Stuart has issued his top tips for maintaining a proper lawn (Image: SWNS)
The man hailed as having Britain’s best lawn has revealed a crucial tip for keeping your garden lush during the hot weather.
At 82, green-thumbed Stuart Grindle is determined to prevent his cherished lawn from succumbing to scorched patches as temperatures soar across the country.
He cautions fellow gardening enthusiasts against mowing their grass too short. However, he recommends regular trimming at least once every two weeks under normal weather conditions to achieve a top-notch garden.
For those planning to use their sprinklers this weekend, Stuart advises moderation, asserting that “20 minutes is quite sufficient”.
Stuart, who hails from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, emphasised: “Don’t cut it too short.”
He explained the risks of over-trimming: “If you cut it too short you could stress the lawn out and if you let it grow too long and then cut it short, you can cut into the stem rather than the leaf of the grass, which is why it goes a brown colour.”
For lawns that haven’t been trimmed in a while, he suggests a light cut. He said: “If you haven’t cut your lawn for a couple of weeks, just take a little bit off just to keep it in OK condition.”
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Stuart also shared his wisdom on irrigation during hot, sunny spells, recommending watering the grass in the evening or at night.
He reiterated the importance of not overdoing it with the sprinkler, saying: “When you put your sprinkler on, it doesn’t need a lot.”
He humorously added: “20 minutes is quite sufficient – it’s no good putting the sprinkler on and then watching Corrie.”
Gardening expert Stuart has served up some sage advice for keeping your lawn lush without overwatering it. He said: “You don’t need to overwater. If the coverage is OK, 20 minutes is fine. The best time is to do it in the evening or at night because otherwise during the day the evaporation in the hot sunny afternoon, so my advice is to water it in the late evening preferably.”
He also reminded homeowners that they should have completed essential lawn maintenance by now. Stuart stated: “By this time of the year you should have already scarified, raking the lawn to get all the thatch and moss out.” Discussing lawn aeration, he shared some tips on tools and techniques, noting: “You can get various aeriation tools, you can get some which are manual or a machine.
“This helps break any compaction which puts sand into clay soil which is good for aeriation and drainage. That helps with drainage, which helps root growth.”
Stuart has warned that one key mistake could ruin your garden’s aesthetic (Image: SWNS)
On the topic of feeding the lawn, Stuart highlighted his routine and recommended products. “Mine has been fed twice already this year, and I usually do it four to give times a year. I use Scotts Lawn Builder which doesn’t burn the lawn, but it’s got to be washed in though – you’ve got to irrigate.”
He then stressed the importance of proper watering. “It’s no good it just being sat there on top. You really you don’t want to be doing a lot when it’s a really hot day. Try and do your work in the evening when it’s cooler.”
Stuart emphasises that lawn care varies depending on individual preferences and what you are looking for. Stuart says looking after your grass also all depends on the type of lawn you want.
He said: “If you want a showpiece lawn, you need to use thin grass. “Grass doesn’t like shade. It’s very difficult to grow good grass in total shade.
“The thing is it depends what you want, if you’re going out at 7am, and coming back at 7pm, then you have two children, and one is playing football, it’s difficult to manage. You have to spend a lot of time if you want a good lawn. It’s amazing the more you cut it the better it will be.
“I cut my lawn at least once a fortnight. I was cutting my lawn twice a day every other day.
“You’re encouraging fine growth, you’re not allowing the stem of the grass to be growing. You’re cutting the leaf off and it’s replaced by another stem leaf. I never allowed my child to play football or cricket on it. It’s time and dedication.
“Cutting your lawn once a week will keep it reasonable. If you want a lawn getting towards a golf green, you need to spend a lot of time and a lot of money.
“When I was opening the garden years ago, people used to say what’s the hardest plant to grow and I said ‘you’re stood on it’.”
Stuart, who bagged the award for best lawn in 2017, maintained his lawn with meticulous care, mowing it up to six times a week for 40 years to achieve a snooker table-top-like finish.
He added: “I’m still the champion by default because they didn’t do it again after I won it. It was a good accolade and it helped because we opened the garden every year [to the public].”
In recent years, Stuart’s ill health has limited the time he can dedicate to his garden – but his decades of knowledge remain invaluable.