What is drought management? 

During periods of dry weather, your lawn may stop growing and start to turn brown. A well-maintained lawn usually recovers well in autumn, once the seasonal rain starts to fall, however in poorly-maintained grass or extended periods of drought, the grass roots can become weakened and start to deteriorate. If this happens, weeds and moss will grow more readily once the autumn rainfall hits and more intervention may be necessary to revive the lawn.

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How can I prevent my lawn suffering from drought? 

Whilst we can’t help the weather conditions in the summer months, the best thing for a lawn is to keep it healthy all year round. Regular treatments - as found in our annual care plans - will ensure the lawn stays healthy and growing conditions are at their optimum. Our Seasonal Plus treatments also provide liquid seaweed and humic acid, both of which help to regulate the soil crumb and conserve water whilst also maximising nutrient uptake. Aerating the lawn can also help further by encouraging deeper roots and better water penetration. Speak to your Hampshire Lawncraft expert and we will be happy to advise.

 

How should I care for my lawn during periods of drought?

Mowing - keep a regular length of grass and only ever cut a third or less off the length at a time. During drier periods, raise the height of the cut to encourage deeper rooting of the grass and better shading of the soil.

 

Water – Watering does not need to be excessively frequent and the best regime is to water only once or twice a week even in dry weather. Instead concentrate on watering well, getting the water deep into the soil to encourage deeper root formation, ideally with a sprinkler. Where possible use collected rain water, rather than the mains, as sometimes there are restrictions on water usage during particularly dry weather. A healthy lawn needs around 25mm of water a week, this is enough to fill an empty tuna tin. Your lawn should be watered early in the day wherever possible to avoid fungal spread due to nighttime humidity.

 

Can my lawn recover from drought? 

After any dry summer, the autumn is the ideal time to carry out a repair of the lawn. Not only will it alleviate problems of the summer, it will make the lawn stronger and more drought-resistant next year. Improving the soil is key and useful procedures include aeration, top dressing and then overseeding any sparse areas to ensure a stronger growth for the following year. 

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