What to do after the UK's hottest heat wave on record?!

The weather in the UK certainly does get more and more intense. This year we have reached record temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country. On top of this we are on the brink of a major drought with hosepipe bans being implemented in many counties.

But what does this mean for our lawns? Unfortunately, our lawns will not like it. If you're unlucky enough to get all of the above issued this summer then it is going to be very tricky for your lawn and there will most likely need to be a recovery process involved.

In this article, we are going to talk about how to recover your lawn after a hot summer like we are currently experiencing. 

How to recover a lawn after a hot summer?

After a heat wave and drought from summer, our lush lawns around the country may start looking a bit on the brown side which is also known as dry patches. Please don't be alarmed though, there is a good chance that the grass is not dying, it is in fact the grass going in to a dormant state to protect itself, also known as hibernating. What this does is allow the grass to focus on keeping the root system alive.

Once the hot summer months are over and the weather is more on the normal side, we can start to look at rejuvenating the lawn. See our step-by-step guide below.

Giving life back to a damaged lawn

1. Rake and water the area well
   We advise using a rake to remove any unwanted debris from the grass then give the area a good dosing of water.
   It is likely, from the drought, that the surface has become hard. A goof top here is to aerate the lawn using a hollow tine tool or garden fork to puncture holes in the ground.
   What this will do is help water get past the surface down to the root zone allowing for the roots to expand and develop and, as the name suggests, get some oxygen down there.
   Different areas around the UK will require different amounts of water depending on how much rain fall has been present.  If you currently have a hosepipe ban you may want to consider our wetting agent, this improves water distribution so requires considerably less watering. 
2. Feeding to thicken up the lawn
   Your lawn may be looking a bit tired after the above steps and you should not be surprised that after the treatment you have given that is has just faded.
   It would benefit from a good feed to bring the lawn back to a lush green state.
   As we are drawing towards the autumn months now, a great fertiliser to contribute to the lawns is our Ultimate Autumn/Winter Feed. You can view our guide to fertilisers that will explain the benefits of this mix here. 
3. Does your lawn need patch repairs?
   You may find that after raking the area and following step 1 that a few bare patches have occurred. This is perfectly normal after an extreme heat wave like we have just had. you can view our article on patch repair here. 
4. What if my lawn still looks dead?
   If you have followed all of the above steps and your lawn is still looking dead and dry, what you can do is give the grass a slight tug. If it easily rips out of the soil then unfortunately in this case the grass has died.
   If you still feel some good resistance there, then the grass still has hope for recovery.
5. My grass has died, what do I do?
   If you are in the unfortunate position of your lawn dying due to the hot summer months, then it will be a case of sowing a new lawn. You may be in a position where you still have some areas of live grass so an over-seed is all that is needed.
   Autumn (normally September) is the ideal time to approach the above issues and repair the lawn ready for winter and the following year.
   *Certain areas are currently overseeing hosepipe bans, so if this is you, check with your local councils to see what the exemptions are for watering newly sown lawns*
   Here are our handy how to guides for both of the discussed methods:
   How to sow a new lawn
   How to over-seed an existing lawn

If you are looking to sow new grass seed, feed your lawn or want any additional advice, please get in touch. We are more than happy to provide as much information as you need to achieve your lawn goals. You can contact us by phone on 08004118141 or by email at sales@a1lawn.co.uk