Why Sevenoaks lawns need specific care

Sevenoaks lawns sit on a tricky bit of geology — the chalk and clay border of the North Downs. Lawns south of town and around TN13 often drain well over chalk, but quickly run out of moisture and nutrients in summer. Lawns north toward Otford and Kemsing tend to sit on heavier clay that holds water through winter and bakes hard in July.

Both bring their own problems, and both need different treatment programmes. We diagnose first, treat second.The Sevenoaks growing season starts later than nearby Orpington — frost into April most years, and a slower spring start than the milder London suburbs. That changes when feeding works and when it just leaches away. Spring feed applied too early is money down the drain. We don't start treatments until soil temperatures are right, which the RHS recommends as around 6°C for most products to take effect.The microclimate around Knole, Sevenoaks Weald, and the Vine area is drier than the rest of town. Lawns here suffer more in summer drought, and irrigation isn't always the answer — often the issue is shallow root systems caused by mowing too short. Aeration and overseeding with deeper-rooting grass varieties usually fixes it long-term, where watering only treats the symptom.

Like the rest of West Kent, Sevenoaks gardens see leatherjackets and chafer grubs more often than people realise. Yellow patches that don't recover, soft turf, and increased bird activity (especially crows and magpies pulling at the lawn) are the giveaway signs. We can identify and treat both during regular visits — but the longer they're left, the harder the recovery.