Top Tips on Caring for your Current Lawn

Looking after your lawn, whether it’s been scorched in the hot summer sun or damaged by the winter weather, is an important process, and it can be difficult to know how best to help it. Whatever your aim or reasoning, there are ways of promoting healthy growth and undergoing various tasks to keep your lawn looking lush and green.

Summerscorched lawn

While we love the sun blessing our garden in the summer, it can have adverse effects on our lawns. You can tell if your lawn is scorched if it looks a little worse for wear or feels a bit crunchy underfoot.

Was your lawn damaged in the drought last year? Follow these simple steps to ensure you have a great lawn again this year:

1. Time can be your friend. Don’t panic if your lawn doesn’t bounce back right away; this doesn’t mean the end for your greenery. Your grass may just be lying dormant to survive the heat and will eventually return to its natural state

2. While it may be tempting on those beautiful days, resist the urge to set up your barbecue on your lawn. The increase in temperature will mean your grass has to work even harder to soak up water or nutrients, and you may inadvertently dry out your lawn more

3. Reduce how much you walk on your lawn. Like a new lawn, a scorched lawn can be just as vulnerable to movement, so try to walk around it rather than across it

4. Come autumn, fertiliser is your best friend. Apply fertiliser during this season for nutrients and to encourage later growth

5. Keep an eye out for the rain. There is a happy medium when it comes to watering a scorched lawn, so avoid watering when it is expected to rain to avoid giving too much. On the other hand, if no rain arrives, provide your lawn with a helping hand of water

6. Plant new seeds to fill in any patches that may have been scorched. Keep your lawn moist but not soggy to allow the seeds to germinate. Miracle-Gro Professional Super Seed Drought Tolerant Lawn needs 30% less watering to remain green, making it ideal to add to a summer lawn

Winter damaged lawn

Winter can inadvertently thin out your lawn, especially if it’s been colder than usual along with frozen ground. Ensure your lawn is spring-ready by assisting in its rejuvenation:

1. Discard any debris that doesn’t belong on your lawn. Rake and scarify to give you a fresh canvas to begin your repairs

2. Sow new seed into the bare patches of lawn to encourage the grass and seed to blend well before growth. RHS Supreme Green Lawn Seed with rootgrow is ideal for repairing worn patches in established lawns and is naturally tough and hardwearing

3. Apply a layer of fertiliser like Mo Bacter to your grass and keep the soil moist by regularly providing a sprinkling of water

4. Avoid mowing your lawn until after the frost has passed. You don’t want to add to the damage by cutting your grass