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Britain's Best Lawn Owner Shares Essential Tips for Garden Recovery After Record Rainfall
The owner of 'Britain's best lawn' has revealed crucial methods to fix your lawn following the wettest start to the year on record. While gardening enthusiasts eagerly anticipate vibrant and bright gardens, the UK has experienced its rainiest beginning to a year since 1908, leading to damp and dreary grass conditions across the nation.
Expert Advice from a Green-Fingered Veteran
Fortunately, green-fingered Stuart Grindle is on hand to share his essential tips for protecting your lawn from the effects of excess rain as we head into spring. Despite England being 70 percent wetter than the average last month, Mr Grindle, 82, refuses to let his prized labour of love be destroyed by the relentless downpours.
The 'Lawn-fluencer' from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, who spends up to 16 hours tending to his lawn daily, stressed that proactive garden care is vital to avoid any lasting damage from waterlogging. He said: 'Rain won't hurt if it can drain off, but if it starts to flood then you need to take action. If it doesn't drain away after a couple of days then I would recommend pumping it off as if you leave it on for a week or longer then it is bad news. It is important that you let it dry out, as the last thing you want to do is overwork it.'
Lawns which are left waterlogged can be severely damaged or even die, encouraging algae, moss, and other fungal problems, according to The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
Practical Techniques for Lawn Restoration
To combat these issues, Mr Grindle suggested undertaking the process of scarifying – also known as lawn dethatching – at this time of year by using either a machine or a rake. Explaining the necessity of this before the UK's growing season commences, the keen gardener added: 'It will get out all the dead thatch, moss, grass, and put it in good stead for the growing season. If you have any moss, use two spoonfuls of iron sulphate to two gallons of water and sprinkle it over it, and it should get rid of it.'
Mr Grindle has also recommended using a hollow tining machine to further promote rich root growth and improve air circulation. The machine works by removing thousands of small soil cores (plugs) from the soil. To help with water draining, he noted that 'topping it up afterwards with a little bit of sand' can be highly beneficial.
Mowing and Feeding Recommendations
While gardening enthusiasts may be tempted to mow the lawn frequently as the weather gets warmer and the growing season begins, Mr Grindle advises against cutting your lawn every fortnight. 'The more you cut it, the better it will be,' he said. 'You’re encouraging fine growth, you’re not allowing the stem of the grass to be growing. You’re cutting the leaf off and it’s replaced by another stem leaf. Cutting your lawn once a week will keep it reasonable.'
During the growing season, Mr Grindle feeds his lawn around four times with Scotts Lawn Builder – which he advises has 'got to be washed in' to ensure proper absorption and effectiveness.
A Legacy of Lawn Excellence
In 2017, Mr Grindle won the acclaimed prize of Britain's Best Lawn after four decades of meticulous daily care on his beloved garden. At the time, he mowed his lawn up to six times a week to achieve an impressive snooker table-top-like finish that garnered significant public attention.
Speaking to The Daily Mail in 2018 about the detailed process he goes through to keep his lawn in top condition, Mr Grindle previously said: 'It's watered everyday, it's been a full-time job. It's just a case of watering, watering, watering and watering. We usually start at 6pm and finished at around 10pm. I have a system which waters all the hanging baskets. I have an irrigation system and it waters 14 to 15 baskets, and 12m of flower walls. I had no intention of allowing my pride and joy to be ruined, I could not just sit back and watch it die down. I keep it like a golf green.'
While in recent years, Mr Grindle's ill health has reduced the amount of time he has been able to spend on his garden, his decades of knowledge remain utterly invaluable to keen gardeners across the nation. 'I’m still the champion by default because they didn’t do it again after I won it. It was a good accolade and it helped because we opened the garden every year [to the public],' he said. 'When I was opening the garden years ago, people used to say what’s the hardest plant to grow and I said "you’re stood on it".'
Recommended Garden Products for Spring Recovery
Lawn Builder
During the growing season, this lawn builder is designed to enrich your soil and improve the lawn's ability to withstand drought conditions as we enter into the summer months by increasing its thickness.
MO Bacter Organic Lawn Fertiliser & Moss Killer
An essential product for eliminating moss, this organic lawn fertiliser will instantly improve the condition of your soil this spring.
Hollow Tine Aerator
Perfect for promoting rich root growth and promoting air circulation, this Wickes Carbon Steel Lawn aerator will help to remove thousands of small soil cores from the soil, according to Mr Grindle.
Raker and Scarifier
To prevent your lawn from becoming clogged with excess water, this B&Q Corded Raker and scarifier is a must-have for this time of year.
Iron Sulphate
Perfect for any garden enthusiasts struggling with a build up of moss, Mr Grindle advises using two spoonfuls of iron sulphate and two gallons of water to help the problem.
RHS Mini Rainsaver Water Butt Kit
RHS Potting Tidy Tray
