Take action to help lawns remain lush during hot, dry weather, says Johnsons Lawn Seed

Lawn experts have revealed top tips to prevent grass turning brown after the driest May in 124 years left Britain’s green and pleasant land looking parched

Gardeners will need to take action to stop lawns from turning brown if a scorching summer follows one of the driest springs on record – according to Johnsons Lawn Seed, the UK’s oldest lawn seed specialist.

Prior to rain and lower temperatures this week, the nation’s green-fingered enthusiasts had been turning to social media to share concerns about parched lawns, revealing that grass in the worst-hit regions started to suffer early in spring. In comparison, the heatwave of 2018 – the joint hottest summer on record for the UK, saw drought conditions arrive later in the season, with heat peaking in June and July, resulting in England’s average temperatures beating the scorching summer of 1976.

This year, according to the Met Office, England has experienced its driest May on record since 1896, with less than 10mm of rain falling on average. Northampton chalked up the unenviable title of the driest county, having received just 1.5mm of rain during May. As if that wasn’t tough enough on the nation’s turf, the UK recorded the sunniest spring since records began in 1929. Gardens basked in 626 hours of sunshine – great for lockdown Brits, but dealing a blow to lawns with their roots anchored in bone-dry soil.

Johnsons Lawn Seed’s Guy Jenkins said: “It’s important to remember that while we’ve had an unusually dry spring, it would take a prolonged, severe drought to seriously damage a healthy lawn. Lawns may be growing at a much slower rate than normal, and can appear brown and patchy, but 80% of a grass plant lies beneath the soil in the form of roots. In most cases, healthy, established lawns will quickly bounce back when rain falls, and by following our advice, gardeners can help lawns to survive.”

To assist gardeners in keeping lawns at their prime if hot, dry conditions return this summer, Johnsons Lawn Seed has issued a five-point action plan for lawn-owners:

1 Water wisely

Turning the hose or sprinkler onto established lawns can be a waste of time and money. A hose can guzzle up to 1,000 litres an hour, putting pressure on drinking water supplies during hot weather and running-up hefty bills where water meters are fitted. The exception to the rule is newly established lawns, such as grass sown in spring, which may need irrigating in dry conditions. If possible, use rainwater collected in water butts, and water at dusk, when the risk of evaporation is lowest, and moisture can seep down into the root system during cooler temperatures overnight.

2 Be a cut above the rest!

Remember that first cut of spring when you raised the height of your lawnmower’s blades? Do it again! It’s always tempting to achieve a manicured finish in high summer, but cutting lawns too low can weaken grass plants, leaving lawns more susceptible to drought. Temporarily raising the height of cut during hot, dry spells reduces stress on grass and can encourage plants to put down deeper roots in search of moisture.

3 Give your lawnmower a holiday

Lawn lovers are inseparable from their mowers during high summer, often cutting once or twice a week. Switching to fortnightly mowing, or less often if grass is barely growing, will further relieve pressure on parched turf.

4 Banish the grass box

Leaving a light dusting of lawn clippings instead of collecting and composting them can act as a mulch in hot weather, helping to lock-in precious moisture. Only remove the grass box if you’re giving the lawn a light trim: never leave heaps of clippings on the lawn as they’ll blanket the grass and can damage it.

5 Hold fire with fertiliser

Even if your lawn is in a sorry state, don’t be tempted to reach for fertiliser during drought. When soil is bone dry, essential water is not present to transport the nutrients down to the roots – where it’s needed. In fact, applying some traditional fertilisers can result in scorch if put down in drought, making it even more of a false economy. For best results, hold fire during drought, then apply Johnsons Lawn Seed’s organic Super Smart Lawn Feed (see below) when normal weather conditions have resumed.

Johnsons Lawn Seed leads the way in lawn technology

As well as celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2020, Johnsons Lawn Seed has been at the forefront of innovation, harnessing the power of research and development to bring gardeners brilliant new lawn seed mixes that are tested to perform in tough conditions.

New Tuffgrass with Dog Patch Resistance is a UK first, containing naturally tolerant grass species that won’t turn yellow when dogs use lawns as their toilet. The scientifically proven mix is tough enough to stand up to the wear and tear of family use and is suitable for new lawns, overseeding, fixing patches and creating play areas. Critically, Tuffgrass has excellent resistance to drought conditions, and also stands up well to low temperatures and snow.

Quick Lawn with Accelerator-treated seed, also new for 2020, will be another first port of call for gardeners looking to sow or repair lawns. Specially coated seed germinates fast, requiring just a third of the amount of water that’s usually needed for lawn establishment, with 38% more grass within the first seven days, compared to non-coated seed.

For gardeners looking to feed or revitalise lawns, Johnsons’ Super Smart Lawn Feed can be used between February and September – apart from during drought or freezing conditions. The 100% organic feed contains a mix of beneficial bacteria that feed lawns, micronutrients to enhance a lawn’s lush green appearance, and mycorrhizae that can increase the root system of grass by up to 150%.

Find out more

To find out more about Johnsons Lawn Seed products please visit http://www.johnsonslawnseed.com/product-range.aspx

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Kimberley Hornby      Tel: 07851610573      Email: kimberley@hornbywhitefootpr.co.uk

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