From singed grass to flooded bogs: The extreme transformation happening to Britain’s lawns

It’s been a particularly hot summer here in the UK, leading to hosepipe bans and patchy, parched lawns. But now as the summer draws to a close, the skies have opened and our gardens are getting the rain we’ve all been hoping for.

The problem is, this prolonged period of drought has damaged the soil. When there is a lack of moisture in a lawn, the natural waxy substance produced by decomposing organic matter (like plants and roots) isn’t broken down. Instead, it clings to the surface of the soil, stopping water from being absorbed and making it ‘hydrophobic’.

This leads to flooding, which can cause long-term lawn damage from soil compaction, nutrient loss and root rot which can kill the grass completely.

So is there anything you can do?

• Keep off the grass: Always avoid walking on a flooded or saturated lawn. Foot traffic on wet soil will make the issue worse, compacting the soil and sealing the surface shut.
• Aerate the lawn: Now that we’ve had some rain, it’s a good time to spike the ground with a garden fork or mechanical aerator (as you need to do this when the soil is damp but not boggy). This opens up pathways for standing water to drain deeper into the earth.
• Brush in sharp sand: After aerating (during a dry window), brush horticultural sharp sand into the holes to keep the drainage channels open.
• Apply a wetting agent: Ideally, you should be applying a wetting agent to your soil before it dries out during the growing season (spring to autumn, every week or two). But if you’ve not used it before and you’re already facing a water-logged lawn, you need to wait and let it dry out a little before applying. The best time to apply a wetting agent is just before it rains.
• Keep off the grass: Always avoid walking on a flooded or saturated lawn. Foot traffic on wet soil will make the issue worse, compacting the soil and making flooding even more likely.
• Apply gentle feed: Once recovery starts and the grass begins growing, use a light liquid seaweed or nitrogen feed to revive stressed blades.

Need help prepping your lawn for winter? Give me a shout!