Whilst there's a lot to love about the increasingly hot British summers, there's no denying that the baking sun can be a risk to your lawn. With that in mind, we've put together this guide on how to keep your lawn in tip-top condition when the sun's at its hottest.
Don't over cut
One of the primary mistakes a lot of gardeners make in the summer is cutting their lawn too short when
landscaping. While a shorter lawn can look great, taking too much off the top can cut down how much energy the grass is able to produce, and can lead to it producing weaker roots. As a result, it can end up looking much worse. So, how much should you actually cut off? Well, that brings us onto the next point...
Don't go over a third
A good hard-and-fast rule to stick to with lawns is to never cut off more than one-third of it at any one time. Because you're removing less plant tissue by doing this, the lawn will stay cool, which is obviously a huge benefit when the sun's blazing down on it. Always set your blade higher when it's sunny, and you'll see the benefits.
Don't overdo the water
For obvious reasons, it can be tempting to pour as much water as possible on your
lawn during the hotter spells. It stands to reason, right? Well, you might be surprised. Turf grass tends to respond better when it's a bit dryer, because soil that's too wet can actually end up depriving the grass roots of oxygen, and can even make the lawn susceptible to some diseases. A good attitude to this is the 'deep but infrequent' approach. Water until the entire root zone is wet, but then don't give the lawn another drink until it's started to actually look dry. Definitely don't water it daily.
Keep the mower in the shed
If you're in the middle of potentially drought-causing weather, avoid mowing. If the lawn's already under stress, it won't respond well to having a trim. You'll always get one or two showers during a hot UK summer, so save your mowing for after the rainfall. Though, obviously, wait until the grass has dried out. If you don't, you'll end up with clumping.
Get in touch
If you're interested in improving your lawn or simply having your first lawn laid,
contact London Lawn Turf today. We're specialists in creating lawns stunning enough to make all the neighbours jealous.
