How to Bring Your Lawn Back to Life

Read Time: 3 Minutes.

5 Easy Steps to Rejuvenate Your Summer Lawn

The recent heatwave and drought conditions have left gardens across much of the country with parched, brown lawns.  When exposed to extreme heat and minimal water, grass can go dormant and turn brown in as little as 2-3 weeks.

1. How to Hydrate Your Lawn After a Drought

If you’ve got dead grass patches on your lawn, don’t worry, grass will always grow, providing it’s properly hydrated, so make sure your lawn receives sufficient water to keep it in good health.

During the warmer weather, aim to water your garden up to three times a week, preferably in the morning, to give the soil time to absorb as much moisture as possible before the warm sun evaporates it. However, if you’re facing drought and hose pipe restrictions, using a watering can with water from a tap, or a water butt is a good way to comply. Another solution is to use ‘grey water. You’ll be surprised at how much-recycled water you can spare from simply collecting shower water, or reusing water from washing up.

2. Weeding and Mowing

When the battle is on for water, the last thing your grass needs is to be competing with weeds. To eliminate the competition, hand pull weeds out by the root to stop them from bouncing back and causing a potential problem.

Whilst cutting your lawn might seem like a bizarre job if you’re trying to preserve it, regular mowing is also a great way to bring your lawn back from the brink, providing you don’t over-mow. When grass gets too short, it’s can get too much sunlight, which can make it dry. As a general rule, keep the grass at 2.5 – 3 inches, and use a line trimmer to keep lines and edges in check.

Need a new lawnmower? Head to our ‘Choosing the Right Lawnmower Guide’

3. How to Remove Thatch and Build-up by Scarifying Your Lawn

Thatch can be another enemy when it comes to keeping your grass hydrated. This can be a particular problem during summer when the lawn thatch becomes dry and prevents moisture from reaching the soil.  If your lawn has started to look a bit yellow, September is the best time to start thinking about scarifying your lawn.  Scarifying a lawn – also known as de-thatching – is essentially the process of removing thatch and moss.  When it comes to thinking about how to scarify a lawn, a scarifying rake and some elbow grease will do the job for smaller areas. However, if the thought of dethatching your lawn fills you with dread, you might want to consider an electric lawn scarifier and rake, such as the Webb WEESR.  It’s equipped with a 1500-watt motor and a 45-litre collector.  To revive and refresh a larger lawn, a petrol lawn scarifier and rake, such as the Webb WEPS400 offers a quick and easy option

4. The Benefits of Aerating

While there may be no shortage of air in your garden, it can sometimes have a problem reaching the roots of your grass. This happens when soil becomes compacted, either through dirt or thatch or simply, grass being too thick. To enable air to penetrate and give your grass the much-needed air it needs to breathe, aerate your lawn with a handheld, manual or powered aerator – depending on how energetic you feel!

5. Adding Topsoil to Your Lawn

To repair or revive a lawn, adding topsoil is a great way to encourage grass to grow back. For larger areas that might need replenishing, you can easily lay new grass on old grass. Start by preparing the soil by tilling or turning it up to loosen, then roughly level the ground. Once you’ve done this, apply your grass seed using a seed spreader, rake to mix with the top layer of soil, and compact the area using a light roller.

As the beautiful weather draws to a close, many of us will be asking ourselves why our lawn, which was once so inviting, might be starting to look a bit barren. The good news is there’s no need to panic. With a little bit of work and tending with loving care, you can rejuvenate your lawn, and make others green with envy.