Fall is here, and it’s already taken its toll on my once-lush, green grass. But before the weather turns too chilly, October provides the perfect opportunity to repair damaged lawns and prepare them for the winter months ahead.

And one essential task is to aerate your lawn to prevent waterlogging and ensure key nutrients reach the soil. However, with constant drizzles and damp conditions expected throughout the fall season, is it okay to aerate a wet lawn?

I asked a lawn care expert to find out and get their top tips.

Can I aerate a wet lawn?

Generally, you can aerate a slightly damp lawn but not when it’s saturated with heavy rain — so it’s important to distinguish between the two.

“A simple rule is that damp is fine, soggy isn’t — if water is standing on the surface or the tines come out coated in sticky mud, wait a few days,” states Jonathan Davis, lawn care expert at Lawnsmith.

“Spring and fall are the best times to aerate partly because the soil is moist, which makes it easier to get the tines in, and showers can soak straight into the freshly aerated soil. What you don’t want is soil that’s so wet it smears. Then you’re not opening up the soil; you’re sealing it, and you still want air reaching the roots.”

Top tips for aerating a damp lawn

What's the best way to aerate a damp lawn in fall? While there are several ways to aerate your lawn, it’s important to choose the right tool in fall.

Typically, there are two types of aerators – spike and core aerators. Spike aerators literally have long spikes that puncture the ground as you pass over it, while core aerators pull up ‘cores’ of soil as they work, leaving them on the surface.

“If the ground is on the damp side, solid-tine spiking is the gentlest approach, and you can do it any time from March to November, but avoid very wet soil that smears,” advises Davis.

You’ll also need to know the right time to aerate your lawn and best practices. “Fall, from the end of September to mid-November, is ideal as the weather is getting wetter rather than drier,” suggests Davis. “If you’re using a hollow tine aerator, mow the lawn close beforehand as it makes the cores much easier to deal with.

“Cores should be left to dry in place. Then go over them with the mower with the box off, if the instructions allow. It puts the soil and nutrients back into the lawn and helps break down thatch. If you can’t do that, rake them up with the back of a flat rake, use them as top dressing, or add them to the compost heap.

Finally, finish with a good soak on compacted areas. After spiking or hollow tining a heavily compacted patch, run the sprinkler for 30 minutes, then leave it off for a day or two.

Also, look for telltale signs your lawn needs aerating, including patchy, yellow grass or water sitting on the surface after rainfall.

When not to aerate a wet lawn

Besides knowing when it's the right time to aerate wet soil, you should also know when to avoid it. This includes before incoming frost, which can freeze the aeration holes and harm the lawn.

“Don’t aerate very wet soil that smears, and don’t do it if frost is imminent because freezing soon after hollow tining will make the lawn heave up,” adds Davis.

“Don’t leave the cores on the lawn to disappear, as they won’t break down fully and you’ll end up with a bumpy surface. Finally, don’t expect aeration to fix everything. If your lawn is 20 years old or more and badly compacted, you may need to dig it over to at least 15cm and start again.”

For more top tips, check out how often you should aerate your lawn and how many passes are best.

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Fall has arrived, but cooler temperatures don’t mean you should put away your garden tools just yet. You still have essential tasks to complete to prepare your yard for the winter ahead. And just when you thought it was time to pack away your lawn mower until spring, you may want to think again.

According to a lawn expert, gardeners need to continue mowing through October — because mild fall temperatures allow grass to keep growing.

Not only can this simple task promote a healthy, green lawn, but long grass can actually do more harm than good.

“Long grass holds on to moisture, especially with the damp mornings and heavy dew we get in fall,” says Jonathan Davis, a lawn expert at Lawnsmith.

“That creates the perfect conditions for fungal diseases like red thread and fusarium patch to take hold. Once they get a grip, they can leave your lawn looking patchy and sorry for itself by spring.”

What’s more, moss is one of the most common lawn weeds, known as a ‘silent grass killer’, that appears in the form of green, sponge-like patches between the blades of grass.

“Moss loves damp, shady spots, and at this time of year there's plenty of both. If your grass is long and thick, the light can't reach the base of it, meaning your lawn will struggle.”

So if you want to get your lawn in top shape for spring, here are some top tips for mowing your lawn in October.

How to cut your lawn in fall

Avoid cutting your grass too short; the ‘golden rule’ is to never trim more than a third of its height. This is because mowing too close to the ground exposes the lawn to root diseases and encourages weed growth.

“Never cut more than a third off the height of the grass in one go,” he said. “Think of grass like an iceberg: a fifth above ground and four fifths below,” adds Davis.

“Take too much off, and you reduce the roots, leaving the plant weak and more vulnerable to disease and weeds.”

In any case, if you are battling weeds, I asked professional gardeners how to get rid of weeds from my lawn permanently — and they all say this one thing.

In addition, Davis advises gradually changing your mower's height for a couple of cuts before making the final adjustment. And don't lower the blades if the grass is very long, as it'll put strain on the mower. Ideally, cut on your current setting first, then go lower a day or two later.

Also, it’s best to get the timing right — choose a dry afternoon for mowing and avoid cutting when the grass is wet or frosty. “Wait for a dry spell and go over it when growth slows right down. A little effort now means a much healthier, greener lawn when spring comes round.”

When is the final cut of the year?

So when is it finally time to put away your lawn mower this season? Experts agree that around mid-November, you should leave the grass at around 5cm.

“That's the sweet spot for winter,” adds Davis. “It's long enough to protect the roots from frost and keep the crown healthy, but short enough that it won't become a soggy, matted mess over the colder months.”

So before you put your mower to rest, give your grass that essential trim this October, and your lawn will thank you for it come spring.

For more top tips, check out how to overseed your lawn in fall.

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Planted grass seed and waiting for those first green shoots to show up can feel like watching paint dry. While most lawn seed takes between 7 and 14 days to germinate, full establishment takes several weeks, and certain stubborn varieties can sit in the soil for up to a month before popping up.

If you want to shorten that waiting window and avoid ending up with patchy, uneven soil, the key is managing soil prep, moisture, and ground warmth right from day one.

The germination rule of thumb: how long will you wait?

Your waiting time depends almost entirely on whether you are planting a fast-sprouting cool-season blend or a slower warm-season grass.

The fast sprouters (5 to 10 days): Perennial Ryegrass is the sprinter of lawn care. If you need rapid coverage for bare patches or high-traffic areas, this is your best option.

The steady performers (7 to 14 days): Tall Fescue and Bermudagrass generally show green shoots within a week to ten days under warm, moist conditions.

The medium growers (14 to 21 days): Zoysia and Centipede grasses take two to three weeks to get going.

The slow-and-steady varieties (14 to 30 days): Kentucky Bluegrass and Buffalograss require some patience. They spend weeks building underground root systems before sending up visible blades.

Which grass seed should you sow in fall?

As we move through fall soil temperatures are dropping, making this the best season to sow cool-season grasses. Varieties like Perennial Ryegrass, Tall Fescue, and Kentucky Bluegrass thrive in cooler weather. They germinate best in soil temperatures between 50°F and 65°F (10°C to 18°C).

Sowing them in autumn gives their roots two full seasons of cool, moist weather to establish deep anchor systems before the heat of next summer hits. Just remember to plant them 4 to 6 weeks before your region's first expected hard frost.

Steer completely clear of warm-season seeds like Bermuda grass during fall. Bermuda grass requires warm soil temperatures between 65°F and 90°F (18°C to 32°C) to germinate and grow. Planting Bermuda grass in fall means the ground will turn too cold before the shoots can establish strong roots, causing the seeds to fail or die off during winter frosts.

3 ways to make grass seed sprout faster

If you want to cut down germination time and ensure every seed takes root, follow this 3-step routine.

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• Before your lawn goes dormant, do this 15-minute job for thicker grass next spring
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I’ve got plenty of trees in my yard, and right now I’m enjoying watching the wind carry the leaves to the ground. But despite creating a bright gold-and-russet spectacle across my lawn, I’m worried that as they pile up, they’ll damage the grass and keep it from performing well in the spring.

While I usually get out my garden rake to clear them and use them in my beds and borders to stop weeds, I’m wondering what to do with the pile that remains, and what benefits raking and mowing leaves provide. For expert advice, I asked Jonathan Davis, grass expert at Lawnsmith, whether raking or mowing the leaves is best.

Raking leaves

Davis explains that raking leaves removes them completely, which he says matters because “a layer of leaves can smother grass and kill it in just a few weeks.”

He adds, “Leaves also reduce the grass’s vigor, which lets moss take over, and they can encourage lawn disease and attract worms.”

Once raked, he recommends adding them to your borders as a mulch or into your compost heap. Alternatively, if you have the space, he says, “Stack them in a corner or in a bin bag with a few holes in it and leave them for a year or two to make leaf mold, which is an excellent soil improver.”

Should you rake wet leaves?

It’s best if you wait for the leaves to dry out before raking. “Dry leaves are light and lift easily off the grass. Wet leaves mat together into a heavy, slippery layer that’s hard work to rake, and they stick to the lawn,” says Davis.

But as leaves prevent light and air from reaching your lawn, left in place they do more harm. In this scenario he advises, “If the weather is wet for days, don’t wait for perfect conditions. Clear them as best you can, because wet leaves sitting on the grass are worse than damp raking.”

How often should you rake leaves?

Raking up leaves should be a weekly task in the fall. “Leaves can smother grass and kill it in just a few weeks, so the longer they sit, the more damage you risk.”

In a heavy fall, or if the weather’s wet and the leaves are matting down, Davis recommends going over the lawn more often. “Little and often is far easier than waiting until the tree is bare and facing a thick, soggy layer,” he adds.

What’s the best way to rake leaves?

I find raking leaves can feel like a gym workout — only with worse weather. To save energy and finish the job efficiently, start with the right tools and technique.

LawnStarter suggests using a wide plastic rake for dry leaves, and a metal rake with a spring joint for damp leaves. You may also find it useful to have a tarp handy to place the leaves on, which you can easily move when you’re finished.

When you're ready to start, work from the outer edges toward the center to create a single pile and keep leaves from blowing back over cleared areas. If you’re tackling a large yard, break it down into manageable sections. Finally, always rake with the wind — fighting a gusty breeze only doubles your effort.

Mowing leaves

Raking leaves might be best if you have a small patch, but if you have a large lawn, mowing fallen leaves will save time and energy and provide organic fertilizer.

And if your leaves are dry, Davis advises mowing over them rather than raking. But he warns, “They’ll look a bit unsightly for a few days, but chopped leaves are smaller, meaning they break down faster and add useful organics to the lawn.”

Why it’s easier to mow dry leaves

Rather than making the job harder than it needs to, Davis suggests avoiding mowing wet leaves. “Dry leaves shred cleanly and scatter back into the lawn. Wet leaves clump, clog the mower and leave soggy patches on the grass, so they’re best left until the lawn and leaves have dried out.”

Did you know?

Just as a robot lawnmower takes a fine shaving off your lawn and the cuttings act as mulch, the same process works when you mow your leaves. Rather than removing them and bagging them up, they can be left to work their way into the soil. Just make sure they haven’t smothered the grass.

Do you need to adjust the mower blade?

Rather than keeping the mower blade at the height you use for your normal cut, Davis recommends raising it.

“For the first pass, raise the blade a notch or two above your normal setting, which helps the mower pick up and chop the leaves without scalping the grass. Then go over it again at your usual autumn height, roughly 1.5 to 5 inches for most lawns,” he advises.

Although he warns against cutting the grass too short at this time of year, as it weakens the root system and reduces winter stamina.

Do you need special equipment to mow leaves?

When it comes to mowing the leaves on your lawn, Davis says you don’t need any special equipment. “A rotary mower is fine, but mulching mowers do a better job as they double-cut the leaves.”

He adds that many modern rotary mowers have a mulching attachment, which is worth using, though it isn’t as effective as a full-time mulching machine.

Aside from your mower, he says, “You may also find a leaf blower or rake is handy for gathering leaves from awkward spots or into rows before you mow.”

Should you remove the mower bag?

Davis advises that whether you remove the mower bag when mowing depends on your goal. “To mulch them back into the lawn, take the bag or box off and mow with the mulching setting or a rear-discharge setting if the manufacturer allows it.

However, if the leaf cover is heavy or you’d prefer a tidy lawn, he suggests leaving the bag on so the mower collects the shredded leaves. He says, “They make a good addition to the compost heap, and shredded leaves rot down much faster than whole ones.”

How often should you mow leaves?

Just like when raking leaves, Davis recommends mowing the leaves little and often. He says, “Aim for once a week during leaf fall, so the covering stays light and the shredded pieces can work down into the lawn rather than building up in a thick layer. If you can still see the grass through the chopped leaves, you’ve got it right.”

Raking or mowing — what will you do?

I prefer to mow over the leaves rather than rake them. Smaller pieces break down more easily, and leaf mold is less likely to develop. I can then leave some to break down on my lawn and move the rest to use as mulch in my beds. Either way, it's better than bagging your leaves and sending them to landfill.

I’d be interested to know what you plan to do with the fallen leaves that are covering your lawn. Let me know in the comments below.

And while you're sorting out your lawn, you might also be interested in Don’t wait until spring: 3 plants to give your yard an instant fall vibe.

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• When should you winterize your sprinklers — and how to do it right
• Why you can’t ignore your lawn in October: 7 tasks to complete this month

As you head into fall and winter, your yard changes shape, and you need to adapt your garden care, too.

One of the biggest changes is caring for your lawn properly in the fall to set it up for lush spring growth. But one mistake could undo the good work you’ve done during the warmer seasons.

It may seem like a small change, but adjusting your lawn mower height makes a big difference. Instead of keeping your mower blade high, as recommended in spring and summer, the fall trick is to lower it slightly.

But before you head out into your yard to adjust your mower, this fall rule doesn’t apply to all turf.

Warm-season and cool-season rules

You only need to lower the blade if you have warm-season grass, like Bermuda, Zoysia and St. Augustine. Warm-season grasses go dormant as the weather cools, and gradually lowering the cut before dormancy begins helps reduce thatch build-up, weeds and diseases, such as snow mold.

However, if you have cool-season grasses, like Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass, you don’t need to follow this rule. Instead of going dormant, cool-season grasses are actively growing, and keeping the blades taller encourages root development, helping the turf store energy for winter to set it up for spring.

Don't scalp your grass

But if you have warm-season grass and plan to give your lawn a good cut, be careful. Don’t get carried away by cutting the blade height too low. Your lawn won’t appreciate a close shave. It weakens the root system and reduces the energy stored over winter.

While your lawn can overcome a close cut in the summer, it’s not the same in the fall, and it will take longer to recover. Lawn care experts advise not going lower than around 1.5 to 2 inches.

Keep to the one-third rule

Even if your grass appears to be having a growth spurt in the fall and needs a good mow, don’t be tempted to go beyond the one-third rule. Avoid removing more than one-third of the grass blade in a single cut.

Just like scalping the grass, being too aggressive can make it harder for the grass to recover, especially as it nears dormancy.

Lawncare essentials we love

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Fall is official here, and it’s already taken its toll on my previously lush and green grass. But, before things get too chilly, October is the ideal time to repair your damaged lawn and prepare for the colder months ahead.

And if, like me, you’ve tackled this by scattering grass seed on those sparse or bare patches, it can be a little disheartening when you haven’t seen any growth sprouting through at all.

That's why I called on a lawn care expert to find out why my grass isn't growing, common mistakes to avoid, and top tips on how to fix it.

Check the weather forecast

According to experts, now is the time to do those all-important lawn repairs. But the process just takes a bit more preparation than expected, and results will naturally depend on weather conditions and technique.

“Thriving spring lawns are built in fall. Thanks to a shift in weather patterns, soil temperatures are staying warmer for longer,” says Chris McIlroy, a lawn expert at The Grass People.

“If temperatures start to stay consistently below 46.4 °F to 50.0 °F, then the window for sowing is closing, so do keep an eye on the forecast. You need a two-week window where the temperatures are above this.”

In addition, be sure to check your soil temperature using a soil thermometer before seeding. Typically, cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass need soil temperatures below 65°F, while warm-season varieties like Bermuda grass need at least 65°F.

For more top tips, check out how to overseed your lawn in fall.

Protect it from hungry birds

If you enjoy feeding or watching birds in your yard, these feathered visitors might be another reason your grass seed isn't growing.

“Birds can see freshly laid grass seed as an easy-access buffet, especially at this time of year when other food resources are starting to dwindle,” explains McIlroy. “So they’re taking your seed before it even has a chance to germinate."

So what can we do to prevent our hungry birds from swiping our freshly-laid grass seed?

"Shiny objects like tin foil and old CDs can deter birds from your garden, as the way they reflect light confuses them," adds McIlroy.

"Or you can also cover the seeds with tarp or netting, but make sure it’s not blocking too much light or water from the seeds.”

Not sowing deep enough

Another common mistake is failing to plant seeds at the right depth or in suitable growing conditions. “Seeds should be roughly the depth of three stacked coins to ensure the right seed-to-soil contact for germination, advises McIlroy.

“It keeps seeds protected and warm, and provides the nutrients they need to grow. If the elements have left your seeds exposed, try adding a light layer of topsoil to give seedlings that extra support.”

In addition, you need to ensure you water your seeds properly, but don’t oversaturate them. If seeds are waterlogged or sitting in a pool of water, they won't survive. “Seeds also need to be hydrated but not waterlogged. If they’re left too dry, the seeds will die off, so keep an eye on soil moisture levels".

“Fixing drainage by aerating your lawn is a key step for success, ensuring water has somewhere to go when it rains. Similarly, if your lawn is bumpy, this creates areas for water to pool.”

Other tips include feeding your lawn with a starter fertilizer, which can help grass establish faster with stronger roots. Or simply have some patience, and let nature take its course.

"Sometimes seeds just need a little more time; depending on the conditions, germination can take up to 14 days, and noticeable grass growth even longer."

Check out our expert-approved tips on how often you should aerate your lawn and how many passes are best.

You might also be interested in the fall lawn care mistake you’re probably making —and the secret to a greener lawn next spring.

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It's a great time of year to roll out your lawn aerator and get to work. Bringing air into the lawn soil will not only help relieve any pressure and compaction that's happened over the year, but it'll also improve airflow, water absorption and your lawn's overall ability to access nutrients to help it grow.

It's not something you need to do too often, but it's a step you don't really want to miss if your lawn is heavily compacted or struggling to drain water (especially with all the rain).

Only after you put in all that effort to push your lawn aerator across your lawn, you might be left wondering if you've done a good enough job. It's certainly something I've contemplated as I stare at my own lawn, unsure whether I've made any real difference.

I've asked the experts for their professional advice on how often you should aerate your lawn, how many passes are enough, and other tips and tricks to get the best results.

When to aerate your lawn

Soil compaction is the ultimate telltale sign that your lawn needs aerating, but how exactly do you figure out if that's what's going on beneath the soil?

Allison Koenig, a lawn and garden expert at Tractor Supply, says: "Homeowners should consider aeration if they're seeing standing water after rain, hard-packed soil, thinning grass, or areas that get a lot of traffic.

"A good rule of thumb is the screwdriver test: if it's hard to push a screwdriver into the soil, compaction is probably preventing healthy root growth."

And once you've figured out that your lawn needs aerating, you also have to consider if it's a good time to do it.

"Timing is everything when it comes to aeration. The best time to aerate your lawn depends on the grass type you have," explains Chris Ramos, PR & Events Coordinator at Blain's Farm & Fleet

When it comes to cool-season grasses like Fescue and Bluegrass, early fall or spring are ideal times, as these grasses grow most vigorously during colder months.

And if you've got warm-season grasses like Bermuda or Zoysia, then late spring to early summer is optimal, coinciding with their peak growing season.

Though Koenig adds: "However, once the ground freezes or the grass has gone fully dormant, it's best to hold off on aggressive projects like aerating, heavy raking, or major repairs."

Once you've figured out the best time though, Ramos reveals you only really need to aerate your lawn once a year.

How many passes should you make with your lawn aerator

So, you're planning to aerate your lawn, but how many passes should you be making to get the best results?

According to Ramos, one or two passes should relieve soil compaction. In addition, choosing the right tool in the first place will have a major impact on how effective your lawn aeration is.

"There are two types of aerators. Spike Aerators: These tools create holes by pushing spikes into the soil," adds Ramos. "They're simple to use but might not be as effective on highly compacted soil.

"Plug Aerators: These remove small plugs of soil from your lawn, providing more lasting benefits by reducing compaction more effectively. They're generally the preferred option for most lawns."

Additional top tips

Lawn aeration alone isn't all you should be doing. As Brian Feldman, Senior Director of Technical Operations and Agronomy at TruGreen explains: "One of the biggest misconceptions in the industry is viewing aeration as a standalone service.

"The greatest results occur when aeration is intergrated into a comprehensive turf management program that includes proper mowing, fertilization, irrigation, and overseeding practices."

In fact, he suggests that if you're really looking for best practice when aerating your lawn, you should be "overseeding and fertilizing immediately after aerating to maximize growth.

It's also important to leave the soil cores on your lawn after aerating, as they will naturally break down and help recycle nutrients and other beneficial microorganisms."

So, while you can do an excellent job with your lawn aeration, timing it right and carrying out one or two passes until you're satisfied that you've relieved compaction, it's important to take the opportunity to do more for your lawn when it's at its most receptive.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to aerate a lawn and when to do it
• I asked gardening experts the secret to a greener lawn — here's what they want you to do
• 9 signs your lawn needs aerating

If you wait until spring to start fighting weeds, you are already months too late. While your lawn’s top growth slows down in fall, winter weeds like chickweed, henbit, and annual bluegrass are actively germinating under the surface as soil temperatures cool down.

By the time green shoots pop up in April, those weeds have spent the entire winter establishing massive root systems across your yard. The secret to a completely weed-free lawn next year isn't pulling mature weeds in the heat of summer, it is stopping them from ever breaking through in the first place.

How pre-emergent works

Pre-emergents don’t kill existing weeds or feed your grass, they act as an invisible subterranean shield. While synthetic products are common, natural pre-emergents like corn gluten meal work on the same principle by preventing young roots from taking hold.

The catch is pre-emergents block all seed germination indiscriminately. If you are currently overseeding or patching bare spots, skip the pre-emergent entirely until your new grass is established — typically after it has sprouted and you’ve mowed it at least twice. Otherwise, the barrier will kill your expensive grass seed before it ever takes root.

Once applied and watered in, the product settles into the top inch of soil to halt cell division right as winter weed seeds (like chickweed, henbit, and annual bluegrass) attempt to sprout.

How to apply it

To apply the granules evenly, you will need a lawn spreader, which you push across the lawn and that drops the product out the bottom as you walk.

Look at the back of your product bag to find the recommended setting for your spreader model. Turn the number dial on the spreader to match that setting. Always fill the spreader's main bucket while parked on your driveway to avoid accidental spills on your grass.

Walk the outer perimeter of your yard first. This creates a turnaround boundary so you don't accidentally dump extra product at the property lines.

Push the spreader back and forth in straight, overlapping lines. For the best coverage, use a cross-hatch pattern by passing over the lawn north-to-south, then east-to-west.

Only open the bottom slot of the spreader while you are actively walking. Close it right before you stop or turn, or a heavy pile will dump out and burn your grass.

Sweep any stray granules off your driveway and back onto the lawn. Finally, water the yard lightly for 10 to 15 minutes to activate the chemical barrier and lock it into the top layer of soil.

More from Tom's Guide

• Before your lawn goes dormant, do this 15-minute job for thicker grass next spring
• 7 tips to banish weeds from your lawn that won't harm the grass
• Those pretty purple flowers are secretly destroying your lawn — here's why wild violets outsmart every weed killer and what actually works

As soon as October begins, you may think you can relax and forget about your grass, but lawn experts say it’s the worst time to be complacent.

Instead, as we move into fall, October is a key time in the lawn care calendar, and it all comes down to encouraging a strong root system for healthy growth next year.

It's all about the roots

“For cool-season grasses, the soil is still holding onto some summer warmth, but the air is crisp and cool. That combo is the sweet spot,” says Zack Nienaber at Nienaber And Sons Lawn Care. “The grass stops pushing all its energy into top growth and starts sending it straight down into the roots, which is exactly how it builds the resilience it needs to survive the winter.”

Allison Koenig, lawn and garden expert at Tractor Supply, agrees that it’s an important time for root growth to ensure the lawn bounces back quickly in the spring. “If you skip the fall lawn care work, you’re asking a weaker lawn to survive winter stress and then somehow come back lush and green in the spring,” she says.

To get your lawn ready to survive winter, here are 7 tasks lawn care experts recommend this month.

7 lawncare tasks for October

1. Clear the leaves

Get to work clearing leaves, as fallen leaves, twigs and other debris will block sunlight, trap moisture and invite fungus, leading to snow mold and brown patches.

Piles of damp leaves and debris can also attract unwanted pests, including insects and rodents, that can damage your yard. Uncleared debris can also block drains and prevent proper runoff, leading to waterlogging.

If you have a large expanse of lawn and a normal leaf rake isn’t up to the job, you could try a leaf blower.

2. Lower the mower height

It’s not time to stop mowing your lawn yet, but you can start lowering your mower blades. Nienaber recommends lowering the blades gradually during the month rather than making one big adjustment.

So why is it a good time to give your lawn a shorter cut? “If you leave it too long, it mats down under frost and rots,” he says, though he warns against mowing it too short, as it can stress the crown.

The sweet spot for cool-season turf is around 2.5 to 3 inches.

3. Check the soil

It’s a good time to check the soil to see if it’s compacted. If so, Koenig explains it can impact how well air, water and nutrients reach the roots. The solution is to aerate your lawn.

As well as increasing air circulation, loosening the soil can help drainage and prevent a waterlogged lawn, which is likely in fall if the rains are heavy.

Nienaber also advises checking the lawn to see if water is pooling. It could be a sign that the soil is waterlogged, which can lead to root rot.

4. Keep watering

“Don’t stop watering just because the weather feels cooler,” says Nienaber, “Unless the ground is literally frozen, lawns still need about an inch of water a week.”

Then, once the ground does start to freeze, Koenig advises draining any sprinklers or hoses and storing them before the first frost catches you off guard.

5. Overseed bare patches

“Fall is the perfect time to fertilize and repair thin or bare patches with new seed,” says Koenig, as even a well-maintained lawn can become patchy over time from weather stress and foot traffic

Overseeding your lawn will help revitalize its appearance and fill in the sparse patches.

6. Give your lawn a feed

While you’re overseeding your lawn, Koenig also recommends feeding it.

“Applying fertilizer while the lawn is still actively growing helps strengthen the root system, improve winter hardiness, and encourage healthier growth once spring arrives,” she adds.

Just be sure to follow product recommendations and apply the fertilizer before the ground freezes.

7. Watch your step

Once the frost visits us in the morning, Nienaber recommends staying off your lawn. “If you walk across frozen grass blades, they literally snap clean off, and you’ll be stuck staring at brown footprints for weeks until the turf can recover.”

When the grass goes into dormancy, it can’t repair itself, and broken blades can let in fungi and bacteria. So, if you need to walk on your grass, wait until later in the day, after the frost melts.

You might also be interested in the fall lawn care mistake you’re probably making — and the secret to a greener lawn next spring.

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Fall is officially here, and upcoming heavy rain and gusty winds can often take their toll on our tidy yards. This is especially true if you’re growing beautiful flowers and plants or have a tasty vegetable garden.

Luckily, there are a few essential tasks you can do right now to prepare your yard for harsh weather. By acting fast, you can protect plants from unexpected early frosts and also protect your yard from the risk of weather damage.

Since October is a time of transition, taking these simple, expert-approved tips will help you prepare for shifting weather ahead of time.

Here are the tasks you need to do right now that can make all the difference this season.

Rake fallen leaves

If, like me, you’ve already spotted fallen leaves piling up in your yard or around plants. The first task is to rake these up immediately and add them to your compost heap.

“You’ll likely start to see fallen leaves gathering in your garden or in other areas of your property,” states Craig Wilson, Co-founder and in-house gardening expert at Gardeners Dream.

“Rake these up and store them in a compost bin. You can then use the leaf mould as mulch to insulate borders.”

In addition, the task of insulating your borders now will protect the plant roots from unexpected early frost before winter arrives.

“Once you have cleaned up and tidied your borders, you’ll want to think about getting them insulated before the first frost sets in. Use bark, manure or leaf mould to spread across the top of the soil to help insulate root systems.”

For more tips on what to do with your leaves, check out 7 ways to use fallen leaves in your garden.

Make sure storage is watertight

Torrential rain and fierce winds have already swept over the East Coast this weekend causing power outages, significant flooding and damaging winds.

Before you have to deal with serious damage (or expensive repairs), ensure that your outdoor storage is all watertight to avoid the risk of leaks seeping in and potential flooding.

“As rainfall increases, you’ll want to ensure that any storage, such as your shed, is fully waterproof to avoid any damage to tools and furniture you might be storing in there over the winter,” adds Wilson.

And the last thing you need is a shed full of tools made rusty, or even destroyed, from water damage.

For top tips, check out how to waterproof your shed — expert tips for winter protection.

Move tomato plants indoors and raise harvest

If you’re growing tomatoes or other edibles in pots outdoors, now is the best time to move plants indoors. This is especially important if you want to protect your harvest before the first frost.

“As the temperatures start to drop, it is time to move any tomato and pepper plants indoors to ripen,” states Wilson.

What’s more, if you’re planning some pumpkin treats just in time for Halloween season, be sure to raise pumpkins and harvest them off the ground.

“If you're hoping to harvest some pumpkins for Halloween carving or even autumn decor, make sure to get them raised off the ground and onto bricks or wood.

"This will keep them dry, which will decrease the chances of rot, and will also allow them to get some additional sunlight, which will help to firm up the skin.”

“You’ll also need to keep an eye on the weather forecast. Pumpkins go soft quickly when left outside in frosty weather, so ensure that if frost is due, you harvest your pumpkins beforehand.”

And if you’re worried about pests attacking your pumpkins, I've just discovered the easiest way to stop your pumpkins from rotting.

Your lawn will also benefit from some maintenance in October, here are 7 lawn care tasks to complete this month. Also, don’t wait until spring; here are 3 plants to give your yard an instant fall vibe.

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As nighttime temperatures begin to drop, your lawn is preparing for its winter shutdown. But while established grass is slowing down, early fall actually presents the single best window of the entire year to grow new, thick turf fast.

If you want a lush, green carpet ready for spring, understanding when grass goes dormant, and taking advantage of the crucial weeks right before it happens, is the secret to success.

Here is when your lawn enters winter dormancy, why September and early October are ideal for overseeding, and how to accelerate grass growth before the first frost arrives.

When does grass go dormant?

Grass doesn't die when cold weather arrives. It simply enters a protective state called dormancy to conserve energy and survive freezing temperatures.

For most cool-season grasses (like perennial ryegrass and fine fescues), dormancy is triggered when daytime air temperatures consistently drop below 50°F (10°C) and soil temperatures fall below 46°F (8°C).

As your lawn prepares to sleep for the winter, the shift doesn't happen overnight. Here’s what you’ll see as your grass slips into dormancy:

• Early fall: Blade growth stalls as daily temperatures drop into the 50s. You’ll notice you don’t need to mow nearly as often.
• Late fall: Your lawn loses its bright summer luster and fades slightly as energy retreats from the blades and channels into the root system.
• First hard freeze: Once soil temperatures dip below 41°F (5°C), the grass shuts down completely, holding its ground until warmer weather returns in spring.

Why fall is the golden window to overseed your lawn

Because grass goes dormant in winter, many homeowners assume lawn care ends in late summer. In reality, the weeks leading up to winter dormancy are prime time for overseeding — spreading fresh grass seed directly over an existing lawn to repair tired, bare patches.

Timing this job for early fall yields vastly better results than waiting until spring. Summer's leftover heat stays trapped in the soil to jumpstart rapid germination, while the crisp autumn air keeps delicate tender seedlings from drying out.

Throw in predictable fall rain to handle the watering for you and a seasonal decline in weed growth, and your new grass gets a clear runway to establish deep, sturdy roots completely unbothered by spring weeds.

How to force root growth before grass goes dormant

If you want new seed to establish strong roots, timing is everything. For cool-season grasses, the ideal window is when soil temperatures are between 50°F and 65°F (10°C to 18°C). Once soil temperatures drop below the 50°F (10°C) baseline, germination slows drastically or stops entirely.

Also, when consistent fall air temperatures fall to 45°F (7°C), the grass will trigger winter dormancy, leaving late-planted seeds unable to develop the root system needed to survive the winter. Follow the four steps below to guarantee rapid germination and establishment.

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Fall may be officially here, but that doesn’t mean your lawn care duties need to take a back seat. There are a few key things we need to do to protect our grass and keep it healthy and lush year-round.

A lawn care expert reveals the early signs of a critical infestation to look out for and how to deal with this invasive pest — leatherjackets.

This is because September marks the peak egg-laying season for crane flies, which eventually hatch into leatherjackets — which are every gardener’s nightmare.

Not only do these destructive pests thrive by feeding on grass roots and plants, but they can also leave your once-pristine lawn severely damaged.

“Right now, those eggs are just sitting below the surface, waiting for cold and wet conditions to hatch into leatherjackets,” states Jonathan Davis, grass expert at Lawnsmith.

“Although small, these grubs can be a nightmare for your lawn. An infestation can undo all the hard work you’ve put in and leave you with nothing.”

Luckily, there is one task you can do in September to prevent a ‘nightmare’ infestation right now. Here’s how to tackle this issue.

What are leatherjackets and what to look out for?

While the name doesn’t sound like a destructive garden pest, what exactly are leatherjackets (also known as lawn grubs)?

Essentially, these are adult crane flies that lay eggs in the lawn from late summer to October.

Once these eggs hatch into leatherjackets, they live just beneath the soil surface and feed on grass roots once colder weather sets in.

“These pests are legless grubs with tough, leathery skin, typically grey or brown in colour, and can grow up to 3cm in length,” adds Davis. “They thrive by eating the roots of grass and plants, killing their food source as they go. Once eggs hatch, leatherjackets spend the colder months feeding underground before the damage becomes visible in early spring.”

Since these destructive pests live under the soil, we won’t notice the problem until months later. Key warning signs to look out for include grass turning yellow or noticeable patches on the lawn.

While there is no way to stop crane flies from laying their eggs, you can prevent the damage once eggs hatch.

Aerate your lawn to prevent leatherjackets

One top tip is to address poor drainage in your garden by aerating your lawn.

Not only does this avoid waterlogging, but promotes healthy airflow and helps to deliver essential nutrients directly into the ground.

“Lawns with poor drainage create a perfect environment for leatherjackets to thrive, so addressing that now can prevent an infestation taking hold,” advises Davis.

“Aerating your lawn can help improve drainage. To do this, simply create holes in the turf to allow it to breathe and encourage water to disperse.”

Also, heavily shaded gardens can create the perfect environment for leatherjackets. Another tip is to prune overgrown or thick tree branches and clear fallen leaves or any other debris on the lawn.

“Removing thick branches of overhanging trees and bushes can help more sunlight reach the turf,” Davis advises. “Some soils are better than others for drainage. For example, nutrient-dense clay soils can make gardens more prone to flooding.

“And if you often see water pooling in your garden, investigate the type of soil so you know how to nurture the lawn correctly.”

For more top tips, check out 5 ways to get rid of moss in your lawn and keep it green.

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Spotted spongy green growth across your patio or driveway recently? You’ll want to get rid of moss quickly. And while moss might be welcome in certain parts of your yard (think Japanese garden), for the most part, it can look unsightly on our patio. Plus, it's a nuisance to remove from concrete or banish completely — especially during fall.

Typically, moss thrives in damp or humid conditions — and porous concrete is the perfect environment as it holds water easily. In addition, concrete’s texture has microscopic pores, pits, and cracks, which makes it easy for spores to penetrate and grow in these rough spots.

And while you could reach for chemical-laden treatments or blast it away with a powerful pressure washer, I’ve just discovered a common household cleaning staple that does the trick — and no, it isn’t white vinegar.

Unlike white vinegar, which is great for killing moss but is a longer process, this cleaning solution can get to work in just minutes. Best of all, we all have this product in our cleaning caddy. So why is bleach so handy?

How to banish moss with bleach

We often use bleach for killing germs, disinfecting surfaces, and getting rid of yellow stains. However, it turns out that this versatile cleaner can instantly banish moss from concrete too.

Even better, it acts fast to tackle moss in just five minutes, and the results are known to last longer in comparison to traditional vinegar methods.

So what’s the best way to use bleach on concrete patios or paths? First, sweep away any debris or leaves on the concrete surface with a bristle broom/brush before applying your treatment.

Next, experts recommend diluting one part household bleach with four to ten parts water (depending on how thick the moss is) in a pump sprayer or bucket.

Then, directly spray or pour the mixture evenly over the moss-covered concrete, before letting it sit for about 15 minutes.

Once the moss turns brown or white, simply use your stiff-bristled broom or deck brush to scrub away the dead moss, and rinse off the residue/area completely with water until clean.

What NOT to do when using bleach

Since bleach has the power to kill moss, it’s important not to spray any nearby plants or foliage. If you do, however, experts recommend watering them before wrapping them in plastic wrap to protect them from damage.

Additionally, do NOT leave bleach on the concrete surface for more than around 15 minutes, or else it may cause discoloration to the pavers. Bear in mind that bleach is highly toxic, so take precautions when using it and keep it away from children or pets. And use gloves when handling bleach if possible.

So, if you’re struggling to banish pesky moss fast, this clever tip might be sitting right inside your cleaning caddy.

For more top tips, check out 5 ways to get rid of moss in your lawn and keep it green.

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Discovering unexpected holes peppered across your lawn or garden beds can spark an immediate urge to reach for a shovel or garden hose. Before you attempt to fill them in, it helps to know what creature actually dug them — and what might be resting inside.

While homeowners might assume snakes dig tunnels across the yard, most snakes lack the physical equipment to burrow through dirt. Instead, they operate as opportunistic squatters, moving directly into underground tunnels left behind by rodents, voles, and chipmunks.

These cool subterranean spaces offer ideal shelter from heat and a hunting ground for prey. Knowing how to identify an active snake hideout can help you keep your family, pets, and property safe without unnecessarily disturbing local wildlife.

How to identify a snake hole in your yard

Because snakes do not excavate their own homes, you will not find a standard shape or uniform size. However, several distinct physical indicators can help you determine whether a snake is utilizing an existing burrow.

• Size and structure: Look for openings between 1 and 3 inches in diameter, though larger snakes can squeeze into bigger gaps. Pay close attention to crevices near rock walls, house foundations, and dense shrubbery.
  
• Lack of excavated dirt: Unlike active mammals that push fresh, loose dirt around their entrance holes while digging, a snake moving into a hole leaves no fresh soil piles.
  
• Nearby physical evidence: Check the surrounding grass and dirt for shed snake skins, smooth tail tracks in soft soil, or a complete absence of recent animal gnaw marks near the entrance.
  
• The "vacant" look: If a hole looks old or abandoned by the original rodent digger, it becomes a prime candidate for a snake seeking temperature control or shelter.

What to do if you find a snake hole

If you suspect a hole in your yard is currently harboring a snake, taking the wrong action can quickly turn a peaceful coexistence into a safety hazard.

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September is one of the year’s most important months for cool-season lawn maintenance. Summer heat is easing, and soil temperatures are warm enough to support new growth without the threat of frost.

Experts share the top three lawn care jobs you should be doing right now to repair and prepare your lawn for winter, making sure it can cope with the drop in temperature and increased rainfall.

1. Aerate cool-season grass

Soil compaction is one of the biggest obstacles to a healthy lawn. “Over time, especially in areas that get a lot of foot traffic, the soil becomes densely packed, making it harder for water, air and nutrients to reach your grass roots,” explains Brian Feldman, senior director of technical operations at TruGreen.

“When roots can’t access what they need, your lawn can thin out, become patchy and become more vulnerable to drought, weeds and lawn disease,” he adds.

Fall is the ideal time to address this issue, especially if you have cool-season grasses, such as fescue and bluegrass. By aerating your lawn in fall, Feldman says that your lawn will have time to recover, allowing new roots to establish before winter sets in.

How to aerate your lawn

You can use either a spike or core aerator to treat your lawn. Spike aerators puncture the ground as you pass over it, while core aerators remove soil. Core aeration is seen as the most effective method because it leaves a large space for air and nutrients to penetrate, although it’s messier, as you’ll be left with plugs of soil on your lawn.

Cool-season grass

If you live in the U.K. or a northern, colder area of the U.S., you’re likely to have cool-season grass, which only stops growing when the temperature falls below around 45°F.

"This means September is likely still warm enough to carry out deeper maintenance as your lawn is actively growing and will be able to recover from it quickly,” says Angelika Klimorowski, lawn care specialist and gardening expert at Online Turf.

Warm season grass

Warm-season grass is found in southern, warmer climates, and it stops actively growing when temperatures fall below around 60°F. Klimorowski advises that if your lawn is still actively growing in September, it’s a great time to weed and aerate it, but if the growth has slowed, do not perform any significant maintenance.

2. Overseed your lawn

My lawn looks worse for wear after the summer heatwaves, and plenty of bare patches need overseeding, but rather than scattering seed straight off, Craig Elworth, founder of Lawnbright, suggests preparing your lawn first.

He says, “Start by mowing the lawn short and bagging the clippings, removing excessive thatch and loosening the soil with core aeration.”

As mentioned above, Elworth explains that core aeration creates channels into the soil for air, water and roots while also providing pockets where seed can settle.

Once you’ve aerated the soil, spread the right grass seed for your region and lightly work it into the surface, keeping the soil consistently moist until it germinates.

Why you need to overseed your lawn

Overseeding your lawn boosts its density, as sparse turf is more susceptible to weed invasion, lawn fungi and pest damage. “Overseeding helps fill in those bare spots and promotes a thicker, healthier lawn before winter sets in,” says Feldman.

3. Fertilize your lawn

“Fertilizing in the fall is one of the smartest things you can do for cool-season grasses,” says Feldman. “As air temperatures drop and soil stays warm, your lawn shifts its energy from top growth to root development, and the right nutrients can make a big difference.”

But rather than guessing what fertilizer suits your soil type, Gene Callebero, co-founder of GreenPal, suggests investing in a soil test. You could try Luster Leaf’s Rapitest Soil Test Kit that’s $15 at Amazon. And he adds that if you fertilize your lawn now, next year’s lawn will take care of itself.

Feldman suggests giving cool-season lawns their first feed around Labor Day, as it kickstarts growth as temperatures cool. Then, in early November, they’ll be ready for a second feed. If you have warm-season grass, he says one early-fall feed is usually enough.

What to look for in a fertilizer

Choose a fertilizer high in potassium to build strong roots, but low in phosphorus, unless your soil test indicates you need more, advises Feldman, ensuring you apply the feed about 3-4 weeks before your area’s first frost.

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Fall has arrived, making September and November the perfect window for mulching flower beds to protect plants before the cooler temperatures set in.

As a thin layer of organic matter on the surface, a natural mulch helps retain moisture in the soil, introduces nutrients as it breaks down, and protects from frost when the temperature drops. Although mulching your yard seems easy enough, there’s one common problem many gardeners face afterwards that ruins their hard efforts.

Typically, after a week, unwanted grass blades begin creeping back through your bed cover until the area starts looking untidy again. And while a traditional solution would be to lay down landscaping fabric, this can often make planting new crops tricky and difficult to remove in the long run.

I’ve recently discovered a hassle-free tip to keep unwanted grass out of mulch beds. Not only does this solution work in just one hour, but it’s completely family and pet-friendly without harming nearby plants.

Use a targeted grass and weed killer to protect your beds

A quick trick is to use a grass and weed killer after mulching — but this will only work on young, newly sprouted grass blades coming through the mulch.

Once grass has matured, the spray may not be as effective at getting to work on thick grass — which might benefit from manual tools.

There are several sprays available in your gardening centers or online such as this Spruce Weed & Grass Killer for $35 on Amazon.

This spray kit is formulated from water, essential oils, and a surfactant, and can treat up to 400 weeds. Better still, it promises to work in just an hour, and the reusable bottle means you can simply buy refills instead of a new kit.

Additionally, gardening experts suggest pruning nearby foliage before applying such treatments. Trimming these surrounding stems beforehand allows for a much clearer path to target rogue shoots at their base.

Lastly, it helps to identify the exact location where grass blades keep growing, so you can apply a targeted treatment — ensuring stray growth stays out of your beds for good.

Bear in mind that this solution will only prevent the growth of young weeds and won’t tackle mature ones. If that’s the case, you’ll need to target the weed taproots. And there are plenty of sturdy weeding tools available to save you from doing this back-breaking task.

Of course, if you don’t want to rely on chemicals to get rid of grass and weeds in your yard, you can check out these 7 ways to kill weeds naturally. Or perhaps you might have this 39-cent weed killer alternative hiding in your laundry cupboard?

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Now that the heatwave is over and the new season begins — our grass might be looking a little worse for wear. This is especially the case if you’ve ended up with a patchy brown lawn that needs some TLC.

What’s more, you’ll want lush, healthy grass all year round by maintaining a good lawn care routine. So how can you revive your patchy lawn after the drought?

Luckily, a lawn expert has revealed that September is the ideal time to begin sowing new seeds — but this only works if you do one vital task before you start. In fact, it’s one of the simplest things that we often forget to do and will make all the difference to the results of our hard efforts.

So, before you start sprinkling your bag of grass seeds, don’t forget to do this one crucial check first.

Check the weather forecast

Since fall weather is so unpredictable, experts suggest you always check your local forecast before seeding, as these conditions can easily ruin germination.

“September is the best time to sow new grass seed, but it’s so important to check the forecast, identifying the temperature and rainfall trends,” advises Chris McIlroy, lawn expert at The Grass People.

“The new seeds will need around two weeks of stable conditions to germinate and establish their first roots; severe weather changes can interrupt the process and leave seeds vulnerable.”

Additionally, you’ll need to get the right balance and ensure the conditions are not too dry or too cold. Both of which can stall the development of your grass seeds, leading to a costly failure where they simply die.

“It only takes a minute, but missing this step could result in a whole bag of seed being wasted,” adds McIIroy. “The soil needs to remain 50°F or above, and you need some rainfall, any frosty nights could interrupt germination.

“If drought conditions continue, grass seed will shrivel and die before it has a chance to germinate. But equally, too much rain can waterlog soil and drown seeds. Not checking the forecast can be a costly mistake, especially when starting a new lawn from scratch.”

However, a little patience will pay off. And he suggests it’s far better to hold out for the ideal environment rather than rushing and wasting your grass seed. Plus, after a parched summer, your lawn must be truly ready for overseeding.

Top tips before seeding your lawn in September

First, you’ll need to remove any debris, tree branches, or dead vegetation to give your new grass the best starting chance.

Additionally, if you find that your grass is parched, you’ll need to know how to aerate your lawn to loosen the soil and allow air and all the nutrients it needs to thrive.

“The new seeds will need good seed-to-soil contact, and if your turf is dry and compacted, you need to scarify and aerate to loosen the soil, ensuring nutrients, air and water can flow easily through the turf,” advises McIlroy.

“Applying a layer of high-quality topsoil also provides an environment for new seeds to thrive in, and a fertiliser can also provide a nutrient boost.”

Another top tip is to get a starter fertilizer that can help to strengthen the young roots as they grow. “Starter fertilisers differ from regular lawn feeds,” McIIroy adds.

“They’re formulated with extra phosphorus to help young roots develop. When you’re sowing new seed, that early root growth is more important than the colour and length on top.

“While September is usually the best time to sow, but it can extend into October if the temperatures allow.”

For more tips and tricks, check out our ultimate lawn care guide for healthy, lush grass. Apart from sowing seed, September is also the ideal month to carry out other key lawn maintenance.

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Between the summer heatwave and a strictly enforced watering restrictions, my yard didn't stand a chance. By late August, it looked like a doormat. Straw-like and baked dry — it was tempting to accept defeat and leave it till next year.

Then I caught myself and remembered: a brown lawn is usually just dormant and playing defense. As cool weather and seasonal rain roll in, fall offers the ultimate window for a full comeback. If you follow the right recovery plan.

If you want to transform your drought-damaged lawn into a lush, resilient yard before winter hits, here's what you need to do.

1. Aerate compacted soil

Heat and foot traffic compact soil throughout summer, restricting air and water movement to the root zone. Aeration removes small plugs of soil, opening pathways for water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach the roots.

Fall aeration is particularly effective because the lawn recovers during its peak growing season. You can rent an aerator, hire a professional, or use a manual aerator or garden fork for smaller lawns.

Aerate when soil is moist but not waterlogged. This ensures the plugs pull cleanly without clogging. Leave the soil plugs on the lawn to break down naturally.

Aeration combined with deep watering dramatically improves recovery because water and nutrients now reach the roots more effectively.

2. Overseed bare patches and thin areas

Heat stress creates bare spots where grass dies back completely. Fall is ideal for overseeding because cooler temperatures and increased rainfall help new seeds germinate.

Start by lightly raking dead material out of bare patches. This removes the thatch layer and allows seeds to contact the soil.

Scatter new grass seed over thinned areas and keep the soil consistently moist until the grass establishes. The key here is consistency. Uneven watering disrupts germination, so check daily and water lightly if rain doesn't fall.

New grass filling in before winter means you'll have a fuller lawn by spring instead of waiting until next summer to see improvement.

3. Water deeply rather than frequently

A struggling lawn needs deep watering, not daily sprinkles. Short, frequent waterings encourage shallow roots that can't access moisture deep in the soil when drought returns

Deep watering forces roots to grow deeper, creating a stronger root system that supports the grass through stress.

Water once every few days, applying enough to soak six inches down. Early morning or late evening watering minimizes evaporation and reduces scorching risk.

You'll know you're watering deeply enough when moisture penetrates the soil without pooling on the surface.

4. Apply lawn fertilizer as growth resumes

Heat and drought deplete soil nutrients, leaving your grass unable to grow vigorously. Once temperatures cool and the grass begins active growth again, a quality slow-release fertilizer supports recovery.

Timing matters. Apply fertilizer only when the soil is moist and the grass is actively growing, not when conditions are still dry.

Follow application instructions carefully, as over-fertilizing can damage recovering grass. Slow-release formulas feed gradually, supporting consistent growth without shocking stressed plants.

The fertilizer replenishes nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that heat stress depletes. Combined with improved watering and aeration, fertilizer helps your lawn shift from survival mode to genuine recovery and growth.

5. Strengthen roots with liquid seaweed

Liquid seaweed conditions soil while encouraging deeper root growth and improving nutrient uptake. Regular applications help grass recover faster from heat stress and build resilience against future droughts.

Seaweed provides trace minerals alongside growth-promoting compounds that strengthen the grass from the root level up.

Apply it every three to four weeks during the growing season. Healthier roots mean the grass retains moisture better, stays greener during dry periods, and recovers more quickly when conditions improve.

While this isn't a quick fix, this recovery plan builds long-term lawn health — laying the quiet groundwork now so come next spring, you'll have a lush lawn instead of staring at a sea of straw.

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The promise of many smart home devices is that they can free your time up to do other things, but how often is that reflected in reality?

We could finally be there with robot lawnmowers. I’ve been using the Segway Navimow i215 in my yard for the last few months, and a few exceptions aside, I haven’t thought about mowing my lawn for a long time. But is the Navimow i215 the best robot lawnmower for your yard? It depends on a lot of factors, such as the size and slope of your grass, but there are a few universal takeaways I found from testing this, as well as several other robot lawnmowers.

Read on to see how well the Navimow i215 performed for me, and if I’d pick it over other models.

Picking the right size

When I first talked with Segway about reviewing one of its lawnmowers, I initially requested the Navimow X4, the company’s top-end device that costs $2,500, can tackle just about any terrain, and has independent wheels that allow it to make zero-degree turns. It’s a truly impressive mower — and it proved to be too much for my yard.

The main reason I requested the X4 is that my front yard, despite being very small, is on a bit of a hill that in the past proved too daunting for some robot lawnmowers. However, after running the X4 for a while, I noticed that it would repeatedly skip over certain sections. Confused, I talked with Segway, which said that because my lawn was so small — we’re talking less than 500 square feet — it had trouble taking care of it properly.

Segway then sent me the Navimow i215, which costs about $1,000 less, and is more suited for mid-size to smaller yards.

Price and availability

The i215 is the newest of Segway’s mid-tier robot lawnmowers. It came on the market in 2026, costs $1,599, can cover up to 0.37 acres, and uses both LiDAR and vision systems to map and navigate your yard.

It’s a bit more sophisticated than the i210 AWD ($1,299, 0.25 acres) and the i206 AWD ($999, 0.15 acres), both of which have obstacle avoidance, but lack LiDAR.

An easy — but not trouble-free —setup

Like most new robot lawnmowers, the Navimow i215 has everything it needs built right into the mower, so there’s no need to install a tower or a boundary wire around your property. I simply set up the base station where the robot docks to recharge, and then followed the instructions in the Navimow app to connect it to my home Wi-Fi network.

As part of the setup process, you can send the mower out to automatically map your yard, or you can perform this task manually by driving the bot around the perimeter.

Even after creating the map, it still required some tweaking, as the i215 kept nose diving off one corner of my lawn; I would have hoped its Lidar would have recognized the dropoff. However, all I had to do was go into the app and re-draw the map to shave off a few inches. After those adjustments, I rarely encountered an issue with it going astray.

Obstacle avoidance and mowing performance

The Navimow did a good job at avoiding objects. It successfully navigated around a small soccer ball, as well as a plastic child’s toy, but ran right over an orange ball the size of a baseball; perhaps it felt it was small enough that it wouldn’t be a problem.

However, unlike the Sunseeker X3, which I tested last year, Segway’s mower and app doesn’t mark on its map that it encountered an obstruction. The only indication I got was that the app showed a spot of the lawn that was unmowed.

After scanning your yard, Segway’s mower will also plot the ideal direction to mow your lawn most efficiently. In my case, it was a diagonal line along the long axis. Taking this route also meant it was able to avoid driving directly up the steepest part of my lawn. I still worried about it creating divots in my lawn; more than once, I saw it spin its wheels in place on some of the steeper sections, which tore up the grass a bit.

Within the Segway Navimow app, you can adjust the direction of the mowing, but unlike most other robot lawnmowers we’ve tested, Segway’s app doesn’t let you mow patterns, such as a crosshatch or diamond. Some companies’ mowers will even let you mow shapes, like hearts. While I think that’s a little frivolous, I do wish Segway would offer a little something more in terms of letting you control how the mower cuts your grass.

Smart home and security features

Even the least expensive robot lawnmower will cost upwards of $500, so some sort of security feature is warranted, so that someone doesn’t simply walk away with your mower as it’s making its rounds.

Segway built two protections into the Navimow to keep would-be thieves from absconding with your stuff. Within the Segway app, you can set a geofence boundary around your property, so that if the bot is moved beyond a certain radius, it will sound an alarm. You can set it anywhere from a 33-foot to up to a 164-foot radius; obviously, if your yard is larger than that, you might want to disable this feature.

Should the alarm not be enough of a deterrent, the Navimow i215 is also equipped with Apple FindMy, so you can locate the mower if it goes missing.

Finally, the i215 also works with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can use your smart speaker of choice to command the mower to start working, or connect it to your other smart home devices and routines.

Bottom line

I was initially skeptical that the Segway Navimow i215 would be able to negotiate my front yard, but the little machine defied my expectations. While it’s not quite as smart as I hoped — it drove itself right off one of my retaining walls — it ultimately performed well over the long run.

I also liked the i215’s security features, but there are still a couple of things I wish were included. For example, the Worx Landroid has an edge-mowing feature, and the Sunseeker S4 will show in the app any objects it encounters in your yard. And, both of those models — which cost less than the Navimow — also let you mow your yard in specific patterns.

So, while Segway has made a very capable robot lawnmower, there are still others that are a cut above.

With a hot summer and low rainfall, even the hardiest lawns have struggled to stay green. Right now, my own fried patch resembles more of a sandy beach than a luscious cascade of green.

Although I’m considering digging up some of my lawn and replacing it with a dry gravel garden, all is not lost. If you take this one action in August, you could be enjoying a green lawn in time for fall.

Don't give up — your lawn will survive

When I walk on my lawn right now, I feel sand between my toes and hear a crackle as the brittle blades snap. I’ve never known a year when my lawn has suffered so much.

However, by following this one lawncare step, you’ll be surprised how quickly your lawn can be transformed from an unattractive patch to a lush expanse of green.

But right now, you may also be questioning whether your brown, yellowing lawn will bounce back when it seems there’s no chance of survival. Jonathan Davis, grass expert at Lawnsmith, says don’t give up hope. “Most brown lawns are in fact dormant, and haven’t completely died back yet.

“When moisture is low, grass focuses its energy on protecting its root system, the beating heart of the lawn, so this is why color drains from the visible sward above the soil.”

And he explains that the lawn will begin to flourish once it receives adequate hydration. However, because the soil is parched, intervention helps to ensure water reaches the roots. If not, water will pool on your lawn and won’t be absorbed into the soil.

That’s where this lawn hack comes in; it helps your lawn absorb the essentials to bring it back to full health

Start by aerating your lawn

So the one task you can do this month to help your lawn absorb moisture is to aerate your lawn, and all you need is a garden fork. During the drier months, your soil has become compacted and needs to be broken up to improve airflow, water absorption and nutrient access.

Inserting a garden fork or lawn aerator into your soil creates many small holes that act as channels, allowing water, oxygen and nutrients to reach the soil and strengthening the root system.

Aerating your lawn with a garden fork

If aerating your lawn manually with a garden fork, Luke Taylor and Marc Kerr, in their book ‘Lawns: An uncomplicated guide’, $15 at Amazon, recommend following these three steps:

1. Insert your garden fork roughly 6 inches deep into the soil.

2. Push forwards as you remove the fork from the soil. They explain that this will help make the holes slightly larger, create additional cracks for aeration, and allow you to remove the fork easily.

3. Continue this process, spacing the holes around 5-6 inches, until you cover the whole surface of your lawn.

In addition to a garden fork, you can also use a lawn aerator, designed specifically for the job.

Test your lawn for compaction: Try the screwdriver test

If you want to ensure your lawn is compacted before you insert a garden fork across it, Laura Bradbury, head of e-commerce at Vonhaus, suggests trying a hack using a screwdriver.

She says, “Push a long screwdriver gently into a few different sections of the lawn. If it goes into some areas easily but meets much more resistance in others, particularly where furniture, paddling pools or heavy footfall have been over summer, the soil may have become compacted.”

And Bradbury adds that the screwdriver test gives homeowners a quick way to compare different parts of the lawn before committing to a larger job.

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It's the height of summer right now, but it won't be long before fall — and if you have a tree in or near to your property then your garden or drive is about to be full of leaves.

If you want to clean up quickly then a leaf blower is a must-buy. These handy tools do exactly what you'd expect from the name, so that you can get leaves and other garden debris into neat piles, ready for disposal.

For this article I've picked out 12 leaf blowers from a range of top brands, including Ego Power, Greenworks, DeWalt and more. What's more, many of these leaf blowers have money off, meaning that now is a great time to buy and get ready for autumn.

With yet another heatwave on the horizon in the U.K., my lawn is looking parched and in need of some attention, and I can’t see it improving anytime soon.

But despite my lawn resembling straw and going into dormancy, the weeds are still thriving. And since they are so easy to identify right now, it feels like the ultimate time to get stuck into some weed removal. But before heading into my yard to make a costly mistake, I checked in with a lawn care specialist to see if now is a prime time to pull them out.

Can you treat lawn weeds in dry conditions?

It might seem like the perfect time to strike, but according to Jonathan Davis, grass expert at Lawnsmith, spraying lawn weeds now could be a waste of time, or even do more harm than good.

“I wouldn't recommend treating lawn weeds while the grass is dormant or drought-stressed,” says Davis. “Although the weeds may be easier to see, the conditions simply aren't suitable for effective or safe treatment.”

Why spraying weeds in dry conditions is a bad idea

The main issue is that weedkiller doesn’t work well in dry conditions, with Davis explaining that your already-struggling lawn is more likely to get damaged by it. “The grass is already under pressure in these conditions and that makes it more vulnerable to damage from any kind of treatment.”

Reaching for a stronger or more specialist product won’t get around the problem, either. “No particular product will overcome poor growing conditions. Many selective lawn weedkillers advise against use during drought conditions, so it is best to follow the label instructions,” he warns.

And he adds, that even if you do see some effect, in the long-term the treatment is unlikely to last.

“Further weeds may appear once wetter weather returns,” Davis says, “so treating during the drought may provide limited benefit.”

What can you do about the weeds?

While chemical treatment is off the table for as long as the hot weather stays, you’re not completely stuck watching weeds overtake your lawn.

“A small number of isolated weeds can be removed carefully by hand, provided this does not disturb the surrounding turf,” says Davis.

It may take longer than reaching for a spray bottle, but it won’t put your lawn at any extra risk.

Other lawn jobs to take care of when it's dry
Beyond pulling the odd weed by hand, there are a handful of jobs that are safe to crack on with during a drought.

“If you’re able to water, be sure to use a wetting agent to help any rain or irrigation soak in properly, lightly prick or spike the surface to aid absorption, and keep mowing regularly to stop weeds and weed grasses from setting seed,” he advises. “Everything else, including fertilizer, moss killer and scarifying, needs to wait.”

How to tell if it’s actually drought stress

It’s important to check whether your lawn is suffering from drought stress or a different issue, such as lawn burn or red thread.

“A dry lawn and a burned lawn can look very similar, so it’s worth checking before you assume it’s a drought,” he says.

Fortunately, there is an easy way to check whether your lawn is stressed through lack of hydration. Davis explains, “Get a bulb planter, or the corner of a spade, and cut a small hole in the lawn about three inches deep. Then take a look at the soil. If it’s dry, dusty or crumbly, that confirms drought. If it’s dark and sticking together in grains, there’s still moisture down there, and something else is likely going on.”

If you don’t have a bulb planter to hand, Davis suggests a simple alternative. “Stab a spade into the lawn at a 45-degree angle to a depth of three or four inches, then make two more cuts so they form a triangle. Lift the wedge out gently, and you can inspect the soil underneath directly.”

Either way, he advises it’s worth ruling drought in or out before deciding on a fix.

When it's safe to treat the weeds

The rule of thumb, according to Davis, is patience. “Wait until moisture has returned to the soil and both the grass and weeds are actively growing again," he says, "Then apply a suitable product in cooler, calm conditions and follow the label instructions.”

The ‘actively growing’ test applies well beyond weed control too, covering feeding, scarifying and seeding alike. Until the rain returns and your lawn is visibly growing again, rather than just surviving, the best thing you can do for it is very little at all.

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Relentless summertime heatwaves, paired with consistently high temperatures and scarce rainfall, have left our once pristine lawns looking brown, patchy and parched. With drought declarations and strict water restrictions in many areas, restoring that lush lawn back to its former glory seems almost impossible.

Making matters worse, as we step into August — traditionally the second-hottest month in the year following July — the forecast shows the extreme heat isn’t letting up anytime soon.

The unpredictable climate has left gardeners wondering what to do with their lawns and how to care for them in August. To solve the conundrum, I asked Chris McIIroy, lawn care expert at The Grass People, to share the dos and don’ts of tackling lawn care this month.

The dos and don'ts of lawn care in August

Don’t dethatch

Removing natural debris that has settled on your lawn might seem tempting and help watering efforts, but in peak summer, the experts warn against it.

McIIroy says, “Dethatching in August is generally not recommended. The process can be quite stressful for your lawn, and combined with the summer heat, it could do more harm than good. It’s best to wait until the cooler, more forgiving months in early fall for dethatching.”

Do mow

Keeping a lawn a little bit longer in a heatwave can provide shade for the turf, but if grass is growing at a healthy rate, giving it a light trim when the temperatures aren’t too high can be helpful.

McIIroy says, “Mow your lawn regularly, aiming for once a week. However, adjust the frequency based on growth rates and weather conditions. If your grass’ growth is stunted, maybe leave it 10 days between mows.”

But if the conditions are too dry, he suggests keeping your grass a little bit longer to help retain moisture levels.

He also explains that raising the mower blade and keeping the grass a touch longer can also help, as the longer blade shades the soil and assists with moisture retention. “You should also raise the mower’s setting if the weather gets damper and moss starts to reappear,” he adds.

Don’t leave clippings on the lawn

Some gardeners believe leaving cut grass blades on the lawn might provide protection from the heat, but McIIroy warns it can actually do the opposite. “Clippings actually trap heat, raising the temperature around the turf, and he adds. “The humidity created by the heat and moisture can create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.”

Bacteria can harm water and nutrient flow and cause the grass to wilt, turn yellow or copper-red.

Do water

Lawns will be in need of hydration after the repeated hot weather spells combined with little rainfall.

But McIIroy says that watering is tricky right now, especially for those in the U.K. and U.S. who have water use restrictions.

However, if you aren’t restricted, he says, “Water early in the morning so hydration reaches the roots without evaporating first. Focus on giving it a deep soak once or twice a week to encourage deep root growth.

“You can also use a wetting agent to enhance efforts and to ensure water breaks through the tough turf.”

You might also be wondering if it’s safe to remove weeds when your lawn is parched.

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With summer temperatures continuing to soar, we aren’t the only ones feeling the heat — your lawn is likely parched, too.

Looking out onto my backyard each morning, I can see that it is struggling and desperate for a revival. That’s why consistent watering is crucial for gardeners right now — assuming you aren’t under local water restrictions or hosepipe bans in the U.K.

But keeping a lush lawn takes more than water; it needs nutrients to bounce back. Luckily, the secret to a healthier lawn might already be in your bathroom cabinet — an everyday staple often used after a hard day’s work in the yard.

The tonic your lawn's crying out for

It turns out the mineral that eases muscle aches and pains in the bath can also be used to fertilize your lawn. What’s more, Epsom salts are far cheaper than any lawn fertilizer you can buy and can be picked up for a few dollars in your local grocery store.

According to the Epsom Salt Council, the two naturally occurring minerals in Epsom salts — magnesium and sulfur — can help lawns grow. Magnesium increases chlorophyll production and improves phosphorus and nitrogen uptake, helping your lawn stay lush and green. Sulfur supports overall plant metabolism and enzyme functions to help turf stay hardier.

How to apply Epsom salt to your lawn

The Epsom Salt Council recommends applying 3lbs of Epsom salts for every 1,250ft of lawn. It can be applied with a spreader or diluted with water and added to a sprayer.

The best time to apply the feed is in the early morning or early evening. Other times of the day can be too hot, and the water is more likely to evaporate before it has a chance to be absorbed and taken to the roots.

When to use Epsom salt on your lawn

Epsom salts should only be applied to your lawn when you know it’s deficient in magnesium, so it’s recommended you take a soil test before applying it as a fertilizer. The Garden Tutor Soil pH Test Kit is available for $12 at Amazon.

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Wild violets are the wolf in sheep's clothing of lawn weeds. In spring, their small purple flowers look charming enough that many homeowners leave them alone. By midsummer, you realize they've taken over.

The issue with wild violets is they're designed to trick you into failure. Their leaves have a waxy coating that repels standard herbicides. Underground, they've developed a network of tubers that survive pulling, mowing, and casual attempts at removal. By the time you realize it's a problem, they're already winning. Here's how to take your lawn back.

Why wild violets are so hard to kill

Those purple flowers are lovely, which is exactly why people ignore wild violets until it's too late. The real threat is underground. Wild violets develop rhizomes: tough, fleshy underground stems that store energy and keep the plant alive even when you think you've eliminated it.

Above ground, the leaves have a protective waxy layer that causes liquid herbicides to slide right off without penetrating.

This combination makes them nearly impossible to kill with casual effort. They also spread aggressively. Wild violets produce seed pods both above and below ground, meaning they're distributing seeds whether you see it happening or not.

If you've got wild violets in your yard, assume they're already further along than they appear.

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A week of brutal heat and your lawn turns brown. It looks fried. Looks dead. Your instinct is to do something: pull out the hose at sunset, grab fertilizer, lower the mower blade. These feel like solutions. They're not.

Most of that browning is dormancy, not death. Your grass is shutting down to survive the heat, which is exactly what it should do. The problem is that three specific mistakes can actually kill what dormancy doesn't. These mistakes are so common that most people don't realize they're doing them.

Here's what's going wrong and how to fix it before you accidentally kill what's still salvageable.

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Summer is the best time to get out into your garden and enjoy your outside space. It's also one of the hardest times to keep your lawn in top condition, battling with hot weather, dry soil, and all of that extra use.

While I've been using 3 drought-proofing steps to protect my lawn during heatwaves, I can't help but notice I'm still struggling with specific issues. And I know I'm not the only one.

So, it only felt right to put it to our readers and ask: "What is the biggest problem you have with your lawn?" Over 3,000 of you answered, and here's what came out on top. Even better, I've got tips on how to fix it.

The number one lawn problem, according to readers

There was one resounding answer that came from our poll, far outweighing other issues, and that's bare patches. With a massive 3,079 votes totalling 64% of our readers' answers, it's a patchy lawn that seems to be causing the most bother.

To give you an idea of just how dominant this issue is, the second issue was crabgrass that received 625 votes (13%) followed by dog wee stains at 451 votes (9%) and dandelions at 388 votes (8%).

And I completely agree, struggling with bare patches myself and trying desperately to make sure my grass looks even across my lawn.

Fortunately, there's plenty of solutions to try that we've covered across a range of how-to guides. I'll delve into some of the top tips below and hopefully next time we run a poll, bare patches won't be such a problem.

How to tackle bare patches

From 5-minute quick fixes to step-by-step guides, depending on how much time you've got on your hands, these are the top tips I recommend to try out on that patchy lawn.

1. Try overseeding

It might seem like all hope is lost when your grass suddenly turns into a bare, soil patch on your lawn, but you can reapply seed to help with regrowth. It's called overseeding and it's a method used to block out weeds, cover up bare turf, and ultimately create a lawn that is covered with even grass.

But, you may find that even when you've overseeded it, you're still experiencing patchiness. There's a few reasons for that, but nothing our next step can't try and solve.

2. Reseed if the first go didn't take

Sometimes one overseeding session isn't quite enough and that's a problem answered by Chrissie Handley, lawn care specialist at Online Turf when we spoke with her about yellow patches on lawns: "You tend to lose some seed either from the birds picking some off the ground, or through wind blowing it away, or heavy rain can also wash some away, giving you a sparse regrowth."

The answer for this? Reseed and focus on even distribution across your lawn, in case the way you're applying it by hand is too thinly spread.

3. Add a layer of topsoil

Additionally, to protect the seed, you can add a thin layer of topsoil afterwards. As Handley recommends: "This can help stop the birds from picking it off, and also helps the seed make good contact with the ground, improving your germination rate."

Consider it an extra layer of protection, prompting grass growth and hopefully leading to a less patchy lawn.

4. Try a good fertilizer

Finally, you might want to think about adding some fertilizer to your lawn. Sure, it's hard to know how often you should fertilize your lawn and when to do it, but as advice widely varies it's always a good idea to check the type of fertilizer you're using and what job you want it to do.

If you can nail down some good practice with fertilizer, as well as choosing one that's suitable for the job, you can tackle those patchy areas in no time at all. Or, so I'm trying to do myself.

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I must confess, I’ve been a bit late to the game when it comes to embracing robot lawnmowers for hands-free lawn maintenance. And given that I write about home and gardening trends for a living, this might come as a surprise.

But despite my loyalty to the power and reliability of my corded model, the constant hassle of untangling extension cords and getting to outdoor power points was starting to wear thin. Which is exactly what convinced me to finally let a robot lawn mower loose in my own yard.

Similar to robot vacuum cleaners, I thoroughly enjoyed the perks and convenience of just putting my feet up and letting a robot do all the work for me. Plus, it saved me the manual labor and the time-consuming nature of the chore.

However, there is a crucial detail I overlooked that I wished I had considered before using a robot mower. What’s more, this is a common issue that many people don’t factor in – and one of the top signs your yard may not be suitable for a robot lawn mower.

Here’s what happened when I first tried a robot lawnmower.

Check your robot mower is suitable for your lawn

One common assumption I had was that all robot lawnmowers would be ideal for every outdoor space. However, as it turns out, this is the one crucial detail I overlooked for my own uneven terrain.

Unlike standard flat yards, my lawn has a few bumps and features a noticeable dip toward the lower end.

I have to admit, I was very impressed with the precise trim and mapping performance given by my Terramow V1000 in my small-to-medium-sized yard.

In addition, the compact mower was easy to set up and connect via the app, with intuitive controls and settings.

Plus, for a novice in the world of robot mowers, these user-friendly features were a much-welcome bonus.

However, despite the razor-sharp trim, I noticed the robot lagged once it reached the more challenging slopes of my lawn and a paved path — in which case it would often get a little stuck (despite having rear-wheel drive).

While it wasn’t a dealbreaker helping it along past that point, it did make me realize that not all yards are suitable for standard domestic robot lawnmowers.

Typically, robot lawnmowers can work on all types of (mostly-flat) lawns; however, you’ll likely need a more powerful model to tackle uneven or steep inclines with ease.

“Robotic mowers can work on a wide range of lawns, but not every yard is a perfect fit,” said Kevin Caleca, NA Robotic Product Manager at Husqvarna.

“Complex layouts with disconnected sections, stairs, or very narrow passages can require more planning or specialized setups.”

In fact, my experience with the Terramow V1000 is a stark contrast to when I put the remote-operated Mowrator S1 4WD Lawnmower through its paces a couple of years ago. Although it’s not fully automated, I found it to be a mighty powerhouse for my yard. It handled my tricky hills and steep gradients effortlessly, delivering truly impressive results.

In any case, I still preferred the hands-free convenience of the Terramow any day. Plus, I liked how it was user-friendly, had smart features, and a compact size — making it easier to store away.

So, whether you’re looking to upgrade your mower or simply want your weekends to be stress-free, be sure to evaluate your lawn’s dimensions and terrain before choosing a mower with enough muscle to navigate your lawn’s challenges.

For more top tips, check out buying a robot lawnmower? 5 things to consider before you get one.

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I don’t mind mowing my backyard; it’s small, level, and is more or less a rectangle.

My front yard is another story. Despite it being half the size, it’s on a hill — about 20 degrees — and in order to get to it, I have to carry a lawnmower up several steps. So it’s been with great relish that I’ve been able to test robot lawnmowers for the past few years. It’s certainly saved me time and aggravation.

But it hasn’t all been easy. There have been plenty of issues I’ve encountered during the setup process and while using robot lawnmowers that had me wondering if I should just go back to mowing my yard myself.

Having tested several models over the past five years ranging from $1,000 to more than $2,500 (and edited reviews of several others), there’s a few pieces of advice I’ve picked up that should help you make a more informed decision when buying and using your first robot lawnmower.

Know your yard

There’s no point in getting a robot lawnmower that’s overbuilt for your yard, and in fact, may work to your detriment — and your wallet.

Find out the square footage of your yard, and then find a robot lawnmower that fits those dimensions. If you get a mega-sized lawnmower but have a postage stamp for a yard, the larger mower may actually have trouble mapping everything properly.

In fact, I was testing the $2,500 Segway Navimow X4 — which to be sure is really cool — but ironically, it couldn't effectively get to all of my small yard. Segway replaced it with the $1,399 Navimow i215 LiDAR, which may not look like something out of a science fiction movie, but costs half as much, and is actually able to mow my whole lawn. (Stay tuned for my full review.)

Yes, there are some truly impressive mega-robots, like the Yarbo, but there’s no sense spending upwards of $2,000 for a lawnmower when something half the price will do.

At the same time, you’ll also want to take into account if your yard has any steep dropoffs or angles, and look for a robot lawnmower that can handle those inclines. There’s been a couple of lawnmowers that worked perfectly well in my backyard, but struggled on the incline in the front, digging divots into the ground.

Boundary wires are so three years ago

When robot lawnmowers first arrived, you had to install a boundary wire around your yard; the lawnmower would then randomly bounce around inside the border until everything was mowed, not unlike the original robot vacuums. It was a real pain, especially when the mower would accidentally run over the wire and slice it in two.

The newest models do away with all that. Using a combination of GPS, Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) and cameras, robot lawnmowers can now accurately map your yard without that time-consuming step. Now, the bot can autonomously map your lawn, or you can just drive it around the edges.

So, look for a robot lawnmower that uses RTK; it’ll cost a little more than the older boundary wire models, but this is definitely worth the added convenience. Plus, the newer models also have more advanced features like obstacle avoidance.

They’re not set-and-forget

As smart as robot lawnmowers have become, they’re still not all that intelligent. Even if they manage to do a good job of autonomously mapping your yard, you’ll still most likely have to tweak the maps they create to ensure they’re mowing everything properly, and not running over your prized petunias.

Case in point: My front yard is bisected by a walkway with a few landings and stairs, as well as a few dropoffs on the sides. Despite me manually mapping the yard each time, almost every robot lawnmower I’ve tested will manage to take a tumble down a step or two, or manage to get itself stuck on a ledge. Fortunately, all of the robot lawnmowing apps I’ve used let you tweak the boundaries fairly easily.

You’re still going to have to do some work around the edges

Sorry to say, but a robot lawnmower isn’t going to magically eliminate all your yardwork. While they’re getting pretty good at edging, I still have to go and use my string trimmer to touch up areas around the borders, as well as the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street.

And, unless you get the aforementioned Yarbo and all its attachments, you’ll still need to rake the leaves from your yard in the fall (or you could opt to leave them in place).

Your neighbors are going to stare

While robot lawnmowers are fairly common in Europe, they’re still a novelty in the U.S., so every time my mower is out doing its rounds, passers-by almost always stop to watch it mowing. It becomes a bit of a conversation piece if I happen to be outside at the time, so it’s a good way to chat with your neighbors and get to know them better.

Do you own a robot lawnmower? If so, how long have you had it, and what sort of things have you experienced? Let me know in the comments.

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With intense heat and sparse rain, your biggest gardening dilemma right now is probably how to keep your lawn alive in a heatwave. And when your pristine, lush patch of green transforms into brittle yellow straw, your first response is most likely to panic-water it back to health.

Spotting a distressed lawn isn’t hard. Just looking at it change from a vibrant green to a blue-gray, then to yellow, before it enters dormancy to conserve water, is a clear indication that heat and lack of water have had a significant impact.

While you can always revive a scorched lawn after the damage is done, the smartest move is to take a proactive stance. Building deep drought resilience gives your grass every chance of survival before the next scorcher hits.

Here, lawn care experts share how to get your lawn prepared for another bout of heat.

Why lawns struggle during heatwaves

Firstly, it helps to understand what happens to a lawn when it’s heat-stressed. Much of its energy goes into coping with the heat, causing it to slow down and even enter dormancy. It also starts to lose water faster than it can obtain it.

But it's not over, as the energy gets directed to the roots to help them survive. Then, once the weather becomes milder, it will emerge from its dormant stage and turn green once more.

How to prepare your lawn for future heatwaves

1. Aerate

Aeration is one of the key ways to build resilience in your lawn, with Luke Taylor and Marc Kerr, founders of So & Mo, and authors of Lawns: An Uncomplicated Guide, sharing that “well-aerated lawns perform better under severe conditions of drought and waterlogging.”

So what does aeration involve, and do you need a special tool?

“Aeration is the process of creating lots of small holes, which act as channels of air all over your lawn,” explained Taylor and Kerr, adding, “It helps break down compacted soil and facilitates the penetration of water, oxygen and nutrients into the ground, which in turn increases the beneficial microbial environment and strengthens the root system,” they explain.

Aeration can be done using two methods: either using hollow tines to remove plugs of earth from the ground, or using solid tines, which push the soil down, compacting it below.

I favor using hollow tines to remove the soil, rather than compacting it further. You could try Yard Butler’s Manual Lawn Coring Aerator ($48 at Amazon), or, if you’d prefer to use a tool you already have, a garden fork will also do the job.

2. Ditch the fertilizer

Rather than adding extra nutrients to your lawn in a heatwave, Allison Koenig, lawn and garden expert at Tractor Supply, says it should be avoided.

“Fertilizer will scorch your grass in extreme heat and damage its root system. Your lawn is already trying to conserve water during a heatwave, so extra stress will only compound the damage,” Koenig explained.

Craig Elworthy, founder at Lawnbright, also advises against applying fertilizer, as it can further stress the lawn and cause disease. Instead, he recommends using a natural alternative that strengthens grass roots systems and improves drought resistance. He advises, “Consider applying liquid sea kelp or humic acid to help the lawn deal with heat stress.”

3. Get into the habit of deep watering

“It may be tempting to water your lawn for a short period each day, but these short, frequent waterings cause the grass to develop a shallow root system or lead to overwatering, which can cause disease,” explained Koenig.

And it’s this shallow root system that makes the turf vulnerable to burning out during periods of stress, such as heat and drought.

Instead, she advised, “If watering is needed in any season, prioritize long, deep, infrequent waterings. This will allow the water to get down deep into the root system, which encourages the deeper root growth needed to adequately store the nutrients and water it needs to survive high temperatures.”

The time of day you water your lawn will also affect how much water is absorbed and whether water droplets scorch and damage the grass. The best time of day is always in the early morning.

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• Why is my grass patchy after seeding? I asked the experts how to fix it

Now that summer has arrived, the scorching temperatures often take their toll on our previously lush and green grass. It’s disheartening to see unappealing yellow patches or spots on your lawn, particularly when you have gone the extra mile to seed bare spots.

In addition, you’re probably wondering why grass grows at a faster rate in some bare spots and not in others. Luckily, I’ve called on the lawn care experts to reveal why my grass is still patchy after seeding and to share tips on how to fix it.

What causes lawn to be patchy after seeding?

Essentially, overseeding is when you spread a thin layer of grass seed that matches your existing lawn type and climate zone. Experts usually suggest this method to fix bare spots, naked turf, or overrunning weeds, which are clear signs of density issues.

But why does your grass still look a little patchy even after you’ve seeded? According to experts, there could be several reasons for this — from birds swiping seeds off the ground to the breeze blowing some away.

“It’s quite common for the first go at seeding to come up slightly patchy,” adds Chrissie Handley, lawn care specialist at Online Turf. “You tend to lose some seed either from the birds picking some off the ground, or through wind blowing it away, or heavy rain can also wash some away, giving you a sparse regrowth.”

Although it’s advisable to sprinkle the seeds by hand to tackle those smaller areas, you may be spreading it too thin in certain areas — leading to patchy turf after seeding.

“Sometimes, the area can appear sparse and patchy if you’ve seeded by hand, as sometimes there will be a higher concentration of seed in certain areas, depending on the way it fell when sown,” adds Handley.

“You can simply top up these areas with additional seed once you begin to notice the sparse areas. If you do this when the seed is just beginning to germinate, you’ll have a better chance of it blending together quickly.”

How do I fix my patchy lawn?

So what can I do to fix unsightly patches? Experts advise the best solution is to reseed the affected areas, using lawn repair products or a good fertilizer.

“Proper fertilization also encourages dense turf, effectively crowding out weeds and minimizing bare patches, reducing soil erosion and promoting overall lawn stability,” states Allison Koenig, lawn and garden expert at Tractor Supply.

“Good fertilizing practice can help ensure you grow greener, healthier grass with a strong root system to combat heat, cold, drought, mowing, and foot traffic.”

For top tips, check out how often should you fertilize your lawn and when to do it.

Of course, prevention is key, and there are top tips you can do before seeding to ensure you get lush, revived grass for the summer. These include things sowing at the right time of day or adding a layer of topsoil afterwards.

“There are ways to try and counteract this with the way that you sow – always factor in extra, it’s always better to overseed to over-prepare for any that may be lost, as well as covering the seeded area,” Handley suggests.

“Add in a thin layer of topsoil afterwards. This can help stop the birds from picking it off, and also helps the seed make good contact with the ground, improving your germination rate.

“Make sure it’s a light covering of topsoil so that you’re not smothering them, and try to sow on a mild day where temperatures are forecast to be consistent for a while for a better yield. You should also keep the area consistently moist but don’t overwater — if you’re getting a lot of rain, hold off on watering.”

Typically, you should ensure your lawn gets the recommended one to two inches of water each week, but during hot, dry spells, you may need to double the duration. Additionally, watering deeply every three to four days rather than daily helps promote stronger, more drought-resistant roots.

For more top tips, check out how to tell if your lawn needs overseeding, especially if you want to maintain healthy grass all year round. Or if you just want a lush lawn, try these 11 secrets to a lawn that’s greener than your neighbor's.

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With prolonged heatwaves and fears of drought, keeping your lawn lush and green becomes increasingly difficult as warm weather and dry conditions persist.

To help you deal with extreme summer weather without destroying your turf, I asked lawn care experts how to keep your lawn alive as temperatures rise.

How to tell if your lawn is heat stressed

Before you start treating your lawn for heat stress, you need to ensure it’s the temperature and lack of water that’s causing the problem.

It changes color
“When grass undergoes drought stress, it starts to wilt and turn blue, a bluish gray, as opposed to keeping its lush green color,” says Allison Koenig, lawn and garden expert at Tractor Supply.

Craig Elworthy, founder at Lawnbright, agrees and says that detecting the grey or bluish tint is “your sign to get water on it now or it will likely begin to go dormant.”

Try the footprint test or screwdriver test
Another indication of water deficiency is the loss of resilience. “If you step on the grass and it leaves a footprint, it likely needs water,” says Koenig. “Under normal moisture conditions, the grass should spring back up instead of leaving traffic marks.”

If you’re still unsure, Koenig suggests trying the screwdriver test to check the soil’s moisture level. She says, “First, stick a screwdriver into the soil. This creates a small hole that will allow you to feel the soil about 3-4 inches down. If it’s hard to push the screwdriver in, it’s likely the soil is dry and in need of watering.”

If you haven’t got a screwdriver to hand, a soil probe or pocketknife will also do the trick.

What happens to your lawn when it’s heat-stressed?

“In a heatwave, your lawn is essentially running a marathon. It’s using all of its energy just to get through the intense heat,” says Elworthy. “This causes growth to slow down or even stop altogether.”

Roger May, PhD, director of operations support at TruGreen, adds, “During extreme temperatures, grass loses moisture faster than roots absorb it.”

When coupled with a lack of water, the lawn will enter dormancy, turning brown until both temperature and moisture conditions are more favorable.

However, grass dying from heat alone is rarer than you might think. Koenig explains that the grass is redirecting its stored resources straight to the roots to survive, and that it will “green up” when more moderate conditions return.

But unlike your grass, the weeds can still thrive, and may well be the greenest spots on your lawn. However, it isn’t necessarily the best time to treat them.

Which grass is better at coping with extreme heat?

Grasses are split into two groups — warm-season grasses and cool-season grasses. Warm-season grasses are better equipped to withstand summer heatwaves, while cool-season grasses green up more quickly after winter. Your choice of grass should depend on the climate in your region.

“Bermuda grass and zoysia stand out as top performers for heat and drought in areas where warm-season grasses thrive,” says May. “These drought-resistant grasses stay vibrant while using less water and are recommended across very different hot climates — from the Western U.S. to Texas — because they tolerate scorching heat and dry spells while recovering quickly.”

So, what makes these grass types able to deal with heat and drought? “Their root systems develop to reach beyond a foot below the surface, tapping moisture reserves that shallow-rooted varieties can’t access,” explains May.

He also adds that thicker leaf cells and waxy coatings reduce moisture loss, and that some varieties can still function when soil temperatures exceed 100°F.

Cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass, struggle in the heat. If you are planting a cool-season grass, Elworthy recommends choosing tall fescue. “The roots can extend deep, away from the sun’s harsh rays.”

What’s more, he adds that fescue requires less water and fertilizer than other grass types.

How to care for your lawn in a heatwave

When it comes to caring for your lawn in a heatwave, the best advice is less is more.

1. Raise the height of your lawnmower

“As the temperature rises, so should your lawn height,” says Koenig. “I recommend keeping cool-season grass 3 or 3.5 inches long in the summer, or up to 4 inches for tall fescue and perennial ryegrass. Warm-season grasses should be kept shorter, around 2 to 2.5 inches.”

So why should the grass be left longer in a heatwave? According to Koenig, cutting too low exposes more soil, and in the summer, this leads to more moisture loss. “If you keep your blades slightly taller, your lawn is more protected from heat stress and weeds. This small adjustment can significantly improve drought resilience,” she explains.

Top tip: Follow the one-third rule
When mowing your lawn during a heatwave, Koenig advises never to remove more than one-third of the leaf tissue or blade at a time, as it’s where the plant’s food production occurs.

2. Leave grass clippings on your lawn

Rather than removing the grass clippings to create a tidy lawn, Chrisie Handley, lawncare specialist at Online Turf, suggests leaving them in place to act as a natural mulch. “They shade the ground, reduce water loss, and deliver a natural nitrogen boost as they break down,” she says.

3. Water deeply

A light sprinkle of water isn’t going to help your lawn, as it will encourage a shallow root system, which is more likely to burn out.

Instead, Handley recommends watering deeply for an extended period of time to promote healthier, more stable root systems. “The stronger and more stable the plant, the better chance it has of surviving drought conditions in the future,” she explains.

Top tip: The best time of day to water
Your grass will also thank you for being watered in the morning, avoiding the midday heat and the subsequent evaporation before the water reaches the roots.

4. Avoid fertilizer

Although your lawn may look like it needs nutrients, applying fertilizer in a heatwave should be avoided. Koenig explains, “Fertilizer will scorch your grass in extreme heat and damage its root system. Your lawn is already trying to conserve water during a heatwave, so extra stress will only compound the damage.”

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Summer is here and it's time to get out into the garden. But if, like me, your outdoor space is perhaps looking slightly neglected and your lawn could do with a little TLC, then it's time to invest in a new lawn mower.

For this list I've pulled together a selection of high quality mowers to suit a range of budgets and preferences. There are cordless electric mowers, hand-pushed manual models, and even robot mowers that will do the job for you. I've also picked out a few associated products, including strimmers and edgers. These are the tools that will help you get your garden into shape quickly, just in time for your next party or BBQ — and at a reasonable price, too.

As the weather warms up, there's nothing more satisfying than having a lush, green lawn to enjoy — particularly when preparing for outdoor entertaining.

And while you might already have a lawn care routine that you stick to, you might be forgetting to do this one crucial step before cutting your grass. In fact, it’s a common mistake we often make when mowing our lawn, but if left unchecked, it can cause long-term damage to our mower’s blades.

What’s more, this could ruin your lush, healthy grass just as the summer begins. So if you want to ensure a greener lawn, don’t skip this one lawn mower check.

Make sure the grass is dry before cutting

While this might not seem necessary in warmer months, you should always check that your grass is dry before getting the mower out. Be it from morning dew or a summer shower, excess moisture can make all the difference to your mower blades.

This is due to the fact that damp blades of grass tend to stick or clump together, which can significantly blunt your mower's cutting edge over time. Consequently, this makes the blades work less effectively and could cause them to overheat, as they’ll need to work harder to get through the clumps — and potentially make your mower break down.

In addition, moist cuttings can build up beneath the mower deck and across your blades, which results in rusted metal components and a decline in your machine’s efficiency.

Of course, keeping your lawn mower in top condition is vital, so ensure your mower blades are sharp and avoid mowing with blunt equipment.

There are many blade sharpening tools available online; however, a metal file also works well — always follow the safety guidelines for your mower. Check out our guide on how to sharpen lawn mower blades for more info.

Uneven and lackluster grass

To make matters worse, mowing when the grass is moist can trigger various other problems that can affect your turf's health. The first is torn or unevenly cut grass, as the sheer weight of moisture forces individual grass stalks to droop, preventing them from remaining upright and resulting in an uneven, ragged finish across your turf.

Another issue is the breeding of fungus and other diseases, as they thrive in the damp conditions of these rough cuts — causing damage to soil.

It’s worth noting that while cutting lightly damp grass on a single occasion probably won’t lead to long-term problems, it’s still best to avoid it as much as possible.

Just be sure to avoid these 7 lawnmower mistakes you’re probably making right now.

When is the best time to mow your lawn?

Gardening experts suggest that the ideal time to mow is mid-morning (by 10 am), as your lawn has had sufficient time to dry. In addition, allowing your turf enough time to dry and mowing by this time ensures your lawn has the full day to heal from the cut.

Alternatively, if you can’t get round to mid-morning, late afternoon (between 4-6 pm) is the second-best time of day to mow your lawn. This is when the sun is not at its peak, and there is no risk of the heat scorching the lawn. Also, mowing at this hour additionally provides your grass with ample time to heal before nightfall.

For more top tips on getting a greener lawn, check out these 11 secrets to a lawn that’s greener than your neighbor's.

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Mowing my yard is one chore I never look forward to. Well, at least not as I get older. I used to love mowing the grass for the workout, but now it does nothing but trigger my allergies.

I've experimented with robot lawnmowers in the past. I've paid $175 a month — even during the winter, when they weren't in use — to rent a couple of Husqvarna mowers from a landscaping company. Eventually, I realized it wasn't a wise investment, so I canceled the contract. Later on, I tested the EcoFlow Blade for a while, but its wheels loved to dig holes in my yard with each and every turn, so eventually I stopped using it.

For the last month, I've been testing the Sunseeker S4, a robot lawnmower that leverages AI and LiDAR for mapping and navigation. I don't want to spoil the review, but I'm smitten.

Sunseeker S4 review: Price and availability

The Sunseeker S4 is currently available directly from Sunseeker with a regular price of $1,799 but a sale price of $1,299, but Amazon has it on sale right now for just $984. That includes the robot lawnmower, a docking station, extra blades, and a cleaning brush for the LiDAR sensor.

If you're reading this and the S4 has returned to its normal price, I'd wait for a sale.

Sunseeker S4 review: Design

The S4 doesn't break the mold when it comes to the robot lawnmower's overall design. It's compact, measuring 25.12 x 16.61 x 10.79 inches, and weighs 26 pounds. In the event the robot gets stuck somewhere and you need to lift it, there's a handle built into the rear of the housing that makes it a breeze to pick up.

On the front of the S4 is a monocular camera with a 360-degree LiDAR sensor on top. It's tucked into a bumper that slightly moves in when the lawnmower presses against a hard object, The sensor is easy to spot due to its black bubble-like housing.

Behind the LiDAR bubble is a flip-up cover that hides an LCD display and a few buttons you can use to interact with the S4 — although I rarely had a need to do so — and a manual dial you use to adjust the cutting height, which ranges from 1.6 to 3.2 inches. There's a giant red STOP button that you can press to immediately stop the S4 in case of an emergency.

Underneath the stop button is the handle I previously mentioned. The S4 is rear-wheel driven with two trolley wheels that spin and move wherever the two rear wheels push the robot. Sunseeker's specs put the max gradient at 22 degrees — a stat that didn't apply to my mostly flat backyard. However, there's a slight slope to my front yard (I've never measured it), but the S4 didn't have any issues with slipping, even if the grass was wet.

When you flip the S4 over, you'll see six blades attached to a disc. It always amazes me when I test a robot lawnmower how small the blades are; they often look like razor blades you'd find in a box cutter.

Sunseeker S4 review: Installation and mapping

Setting up the S4 was a breeze. You'll first need to decide where you want to — and can — install the charging station. It measures 30 x 19 x 14.5 inches and can be placed at the edge of your yard, or even outside of it if you'd rather. You'll need a weatherproof electrical outlet nearby.

I already had a section of my yard that'd been killed by previous robot lawnmower docks, so it was an easy choice for me. I swapped out the old broken station and replaced it with the Sunseeker S4 in about 10 minutes. After sliding the S4 into the charging station, I created an account in the Sunseeker app, connected the S4 to my account and waited for the battery to fully charge.

The app walked me through the initial mapping of my yard, which required me to drive the S4 to a starting point along the edge of my grass. At that point, I could either continue to use my phone as a Bluetooth remote control and manually map my yard, or I could let the S4 automatically roam around the edge and create a map on its own. I stood by, ready to take over if needed, but the S4 slowly and judiciously creeped along the edge of my grass.

The S4 is the first robot lawnmower I've used that maps on its own, and I was impressed. There were a few areas I had to go back and manually drive the S4 over, adding to the existing map, but it was a much easier and streamlined process than I'd experienced with the EcoFlow Blade.

After mapping my backyard, I created a second zone, consisting of my front yard and let the S4 work its magic with mapping. There are a couple of trees in that yard, along with more corners and angled sections — unlike my backyard that has three flat edges. The S4 needed a little more help with correcting the front yard's map, but overall the process was simple.

So simple, in fact, I deleted both maps in the app and went through the process multiple times with similar results. You can save maps in the Sunseeker app and easily switch between them, which is also a nice touch.

My favorite part of mapping my yard, however, wasn't how easy it was, but instead it was the 3D map the LiDAR sensor created that I could view in the app.

It's one thing to read that a device has LiDAR and assume it'll help with object identification, navigation and mapping — but it's another to actually see what the S4 sees, down to the batting cage in the back corner of my yard along with the power and cable lines that run above my yard.

As far as object detection and avoidance goes, the S4 routinely routed itself around objects as big as my English Bulldog who walks in front of it daily, or as small as a Wiffle ball my kids leave in the yard. I didn’t expect it to see the latter at all and run it over instead, but once it gets within a few inches, it stops, slightly turns and goes around it.

Sunseeker S4 review: Performance

With two zones created, I used the Sunseeker app to create a path between them. I then set a schedule for Zone 1, the backyard, to be mowed Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. There's a gate between my yards, so I couldn't set a schedule for Zone 2 as I have to manually open and close the gate when the robot needs to get through.

According to the Sunseeker app, Zone 1 is 3,184.96 square feet and Zone 2 is 2,690 square feet, for a total of 5,874.96 square feet between the two.

The initial pass over my backyard with grass — which was longer than I'd like to admit — required a couple of trips to the charging station. The S4 ran for around 90 minutes each time, and then took a couple of hours to charge before heading back out to complete the task.

The same can be said about mowing the front yard, which I asked it to do the following day. That process was tedious, only because I had to monitor the battery status in the app to let the S4 into the backyard so it could charge, and then let it back out once the battery was full. In total, it was two trips back and forth.

However, after that initial cut, the S4's cut time has dropped significantly. The backyard does require a return trip to charge for a little over an hour, then it heads back out for 20 minutes to finish the job. In total, it takes just under 2 hours of cutting time to mow the backyard — or just over 3 hours if you include charging time.

If I'm paying attention, I can catch it right after it finishes the backyard and manually redirect it to the front yard. From there, it tackles the rest of the lawn and returns to the dock on its own, completely finished in roughly an hour and forty-five minutes.

As for how good of a job it does at cutting grass, for the first few sessions it'd leave little rows of grass between each pass with the default cutting direction setting. However, after switching the cutting direction to traceless, which means each time the S4 cuts it changes direction, those missed rows have disappeared. If you’d prefer to have patterns cut in your yard, you can set the S4 to create items like a heart, a trophy, a star, or a soccer ball. It can also cut a pattern to represent numbers.

My lone complaint about the cutting performance of the S4 can be said about any of the robot lawnmowers I've owned — none of them can cut the edge of the yard. For the S4, it has a cutting width of 7 inches, but there's 4.3 inches between the edge of the lawnmower's housing and the blades. So, no matter how close you get the map to the edge of your grass, there's always going to be a small section of grass it just can't cut.

It's a fair trade, I guess. Instead of having to bribe my son to mow the yard maybe once every two weeks, my yards are mowed multiple times a week.

Sunseeker S4 review: Storage & maintenance

The S4's charging station serves as the main storage area for the robot when not in use. Along with charging it, there's an overhang to protect the top of the S4, complete with a brush to keep the LiDAR bubble clean. If you want more protection, Sunseeker sells a Sunproof Garage that extends the protection to the entire lawnmower.

During the winter months — and for that matter if you're expecting a lot of rain — I'd recommend removing the S4 from the dock and moving it indoors. During my testing, I had a rainstorm come through that dumped two inches of rain on us in an hour. It took me a couple of days to notice the S4 hadn't run on its set schedule, and upon further inspection I realized it wasn't even turning on.

I turned it upside down, removed the battery and let it dry out for a day, after which it came back to life. I have no idea how high the water got in my yard, but I do know there was standing water most of the night.

It's a good reminder that even though the S4 has an IPX6 waterproof rating, it's still susceptible to the elements.

As for routine maintenance on the S4, the Sunseeker app has a device maintenance menu that tracks when you should replace the blades (after 120 hours of use) and when you should wash the cutting disc (after 60 hours of use).

Otherwise, keeping the front camera and the LiDAR bubble clean are the only things you need to worry about.

Sunseeker S4 review: Verdict

This was my first time using a Sunseeker robot lawnmower, and it did not disappoint. My yard hasn't consistently looked this good in years. The Sunseeker S4 was easy to set up, forgoing the need to install a dedicated GPS antenna like the EcoFlow Blade, or bury a guide wire like previous Husqvarna mowers I've used.

Battery life is good enough for its 0.25-acre limit, and after fine-tuning the settings you'll get a clean cut every time.

Well, except for the edges. Make sure to keep a trimmer handy.

As summer arrives, there’s something satisfying about getting the lawnmower out for a weekly cut. I find the familiar hum of the mowers across my neighborhood almost comforting and a signal that summer gardening season is in full swing.

The smell of freshly mown grass is a scent we associate with summer, but the question for gardeners is, do you leave your clippings on your lawn or remove them after each cut?

With the help of a lawn care expert, I look at what you should do with your lawn clippings and why.

The lawn clipping debate: Ditch or leave?

I remember my dad painfully raking up every last lawn clipping each time his mower made an appearance, but he could have saved himself the time and effort by leaving the clippings where they lay. Because left in situ, they become the ultimate fertilizer.

If your lawn is small, removing the clippings doesn’t require much effort, but for those with a large lawn, it’s more exhausting, especially in the summer heat. Luckily, the good news is you don’t need to rake up your clippings to have the perfect lawn, because there’s a benefit to leaving them be.

Why you shouldn't ditch your lawn clippings

If your lawn clippings are short and dry, there’s an advantage to leaving them on your lawn, as they act as a mulch. Marc Kerr, co-founder with Luke Taylor, at So & Mo, explains, “Mulching involves leaving finely chopped clippings on the lawn to decompose naturally. This acts as a natural fertilizer, returning essential nutrients like nitrogen to the soil and helping to retain moisture.”

Apart from helping your lawn, it has other benefits too. “Mulching saves time and effort, as you won’t need to stop mowing to empty a bag or worry about disposal. It’s also eco-friendly, keeping organic material on site and reducing waste,” Kerr adds.

It won’t look so neat

The only downside is that the clippings won’t create a perfectly manicured lawn, and, under certain conditions, they can harm your lawn. “Mulching may not provide the pristine look collecting clippings does, and if the grass is wet or too long, clippings can clump together, potentially smothering the grass beneath,” says Kerr.

Just as there’s a perfect time to water your lawn, Kerr has clear guidance on how to use clippings. “Mulching is most effective when mowing is done regularly and you keep the grass at an ideal length, so when you mow, there isn’t much waste.”

How to decide which path to take?

Whether you leave your grass clippings or clear them up depends on your priorities. Kerr explains, “If you’re seeking a tidy, weed-free appearance or have a composting system in place, collecting clippings might be your best bet. If you prefer a low-maintenance, sustainable approach that boosts your lawn’s health, mulch is the better option.”

When to remove grass clippings from your lawn

Weeds are common in all gardens, especially dandelions, crabgrass and bindweed. However, using the clippings as a mulch where weeds are prominent will spread the seeds and make the situation worse.

In this scenario, Kerr says boxing and disposing of the clippings is best. The same applies if your lawn is long, as you may not be able to see the hidden weeds beneath the tall grass.

The low-maintenance alternative

Of course, you don’t have to spend your weekends pushing a heavy mower to keep your lawn tidy. A robot lawnmower will take over the chore, giving you time to sit back and enjoy your yard. Although if you’re like me, you’ll find another job to do!

The benefits go beyond just saving effort. Instead of going for a weekly chop, a robot lawnmower will cut your lawn between 3 and 4 times a week. And rather than removing long blades, a robot mower will cut a fraction during each sweep, leaving the minute clippings behind to act as a fertilizer for a healthy lawn.

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• Don't make a costly mistake: 7 signs your yard isn’t suitable for a robot lawnmower

Dull mower blades are the most overlooked cause of an unhealthy lawn. Instead of cutting grass cleanly, dull blades tear and shred grass blades, leaving ragged edges that turn brown, invite disease, and stress roots.

Sharp mower blades can make all the difference between a pristine lawn and a damaged one. Sharpening your lawn mower blades takes about 30 minutes, requires no professional help, and saves you money on premature blade replacements.

Whether you're using a metal file or an angle grinder, this step-by-step guide covers exactly how to sharpen your mower blade safely, at the right angle, and correctly balanced, so your grass stays healthy all season long.

How often should I sharpen my lawn mower blade? 

Sharpen your lawn mower blades after every 25 hours of mowing, which is roughly twice per season for regular users.

Beyond the schedule, torn or ragged grass edges after cutting, a lawn that yellows a day or two after mowing, or visible nicks on the blade are all signs it needs attention sooner. Hitting a rock, stick, or hard object while mowing warrants an immediate inspection too.

Always sharpen before storing your mower for winter. It prevents corrosion and means the mower is ready to go the moment spring arrives.

Not every dull blade is worth sharpening. Cracks or fractures anywhere on the blade, a severe bend that sharpening won't correct, or metal worn so thin from repeated sharpening that it won't hold an edge — these are all signs replacement is the right move.

Once you've sharpened your mower blades and mown your lawn, it’s worth leaving the grass clippings on your lawn. They’ll act as a natural mulch and fertilizer.

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For years — nay, decades — I've spent most weekends standing on my lawn, yanking on my mower's pull cord like I was trying to wrestle a chainsaw into submission. It was exhausting. Eventually, I just snapped — I could no longer abide the oil leaks, the spluttering, the stopping for no reason and refusing to start up again. It seriously felt like the machine was personally offended by doing the one thing that justifies its existence. I'm talking years and years of constant maintenance for very little reward.

So, yeah. I ditched it. Hasta la vista, you piece of junk.

I decided to go electric, and now I'm kicking myself for waiting this long. The very first time I held down the start button and pulled the bail bar, there was just a quiet whirr. No fumes. No failed starts. It simply worked. Within seconds, I was gliding across the lawn with very little effort (largely due to my model being self-propelled). And when I was done, I could go back inside without smelling like a servo forecourt.

Mowing feels like less of a chore

To me, the change feels less like a simple upgrade and more like breaking free from a toxic relationship. Sure, my front and back yards haven't changed, but the chore itself? Suddenly, it’s completely effortless.

The biggest change was no longer dealing with oil or petrol. The Ryobi model I bought came with a 36V 6.0Ah rechargeable lithium battery, and all I have to do is slot it into place and the lawn mower is ready to go.

On a full charge, that battery gives me about 35 minutes of mowing in Smart mode, though switching to Eco mode can stretch that time. There’s also a Power mode for tackling really dense or tall grass, but it drains the battery faster. Honestly, I haven’t come across any grass that Smart mode couldn’t handle with ease.

Swapping petrol power for batteries

I also have an extra 4.0Ah battery that came with the matching Ryobi line trimmer I bought at the same time, and it fits perfectly into the second battery slot on my mower, adding about 25 more minutes of runtime. Even if you don’t go for an electric line trimmer or edger (or both, like my model with its switchable heads), I still strongly suggest having a second battery.

The only prep needed is making sure the batteries are fully charged before mowing, and that's honestly the only downside I've come across in the switch to a battery-powered mower. Each battery takes roughly twice the time to charge as it does to use, which works out to around 70 minutes for the 6.0Ah battery and 50 minutes for the 4.0Ah battery.

Personally, I’d much prefer that to having to stop several times during a mowing session to refill my previous mower’s four-stroke engine with petrol, or worse, stopping to mix precise amounts of oil into a separate petrol can before fueling up the old two-stroke mower I had prior.

Managing battery usage

Of course, long charging times is only really an issue if you have particularly large front and back yards. Mine are fairly spacious, and I’ve noticed I can finish mowing the larger front yard — being on a corner, I have quite a bit of street-facing grass along the side of the house — with at least one light still showing on my 6.0Ah battery’s four-light indicator. The same goes for my medium-sized backyard when using the 4.0Ah battery.

The key is to start charging your depleted battery right after switching to a fully charged one if you plan to keep mowing. By the time the second battery runs out, the first should have a decent charge again. There's also the option of purchasing additional batteries, though I don't think that will be necessary for the average Aussie household.

Still, these runtimes are all specific to my mower and its batteries. There are many battery-powered mowers available, some of which may even be better suited to your lawn's layout and size. Here are some of the top models available on Amazon right now, listed by price. Simply click through to any model to read more about its capabilities.

Top electric mowers on Amazon

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