Turf experts are advising avoid watering established lawns during the heatwave.
The Turfgrass Growers Association, whose members produce more than 70% of the turf grown in the British Isles, say that during hot weather, the watering of established lawns is, in most situations, wasteful and unnecessary.
“Our message is not to worry if your lawn goes brown during the summer”, says Chief Executive, Stacie Rae. “Going brown is the natural survival mechanism of grass. When water is in short supply grass responds by shutting down.
“The brown colour shows that it has stopped growing until more favourable conditions return. Grass is remarkably resilient, and so long as you follow a few basic rules, most lawns will recover completely when the rain finally arrives.”
Tips for looking after established and newly-laid lawns during the summer are available at www.turfgrass.co.uk
Top tips include:
Increase your mowing height to 35-40mm – this creates deeper roots and more shade and shelter from higher temperatures Try not to concentrate wear in one place – move barbeques and toys like slides around No need to feed as grass will not be growing during hot, dry weather Avoid blanket weedkillers as these may damage the grass – use a spot weedkiller if necessary Keep mower blades sharp as blunt blades bruise the grass leaf and it loses more water Apply a light dressing of compost to help keep moisture in the soil and protect the grass from higher temperatures Scarify your lawn once a year to remove matted and dead growth – if allowed to build up this acts as a barrier to rainfall.
