Many parts of the UK have been getting prolonged sunny weather over the past few months, which has resulted in dried out lawns
Gardeners are being offered advice on the best way to protect their lawn(Image: Getty Images/E+)
Householders are being asked to leave piles of grass clippings directly on their lawns to protect them during hot weather. The advice comes as the UK experiences a warm summer, with many people trying to stop their lawns from turning yellow and patchy.
Gardeners are being urged to put out grass clippings because they feed the lawn for free but also provide a natural defence against baking sunlight. Timothy Greene, a grass expert at iCANLAWN, said: “Making sure your mowing is kept on top of in the coming weeks will help you to keep the hands off the mower when it’s too hot.
“However if you simply can’t resist, make sure to mow on the highest setting of your lawnmower. Longer grass blades create a shadow that helps to keep the moisture in your soil, whilst mowing too short can stress your grass and cause it to become straw like.” This comes as gardeners were also recently urged to do another specific thing to help lawns recover from sun damage, as reported by ChronicleLive.
Mr Greene added: “If it’s really hot, you can also leave the grass clippings on the lawn. They act as mulch, helping retain moisture and returning nutrients to the soil.”
This is backed by Lawn Doctor, which goes one further and claims that the process is good for gardens at any time of the year, though it has extra benefits in summer weather, reports the Express. They said: “Firstly, grass clippings contain essential nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus that are necessary for your lawn’s growth and development.
“When you leave the clippings on your lawn, they decompose over time and release these nutrients back into the soil, providing a natural source of fertiliser for your lawn. Secondly, leaving grass clippings on your lawn can help conserve water.”
According to Lawn Doctor, grass clippings can help retain moisture in the soil and reduce the amount of water needed to keep your lawn healthy. This is especially beneficial during hot and dry weather conditions.
Other experts have explained how there’s another straightforward method to restore your grass to a vibrant green shade once again. The horticultural specialists at The Grass People have revealed that now is the perfect moment to rake through your lawn before autumn sets in and temperatures drop.
They explained: “Using a rake, scarify the damaged patches of grass to remove the dead grass or thatch, as you will want to create a good seedbed for when you ultimately reseed the area.” Scarifying is a gardening method for eliminating accumulated organic debris on lawns, such as dead grass or moss, which typically builds up during the summer months.
This layer of decomposing material, referred to as thatch, must be cleared away as it prevents water, sunlight and oxygen from reaching the soil to nourish the grass. Failing to remove thatch will suffocate a lawn, preventing grass from regenerating.
Even worse, the decaying vegetation can harbour various fungal infections and pests when autumn approaches. The ideal period for scarifying is late summer, as this is when soil temperatures are beginning to cool whilst remaining warm – creating perfect conditions for grass to recover rapidly.
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