Heavy rain from Storm Bram lashed parts of the UK this week, with large swathes of the country under Met Office amber weather warnings. Besides causing road and rail chaos, the deluge may well have caused havoc on our gardens, with waterlogged lawns likely to have affected scores of Brits.
Lawns which flood after rain or that see water draining away at a snail’s pace can lead to problems from algae, moss and fungi. Luckily, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has suggested some top tips to help rescue waterlogged lawns after winter rain.
RHS experts say healthy turf will be difficult to maintain if a lawn squelches when walked on or looks more like a lake when it rains.
“Puddled” soil may appear near the surface of a lawn, looking sticky like glue. If this happens, the RHS suggests not walking on it or other waterlogged patches.
Waterlogging can result from soil which has been compacted from being regularly walked on or that has been weighed down by heavy machinery, according to the RHS.
Other causes include poor preparation of soil before the lawn was created or heavy clay soil, which doesn’t drain well.
Long spells of waterlogging or repeated incidents of it can leave bare patches as finer grass species struggle to grow in such conditions and might die.
The RHS warns algae, lichens and liverworts thrive in waterlogged conditions. These block light from reaching the grass and can lead to a slippery surface.
Damp lawns can also attract moss, which may or may not be welcome by gardeners. Shady spots and soil with a low pH can also lead to moss.
To improve your lawn, the RHS recommends one thing to do in particular: Aerating soil when it has become compacted allows rainwater to soak into the ground more easily.
The Society’s experts advise either waiting until any standing water has drained away or sweeping it into borders first.
Using a garden fork or hollow-tined aerating tool to spike the lawn. The latter should remove plugs of soil. Powered aerators can also be bought or hired if your lawn is too large for manpower alone.
Holes should be 10-15cm (4-6 inches) deep, according to the RHS, and the plugs removed and a free-draining “top-dressing”, such as sand, brushed into the holes.
Lawns which are particularly prone to waterlogging should be spiked in autumn every few years. The RHS says this will prevent the need for action after wet winters.
Other tips from the RHS include feeding your lawn in spring to boost roots; promoting growth in autumn with a phosphorus rich lawn fertiliser and raking out moss in spring so grass has less competition.
Gardeners with heavy, clay-rich soil may want to consider installing a drainage system, providing there’s somewhere for the water to go.
In situations where it isn’t easy to shed all that water, the RHS advises gardeners to consider replacing their lawns with a new one.
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