The summer months are brilliant for so many reasons, mainly down to the potential for good weather. And over the past few weeks we’ve been seeing plenty of it – with another heatwave on the horizon for certain parts of the UK.
However, the scorching sun can wreak havoc on our gardens. Lawns are especially prone to getting damaged, as they’re one of the most exposed parts of the garden. But one expert says you can help to prevent wilting and browning this month by carrying out one very important task.
Landscaping expert at Wenningdale Escapes, John Marshall, has issued a warning to anyone with a lawn that heat stress from the hot sun could hugely damage the look of your garden.
Yours might already be damaged from the previous heatwave, and with another potentially coming soon, it’s vital to take action and eliminate any issues.
He explained: “As we enter August and the weather continues to improve, your grass will become more susceptible to heat stress.
“The signs you are looking for to identify this would include wilting or brown patches of grass, leaf burn, and visible footprints within the grass.”
How to keep your lawn healthy this month
According to John, the most important thing that all gardeners should do in August is keep on top of the lawn watering. However, simple as it might sound, there’s a right and wrong way to do it.
He recommends ‘lots of water, but at early and late increments in the day when it’s cooler’.
This is because watering your garden at times when it’s not so hot means there’s less chance of the water evaporating into the air.
Your grass will become more hydrated with this technique, which should hopefully mean no brown or wilting patches.
The expert also urged gardeners not to mow their lawns too often this month, and increase the cutting height if possible.
Very short grass is more exposed to the sun, so it’s more likely to become damaged when the UV rays are strong, as they can stress out the plant and the soil too.
But if your lawn is just prone to getting stressed, then John has a solution. He said: “Using seaweed in the grass can help reduce the likelihood of stress and disease.”
Seaweed boosts health, goodness and biological activity in your grass, and it’ll also make the soil grow a stronger and greener lawn that is less susceptible to disease.
You can buy liquid seaweed fertilisiers from your local garden centre, or it’s available to order online too.