growing types sold for patching - it will forever grow faster than the rest of it).

You can aerate any compacted areas but if the ground was prepared properly before laying the lawn it shouldn't need doing all over. Maybe just where you habitually walk on it, for example the route to the shed. A garden fork is fine, those shoe things don't go very deep.

Keep mowing, little and often if possible, for as long as it keeps growing and restart in spring as soon as it starts growing if you can find dry enough weather.

 

I wouldn’t scarify the lawn at this stage. It will still be getting its roots established and knitting together. It looks green and healthy, with no obvious sign of weeds. The fertiliser you have used will be enough to give it some extra nutrients to tide it over until spring. You can then consider scarifying if there is any sign of moss or thatch. Your lawn will be fine, enjoy your week away .

 

Thank you both for your helpful replies.

Happy to not scarify so, will save me on one job at least before heading away. A couple of further questions:

1. Should I continue to cut the grass to 2.5 inches as much as possible (weekly) through until Spring or should it be cut any shorter?

2. Apart from maybe aerating the typical path to the shed, is there any reason not to give the lawn a general aeration? Only reason I ask is because aeration has come up so often when looking into simple things to do to help a lawn in general.

3. The area to the right of the shed, the turf never took as well down there due, likely due to it being in the shade most of the day and the area typically being moister. It’s definitely patchier. I do have the same grass seed as the turf, if I was to overseed there, should I cut the lawn shorter before overseeding, so there is better chance for the seed & soil to touch?

Thanks

 

As said above, think you should leave the lawn well alone until next spring, just cutting once a week or so, if needed and if conditions allow. Generally you raise the cut for winter so would just continue with your current setting, perhaps going a bit shorter next year.

Its been a bad year for lawns with long dry spells ( as least here in England) so would just let it recover naturaly, though possibly an Autumn lawn feed would be ok.

For access to the shed we would put in some stepping stones/flags as its bound to wear the soil down.

That area at the back in shade will always seems different to the rest of the lawn and if its a lot wetter then think that whole area alongside the shed might be better flagged, gravelled or turned into a border with some good looking plants or small trees to give some privacy ?

 

I agree such a new lawn would not need drastic treatment. If you want to toughen it up for winter you could water it with dilute seaweed TONIC once every other week, for the next few weeks. Remember that once the soil temperature drops below around 6C the grass will stop growing so will not need cutting. Depending on your local conditions it may not need cutting for several months over winter, and it's best to keep off it if it's very wet in any case.

 

You only need to aerate a normal lawn if the ground is compacted, usually due to being walked on a lot particularly when it's damp/wet . In my garden it's the strip under the washing line and the route to the compost bin. For others it might get compacted due to from heavy use by children or dogs. You'll recognise it when you see it - the areas where the grass is always flattened down, gets "worn out", doesn't grow as well as the rest and the ground feels rock hard underfoot.

 

One point I meant to mention @NoviceGardener2023 is that the scarifier in your link is better for problem lawns with lots of moss as it's quite aggressive. I have one and rarely use it. A spring tine rake will be more suitable for use next spring, if necessary. There's a Wolf Garten attachment or you should find one in your local garden centre or DIY store.

 

If it's growing and it's dry enough, cut it, with the mower on a high setting. The difficulty in a mild winter is that it's often too wet, and I imagine that's worse in Ireland. Swishing off the dew with a long cane held horizontally (you need to squat down) can help to get it dry quicker. Particularly useful in the spring when you get a fine day and really want to get it cut but there's heavy dew in the morning that takes all day to dry off if left alone.