UK gardeners are being urged not to rush into reviving drought-stressed lawns, as a brown, parched lawn may be dormant rather than dead and will not recover faster with excessive intervention.
According to the Met Office, regions across the UK received as little as 34% of their typical summer rainfall by mid-July, underlining the difficult conditions lawns have endured this summer. As a consequence of the arid conditions, numerous gardeners are pondering whether their lawn has genuinely died or is simply lying dormant, and they are looking for guidance.
Brown grass can still be alive
Craig Wilson, gardening specialist at Glasgow's Gardeners Dream, said: "Following the heatwaves, many homeowners are looking out at lawns that have turned brown, yellow or patchy. However, a brown, parched lawn does not necessarily mean that the grass has died. Established grass can become dormant during a drought, a state which allows it to conserve energy until conditions become more favourable."
"Some gardeners may feel tempted to jump in and start watering, mowing or reseeding their parched lawns, however, there are several simple steps gardeners can take to give drought-ravaged grass the best chance of a full recovery. One of the biggest mistakes people can make after a period of prolonged dry weather is to assume that a brown lawn is automatically dead. Grass is incredibly resilient and established lawns can enter a dormant state to protect themselves during the drought."
"The key is not to panic and try to force the lawn back to life overnight. Once rainfall returns and the soil has sufficient moisture, many lawns will begin to recover naturally. The best thing gardeners can do is avoid putting additional stress on the grass while it is vulnerable."
How to tell if your lawn is dormant or dead
Craig said: "Colour alone isn't a reliable way to tell whether grass has died as a lawn can be completely brown and still have living plants beneath the surface. The best approach is to look for signs of life rather than simply judging the colour. If the grass begins to produce new green growth following rainfall and the soil becomes moist again it is a good indication that it is recovering. If areas remain consistently bare, then these patches require further investigation and potential reseeding."
Avoid watering too much, too quickly
Craig said: "Established lawns are surprisingly very resilient. Many people are tempted to give the lawn as much water as possible, but excessive watering isn't going to help your lawn recover faster. It's better to focus on getting moisture into the soil rather than wetting the surface. I highly recommend watering early in the morning as it helps reduce evaporation. Gardeners should also always follow any local hosepipe bans or water restrictions that are in place."
Don't cut the grass too short
Craig said: "Resist the urge to give your parched lawn a short cut just because the grass has started to look untidy. This can put more pressure on the grass at a time when it's already struggling. As the lawn starts growing again, raise the mower height and avoid removing more than around a third of the grass blade in one cut. Keeping the grass slightly longer helps protect the soil and gives the grass more leaf area to support natural recovery."
Wait before repairing the lawn prematurely
Craig said: "One of the biggest mistakes homeowners can make is trying to fix a drought-stressed lawn before it has had time to recover. Avoid rushing to fertilise or reseed brown patches while the grass is still struggling."
"Instead, wait for signs of new growth and adequate moisture before feeding, and if areas remain bare, autumn is a much better time to reseed when cooler, wetter conditions help new grass establish."
Opt for drought-resistant varieties
Craig said: "If your garden has struggled during the heatwave, it's worth considering how you can make it more resilient for the future."
"Choosing drought-tolerant plants such as lavender, salvia, echinacea and sedum can help reduce the need for watering, as these varieties are naturally better suited to hot and dry conditions. Grouping plants with similar watering needs and adding mulch around them can also help retain moisture in the soil."
