Keeping your lawn healthy in July can sometimes feel like a losing battle because the scorching sun places a lot of stress on the grass, but there is an easy way to keep it green. One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make in summer is they completely stop feeding their lawn out of fear of burning it, but this can actually really damage the grass.
Lawns need more of the nutrient phosphorus in summer to help keep the roots strong, and when it is not fertilised you will be left with shallow roots that are not able to hold enough water. This means it will be tough for lawns to recover from heat stress or any dry weather, and it is unlikely to be able to recover by autumn, so you will be left with yellow patchy grass.
However, the organic farmer specialists at Crop Fertility Services have shared a way to feed your lawn without damaging it in summer: fertilise it with chicken manure pellets. They said: “Chicken manure for lawn fertilisation is an excellent way to feed your lawn naturally. Chicken manure, when applied in the correct amounts, will not burn your lawn, and it will fertilise it for up to two years.”
Why feed your lawn chicken manure pellets?
Chicken manure will slowly feed your lawn over time to provide it with a steady supply of nutrients so there is no chance of it burning the grass.
It contains the nutrient phosphorus, which supports root growth and helps the lawn recover from stress, but also contains nitrogen and potassium.
Nitrogen is the nutrient needed to keep the grass growing while potassium makes the lawn more resilient to keep a lawn healthy even during a drought.
Chicken manure is a sustainable to keep the grass green during summer and feed it the main nutrients it needs to fix itself so it does not become weak or thin.
How to apply chicken manure to your lawn in summer
Chicken manure pellets can be bought at most gardening centres or home improvement stores like B&Q, but they can also be bought online at Amazon.
It tends to be best to apply lawn fertilisers in the early morning or late afternoon, as around noon is when the sun is at its strongest and the lawn will be more stressed,
All you need to do is spread the chicken manure on your lawn. It is best to follow the instructions on the product packaging, but you will typically need two kilograms per 100 square metres.
Spread the chicken manure pellets in a thin even layer and then deeply water the lawn to help the nutrients penetrate the soil.
The expert said: “This is an optional step, as chicken manure will start to break down naturally with or without watering. With that being said, the best time to water your lawn is right after spreading. This will help the manure start to break down, especially if it’s in pellet form.”
Chicken manure pellets should boost the grass to turn it a deep green colour and encourage more growth so you can enjoy a vibrant thick lawn this summer.