Gardeners are being urged to pay special attention to their lawns this month
Gardeners are being urged to resist a key task during the drought, as brown grass is likely in summer dormancy and will revive when the rain returns(Image: Imagesines via Getty Images)
More than half of England and Wales has officially been declared in drought, following the driest July on record. With hosepipe bans affecting numerous areas across the country, gardens are undoubtedly feeling the strain and may be looking rather sorry for themselves.
Gardening enthusiast and TikTok creator Ish recently shared some invaluable advice for fellow gardeners whose outdoor spaces are looking parched and withered. Ish revealed that his own lawn displays two distinctly different appearances, with one section brown and dried out, while the other remains green and healthy.
If you’re facing a similar predicament, it’s worth bearing in mind that each condition requires a different approach – even if it seems somewhat contradictory.
Leave the brown grass to crisp up for now(Image: Getty)
How to care for lawns in droughts
When confronted with brown and brittle grass, resist the urge to remove it. Ish warned that it’s the “last thing you want to do”, reports the Express.
The most beneficial course of action for parched grass is simply to leave it well alone. Ish said: “The best thing you can do is actually leave it, cause right now your grass has gone dormant. It’s actually protecting itself by keeping this nice little mat here, which is stopping it from taking any moisture from the soil, but also keeping it cooler, protecting those roots, and that’s the most important bit.”
Expect the grass to continue to dry out and “crisp off” over time, but once rainfall resumes, hints of green will reappear. Ish explained: “That’s the really cool thing about grass, it’s actually quite resilient. This isn’t dead, it was just hibernating.”
Refrain from cutting, scarifying and feeding the grass while it remains in this state. Nevertheless, if your lawn still displays signs of vitality and retains its green colour, there are some variations in how you ought to care for it.
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The horticultural specialist added: “It’s tempting to feed and cut as you would normally, but you don’t want to stress this out, especially with the hot heat.”
Should you need to mow this type of turf, ensure your mower is set to its highest position. Steer clear of low settings, as these will place additional strain on the grass.
The objective is to maintain cooler ground temperatures, helping to preserve any remaining moisture. Ish went on: “Now, as a result, over time, this will catch up. It will all be green and lush.
“And then you can resume normal mowing, normal feeding. But for now, let it recover. Don’t stress it out. And if you can, water it where you can, do. But until then, leave it be.”
The Royal Horticultural Society has confirmed that gardeners with well-established lawn root systems can anticipate their grass bouncing back to its previous condition when precipitation returns. This is due to the underlying roots which “should still be alive”.
Gardening experts agreed with Ish’s guidance, encouraging gardeners to avoid the urge to water their lawns. If your lawn is well-established, it should be capable of recovering on its own, as it will be more “resilient”.
One of the greatest threats gardeners face during a drought, particularly if their lawn is in poor condition, is the possibility of the roots perishing. If the grass is already struggling and the drought is severe, it can become weakened and wither.
Should the grass become patchy during a drought, weeds and moss may begin to take hold once the rain returns. The RHS advised that watering lawns during a drought should only be carried out when absolutely necessary, such as if you have recently laid or sown a new lawn in spring.
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