Keeping your lawn lush and healthy during the colder months is crucial, especially as autumn sets in.
With a chillier season underway, one of the top tips for healthier grass is to apply fertiliser to bolster its roots for a nutrient-rich survival through winter.
With October officially under way, it’s key to nurture lawns with fertilisation to ensure they can soak up the vital sustenance needed to endure the upcoming harsh weather conditions, the Express reports.
Gardening guru Kellie from the Sustainable Living Association has recommended a thrifty tip to enrich your lawn naturally – using Epsom salts.
She revealed: “Have you heard that Epsom salts are some of the best DIY autumn lawn fertilisers? They contain sulfur and magnesium, both of which are compounds that grass and many other plants favour.”
Commonly found in bath soaks to ease stress and naturally exfoliating skin care routines, Epsom salts also shine as a garden staple, offering a boost of magnesium and sulfur nutrients critical for robust plant growth.
Kellie extolled the virtues of this home remedy, adding: “These are some of the many benefits of using Epsom salts as best lawn fertiliser and it’s no wonder people have been using these salts for many years.”
Why use Epsom salts on your lawn?
Magnesium plays an indispensable role in photosynthesis and energy storage enhancement, simultaneously improving a plant’s nutrient absorption to secure its vitality throughout winter.
A deficiency in magnesium can result in your grass turning yellow, becoming patchy, and thinning out. However, Epsom salts are a swift solution to rectify any nutrient deficiencies in the soil, ensuring your lawn remains healthy even as temperatures drop.
Feeding your lawn with magnesium prior to winter reduces the likelihood of cold damage and ensures sufficient energy is stored for the production of thicker grass come springtime.
How to apply Epsom salts to your lawn in autumn
An easy method to create a homemade fertiliser involves adding one tablespoon of Epsom salts to a container filled with a gallon of water. You then simply distribute this solution evenly across your lawn.
The optimal time to apply Epsom salts is when the grass is still actively growing, ideally in early October. This gives your lawn ample time to absorb nutrients before winter sets in.
In autumn, a single application of Epsom salt is typically sufficient to maintain a healthy lawn. There’s no benefit in fertilising the grass once the first frost has set in.
Once temperatures fall to a certain level, grass enters a dormant state and fertilisers become ineffective as the lawn is unable to actively absorb nutrients.
However, if your lawn is showing signs of yellowing or patchiness following a severe summer, a second application of the homemade solution can be made in late October or early November, four weeks after the initial dose.
Taking the time to nourish your lawn appropriately now will help it remain robust throughout winter, resulting in a much lusher, greener and thicker grass during the next growing period in 2025.
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