Homeowners’ common mistakes leading weeds to ‘take over’ gardens

Experts share top tips to help keep gardens thriving heading into springWeeds can be hard to keep on top of.(Image: Getty)

Gardening experts are warning households about mistakes during autumn and winter which can lead to weeds taking over their gardens and ruining pristine lawns.

Homeowners don’t tend to give as much thought to their gardens during the cold and darker winter but there are some things they can do to help ward off pesky weeds and stop them taking hold.

The two main causes of excess weeds in autumn are poor drainage and compacted soil, according to gardening experts at Yell.

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Many lawns will likely be patchy after the warm and dry summer, and these areas could be overtaken by weeds if homeowners aren’t careful.

The experts said: “When there is too much water in the soil, weeds compete with grass for resources and spread quickly.

“Prolonged waterlogging will kill finer grass species and allow the weeds to take over.

“In the autumn and winter months, increased levels of rain will cause your lawn to become even more waterlogged and weeds will thrive.”

The spokesperson added: “While grass needs a fibrous root system to grow, weeds have a central root system; this means that even in compacted soil, weeds will grow easily and overtake grass species in your garden. S

“Signs that you have compacted soil are bare or thin spots in your lawn – left to their own devices, these spots can become a prime spot for weed growth.”

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There are other things people can do to protect their lawns and gardens during the colder winter months.

Simon Akeroyd head of estates and Landscapes at Painshill Park Trust, said: “One of the most effective ways of improving the quality of the lawn in autumn and part of the autumn lawn care maintenance programme, is to aerate it.

“Aeration helps to relieve compaction, increases drainage, which will reduce moss problems and increases airflow in the soil, which promotes healthier roots system and therefore a better and denser sward of lawn on the surface.

“You can then brush top dressing into the holes left by the fork to improve the quality of the soil in the rootzone of the lawn.”

Gardeners should also avoid cutting their lawns too short as this can damage the grass and make it more susceptible to weeds. A mowing height of 3.5 to 4 inches is ideal, Simon says.

He added: “Whilst the soil is still warm from summer, it is a good idea to sow grass seed into any bare patches now, as there is still time for it to germinate before winter.

“Simply scratch the surface of the soil with a rake and scatter the grass seed over the top.

“You can then lightly rake the seed into the soil. I usually apply grass seed at a rate of one handful per square metre.”