Grass Clippings - Lawn Advice From a Team of Lawn and Turf Experts

Is it really May? Feels like Winter out there

It still feels like winter out there and we have not yet seen the spring burst of grass growth.  April was the third coldest April in almost 140 years, the Met Office has said, and had the lowest average minimum temperature since 1922.

April was also the frostiest and driest on record. The Met Office said just 4.7mm of rainfall had fallen in England since the start of the month. The driest on record is 1938, when there was just 6.7mm of rain.  We have now had some decent rain to help lift the lawns out of the winbter doldrums.

The Solution to Worm Casts on Lawns

There are a lot of lawns being ruined by worm casts with recent rainfall, with multi sticky mounds of soil coming through the lawn.

Earthworm infestations can be massive, with many thousands per every 100 square metres.

It is not the worms that are directly the problem, but their castings on your lawn. 

There are a lot of lawns being ruined by worm casts with recent rainfall, with multi sticky mounds of soil coming through the lawn.

Earthworm infestations can be massive, with many thousands per every 100 square metres.

It is not the worms that are directly the problem, but their castings on your lawn. 

Earthworm Casts on Artificial Lawns

If you have an artificial lawn in your garden, do not be surprised if you get some Earthworm casts on the surface of the grass or around the brick edges.

We have received a lot of calls from worried lawn owners on the same subject and some are blaming their artificial lawn installer for the problem stating that Earthworms should not be able to break their way through the grass underlay or fibre. How incorrect they are.

Deterring Earthworms from setting their casts on your lawn

As the soil air to water ratio changes in the more traditional autumn months, you will notice an increase in lawn earthworm soil cast activity.  In the USA, they call earthworms them Night Crawlers.

The wetter the autumn or winter, the greater the earthworm activity will be. The root zone of the lawn will become spongy as the worms undermine the upper surface and mowing will become difficult, especially with a cylinder mower. The use of the lawn will diminish as a result of the difficult surface conditions.

Pesticide Training at Home

Who better to train you in the safe use of pesticides than an organisation that is doing what you will be trained to do, each day of the year?

Pesticide training courses are a bit rare under Covid restrictions so why not learn the subject matter in the safety of your home?

Weed Free are able to provide formal training and assessments for Food and Environment Protection Act Certificates of Competence in the Safe use of Pesticides. Each year, we train many Greenkeepers and Sports Turf Managers and Local Authority Staff.

Who better to train you in the safe use of pesticides than an organisation that is doing what you will be trained to do, each day of the year?

Pesticide training courses are a bit rare under Covid restrictions so why not learn the subject matter in the safety of your home?

Weed Free are able to provide formal training and assessments for Food and Environment Protection Act Certificates of Competence in the Safe use of Pesticides. Each year, we train many Greenkeepers and Sports Turf Managers and Local Authority Staff.

Who better to train you in the safe use of pesticides than an organisation that is doing what you will be trained to do, each day of the year?

Pesticide training courses are a bit rare under Covid restrictions so why not learn the subject matter in the safety of your home?

Weed Free are able to provide formal training and assessments for Food and Environment Protection Act Certificates of Competence in the Safe use of Pesticides. Each year, we train many Greenkeepers and Sports Turf Managers and Local Authority Staff.

Who better to train you in the safe use of pesticides than an organisation that is doing what you will be trained to do, each day of the year?

Pesticide training courses are a bit rare under Covid restrictions so why not learn the subject matter in the safety of your home?

Weed Free are able to provide formal training and assessments for Food and Environment Protection Act Certificates of Competence in the Safe use of Pesticides. Each year, we train many Greenkeepers and Sports Turf Managers and Local Authority Staff.

Who better to train you in the safe use of pesticides than an organisation that is doing what you will be trained to do, each day of the year?

Pesticide training courses are a bit rare under Covid restrictions so why not learn the subject matter in the safety of your home?

Weed Free are able to provide formal training and assessments for Food and Environment Protection Act Certificates of Competence in the Safe use of Pesticides. Each year, we train many Greenkeepers and Sports Turf Managers and Local Authority Staff.

Who better to train you in the safe use of pesticides than an organisation that is doing what you will be trained to do, each day of the year?

Pesticide training courses are a bit rare under Covid restrictions so why not learn the subject matter in the safety of your home?

Weed Free are able to provide formal training and assessments for Food and Environment Protection Act Certificates of Competence in the Safe use of Pesticides. Each year, we train many Greenkeepers and Sports Turf Managers and Local Authority Staff.

The Solution to Lawn Worm Casts

CastClear is the solution to lawn worm casts.  It's a lawn soil cast suppressant and a deterrent.  It's proven control on both lawns and sports turf.

Which? Gardening Trials Team trialled it and gave it the thumbs up.

It is unique in using a surfactant system that moves the nutrient into the upper soil structure and fixes it there providing good persistence of deterrent effect until breaking down to natural nutrients absorbed by plant roots.

Controlling an Attack of Rust Disease on your Lawn

We are now in the late summer into the autumn months and that time of year when you go outside and shrug your shoulders at the dropping night time temperatures.

Not suggesting that the summer is over as the weather might be unseasonably warmer this weekend after a lot of rain.  The last time I thought about treating Rust was on my old Mini Metro that was rather prone to it on the front panels - well it was almost a 100 rust bucket to be honest!  Glad to see that car construction has moved on a bit since the early 80's.

Not suggesting that the summer is over as the weather might be unseasonably warmer this weekend after a lot of rain.  The last time I thought about treating Rust was on my old Mini Metro that was rather prone to it on the front panels - well it was almost a 100 rust bucket to be honest!  Glad to see that car construction has moved on a bit since the early 80's.

October Lawn Care Advice

With an Indian summer and warm temperatures in September, October has started with a crash with colder weather and rain.  

Storm Alex and another low-pressure system will buffet parts of the UK with strong winds and heavy showers over the next three days, bringing the possibility of localised flooding and travel disruptions reports Rory Sullivan in the Independent Newspaper today.

Forecasters have said that parts of the English south coast could see winds of up to 65mph and could experience flooding by the end of Sunday.

Controlling Leatherjacket Larvae

We are all aware of "Daddy Long Legs" flying around in the late summer months, being chased by the cat and dog with children finding fun pulling the legs off the fly like insects!

What you may not be aware of is the devastating effect the larvae of the insects can have - literally stripping a lawn bare! Do not under estimate them!

What are they?

Leatherjackets are the Larvae of the Crane Fly or Daddy Long Legs, as they are more commonly known. The fully grown Larvae are typically up to 4 cm in length.

What you may not be aware of is the devastating effect the larvae of the insects can have - literally stripping a lawn bare! Do not under estimate them!

What are they?

Leatherjackets are the Larvae of the Crane Fly or Daddy Long Legs, as they are more commonly known. The fully grown Larvae are typically up to 4 cm in length.

To Autumn by John Keats as we celebrate the Autumn Equinox

When leaves begin to fall, temperatures drop and days become shorter, it can only mean autumn is on its way. No matter how hot the summer has been, the next season of the year is fast approaching, with home comforts, bronzed woodland hues and a pumpkin or two. 

For many, autumn is enjoyable because of its festivals and the sense that "life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall", if you're of the same opinion as F. Scott Fitzgerald. 

According to the astronomical calendar, the seasonal transition occurs on September 22 (today), the date of the Autumn equinox. However under the meteorological definition, which is based on the Gregorian calendar, autumn began on September 1.

Here is everything you need to know about the changing seasons, from how the equinox works to what you can look forward to over the next few months.

Read more about the Autumn Equinox

Ig Nobel Awards Celebrates 30 Years of the Lighter Side of Science involving Earthworms

Since 1991, the Ig Nobel Awards have been celebrated to award ten unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research that "first make people laugh, and then make them think." The award is a parody of the Nobel Prize and the word ignoble.

This year is the 30th year that showcases the lighter side of science but in quarantine style due to the restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the global crisis, it seems there is no shortage of amusing people, from the alligators made to bellow in helium chambers to drunken earthworms that vibrate on speakers. These all seemingly odd experiments have caught the eye of the Judges.

Dakota Gardener: Earthworms and gardens

Gardening lessons are always a highlight of my summer programs writes Carrie Knutson, NDSU Extension Agent, Grand Forks County, USA.

This year when I asked the gardeners what they wanted to learn about for their last lesson, worms were the undisputed winner. Earthworms are a beneficial garden creature that many of us take for granted.

We have thousands of different types of earthworms. The scientific classification could be and probably is a college course. Earthworms belong to the animal kingdom and phylum Annelid. To prevent information overload, I will stop there with earthworm scientific classification.

Casting Worm Aside on Lawns this September

For several decades, lawns both small and large have been plagued by worm casts. The worms do a splendid job in the soil just beneath the grass plant crown, but it's their soil cast deposits that pose a real problem for lawn owners.

With the recent wet August, the earthworms are having a field day!

The domestic lawn is set to become a sanctuary for casting worms this spring. The record volume of rainfall this winter coupled with mild temperatures is the ideal scenario for this to become a reality. Although the ideal time for worm cast control is early September, the use of CastClear® can help alleviate worm deposits now!

For several decades, lawns both small and large have been plagued by worm casts. The worms do a splendid job in the soil just beneath the grass plant crown, but it's their soil cast deposits that pose a real problem for lawn owners.

With the recent wet August, the earthworms are having a field day!

The domestic lawn is set to become a sanctuary for casting worms this spring. The record volume of rainfall this winter coupled with mild temperatures is the ideal scenario for this to become a reality. Although the ideal time for worm cast control is early September, the use of CastClear® can help alleviate worm deposits now!

For several decades, lawns both small and large have been plagued by worm casts. The worms do a splendid job in the soil just beneath the grass plant crown, but it's their soil cast deposits that pose a real problem for lawn owners.

With the recent wet August, the earthworms are having a field day!

The domestic lawn is set to become a sanctuary for casting worms this spring. The record volume of rainfall this winter coupled with mild temperatures is the ideal scenario for this to become a reality. Although the ideal time for worm cast control is early September, the use of CastClear® can help alleviate worm deposits now!

Rain heralds arrival of Worm Casts

After any rain received, the Earthworms will be sending their annoying little soil casts up onto the surface of your lawns as the root zone gets a little soggy for them to move about in.

The more rain we get = the more worm casts as the soil water to air ratio reduces to favour the rain. Earthworms need to breathe and thus clean their burrows.

CastClear is the solution to lawn worm casts as the worms do not like the taste of this barrier product when applied to the lawn and are encouraged to stay deeper in the soil profile and not cast on the surface. Repeat after 20 days at 1/3rd the initial dose rate. The worms are unharmed by this nutrient based product.

You can get some online from The Lawn Shop & Amazon

Ten Interesting Facts about Earthworms

Are Earthworms a Garden's Friend of Foe? That depends.  Here are 10 things you may want to know about earthworms:

1. Earthworms come in a seemly infinite variety—around 6,000 species worldwide.

One of the most familiar of them, the sort you may see in your garden, is commonly known as the night crawler (it typically surfaces after dark), the angleworm (its makes popular bait for fishing) or the rain worm (it leaves waterlogged soil after storms).

2. Of the more than 180 earthworm species found in the U.S. and Canada, 60 are invasive species, brought over from the Old World, including the night crawler.

3. Lacking lungs or other specialized respiratory organs, earthworms breathe through their skin.

Are Earthworms a Garden's Friend of Foe? That depends.  Here are 10 things you may want to know about earthworms:

1. Earthworms come in a seemly infinite variety—around 6,000 species worldwide.

One of the most familiar of them, the sort you may see in your garden, is commonly known as the night crawler (it typically surfaces after dark), the angleworm (its makes popular bait for fishing) or the rain worm (it leaves waterlogged soil after storms).

2. Of the more than 180 earthworm species found in the U.S. and Canada, 60 are invasive species, brought over from the Old World, including the night crawler.

3. Lacking lungs or other specialized respiratory organs, earthworms breathe through their skin.