It can be difficult to keep lawns green and hydrated in summer due to the scorching hot weather, but it tends to turn brown because most people are cutting their grass far too short. Mowing the grass helps to keep a garden tidy and helps to get rid of weeds, but at this time of year longer grass helps shade the soil to keep it cool and watered.
It might sound strange but the longer the grass is, the more water it will retain, and this helps makes it more resilient to heat and drought, which can damage lawns during August. Noelle Clark, a gardening expert from the Big Blog of Gardening has shared it is especially important to be careful mowing the lawn now otherwise you can risk long-time damage.
She said: “When I mow too low, I risk damaging the grass, making it more vulnerable to pests and disease. It can also lead to brown patches that are tough to fix later.”
When grass is left short throughout August it will struggle to photosynthesise, which means it will not be able to store a lot of energy.
This will cause weak roots that cannot grow properly in time for autumn, and the lawn will really suffer during the colder months.
Noelle said it will take a lot of time to recover, and by the time spring arrives next year you will likely still have patchy brown grass that will make a garden look awful.
If you want to keep your lawn healthy, then simply raise your mower blade and keep the grass blades long, ideally around six to eight centimetres in length.
Make sure to also avoid removing too much grass in one mowing session as this can shock the grass, and instead it is better to mow gradually over several days or weeks.
Try to only mow grass in the morning before 10am, as the afternoon sun is the hottest time of day and you can risk burning the lawn if the temperature is too high.
It is usually recommended that gardeners do not remove more than one third of the grass at one time, and if you follow to this rule your lawn will stay green and watered no matter how dry August is.
Noelle added: “I aim to leave my grass a bit longer during the hotter months. This not only helps retain moisture but also encourages deeper root growth. In the end, a well-kept lawn contributes to a healthier outdoor space.”