Hot and dry weather can cause lawns to turn brown and patchy. But there is a cheap and simple solution using an ingredient you probably already have in your kitchen: tea bags.
Why Tea Bags Work Wonders for Lawns
According to gardening experts, sprinkling used tea leaves on your lawn can promote strong and healthy growth, resulting in greener and less patchy grass. Tea leaves act as a natural fertiliser as they contain essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are all vital for healthy plant growth - including grass.
Not only that, tea leaves can also help to improve the structure of your soil and water retention, creating better growing conditions for your grass which can improve its overall appearance and restore it to luscious green.
Expert Advice on Using Tea Leaves
In its online advice, Greyhound Recycling explains: “Tea leaves are packed with nutrients like nitrogen, tannins and other organic compounds, all of which are fantastic for encouraging healthy plant growth.
“When you bury used tea bags or scatter the tea leaves over your lawn, they slowly break down and release those nutrients straight into the soil.
“Not only does this act as a natural fertiliser, but the added organic matter also improves soil structure and helps retain moisture. The result? Stronger roots, healthier grass, and that rich green colour we all want.”
How to Repair Brown Patches
If you have patches of brown on your lawn that need repairing, gardening experts suggest covering the patch with used tea leaves and planting the grass seed within this. The nutrients from the tea will seep into the soil so when your grass grows back it will be healthier and greener.
Additional Benefits of Tea Bags
Tea bags can also inhibit the growth of weeds, particularly if steeped in black tea, so if you have any pesky weeds in your lawn, this can be a great natural solution to banishing them. You can buy a pack of 80 tea bags from Asda for £2.09p, whereas garden lawn fertilisers can cost around £10, so it’ll save you a decent amount of money if you try this option instead.
