TGA Advises "Hold Back on Watering Established Lawns"
As a drought is officially declared in parts of East Anglia, the TGA (Turfgrass Growers Association) has published advice for lawn owners and landscapers.
For lawns that are well established. Brown is the new Green. Tim Mudge, TGA Chief Executive explains: "going brown is the natural survival mechanism of grass. When water is in short supply grass responds by shutting down. The brown colour shows that it has stopped growing until more favourable conditions return. Grass is remarkably resilient, and as long as you follow a few basic rules, most lawns will recover completely when the rain finally arrives"
Here are Tim's Top Tips for caring for ensuring established lawns survive the drought.
- Increase your mowing height to 34-40mm - this creates deeper roots and more shade from high temperatures
- Keep mower blades sharp. blunt blades bruise the leaf causing the plant to lose more water.
- Try not to concentrate wear in one place - move barbeques, toys and the like around
- There is no need to feed your grass as it won't be growing during hot weather
- Avoid blanket weedkillers as the may damage the grass - use a spot weedkiller if necessary
- Apply a light dressing of compost to help keep moisture in the soil and protect the grass from high temperatures
- Scarify your lawn once a year to remove matted and dead growth. If it is allowed to build up, it acts as a barrier to rainfall
Tips for looking after established and newly-laid lawns during the summer are available from the TGA website at www.turfgrass.co.uk or contact Chris Carr at Q Lawns for help and advice.
