Overview

• Specialists advise dethatching, aerating compacted areas, overseeding bare patches and top‑dressing to restore turf health after summer stress.
• Apply an autumn‑specific feed with low nitrogen and higher potassium and phosphorus to build roots without forcing soft top growth.
• Keep mowing while grass is growing, raise the cutting height, follow the one‑third rule, and avoid mowing in wet or frosty conditions.
• A practical stop‑mowing guide is when average daytime temperatures fall below about 10°C, with city guidance pointing to last cuts from mid to late October in northern areas and late October to mid November further south.
• Experts describe September as a ‘most forgiving’ wet reset for seeding and recovery, and warn that neglecting autumn treatments—especially a final feed—is the biggest mistake.