If you take pride in your garden it can be mildly distressing watching your lawn turn from green to brown, especially when there's no sign of rain.
But there's not much point in watering it in a heat wave, according to the Turfgrass Growers Association who represent 70% of all the turf grown in Britain.
If your lawn turns brown it doesn't mean that it's dying, according to Coral Russell of the association.
She said: "Our message to homeowners is not to worry if your lawn goes brown during the summer.
"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."
What should I do then?
- Increase your mowing height to 35-40mm – this creates deeper roots and more shade and shelter 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 barbecues and toys like slides around.
- There is no need to feed your grass as it won’t be growing during hot weather.
- Avoid blanket weedkillers as they 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.
