The hot weather can dry out your lawn and turn it yellow at certain times of the year, making it unsightly – even if you have a stylish garden with beautiful plants and rattan garden furniture outdoors. This can possibly happen in just a few days, depending on the type of grass and the temperature.
This could also show that past watering has given your grass flat roots.
But how do you fix it?
Go out there and give your lawn deep water. It is best to reduce the amount of water when it gets hot later in the day as it evaporates in the early morning. If you have sandy soil, you may need to water it more, but you should be careful to soak the top 4 to 6 inches of the soil. If you need to check how far you've walked, use a screwdriver to determine how far the ground gets wet.
Common problems related to yellow grass
overhydration
If you water your lawn too much, the roots will no longer be able to handle it when the soil dries up.
To avoid this, you shouldn't do this when rain is forecast Water your lawn, and certainly don't do it every day when it is predicted to rain. Grass that needs water turns blue-green and not as lush green as you are used to. You should also keep in mind that your footprints will remain visible longer after you walk on them.
In short: water thoroughly but rarely.
underfertilisation
Does your grass look yellow? This means that nutrients like iron and nitrogen are lacking, then it starts to look yellow. A soil test kit can tell you if a certain nutrient is missing in your soil, and you can then buy the appropriate garden fodder to fix the problem. Remember to always follow the instructions – over-fertilizing your lawn can do more harm than good.
eutrophication
If you use too much fertilizer, the grass can scorch and do even more damage than under-fertilization! The nitrogen in the fertilizer is needed for healthy grass growth, but too much of it and the roots burn due to the pH in the soil.
Give the grass one long, deep watering that can help flush the fertilizer through the soil and away from the roots of the grass. Concentrate on the areas that, unlike the whole, look damaged. Repeat the process every few days until the grass has recovered. Try a soil test kit again to avoid over-fertilization.
Animal urine
If you have a dog or domestic cat visiting your garden, the urine contains nitrogen that burns the grass. This could explain the yellow tinge. Train your dog to urinate only on areas that are not grassy. If the animal is not yours, good luck stopping.
Other top tips
- Thin out hedges or trees that may block the light. The grass has to get a lot of sunlight.
- Be sure to rake fallen leaves and grass waste. These can become a home for pests and insects that can eat the roots of your grass and damage it.
- To ensure that the base receives the oxygen and nutrients it needs, you should aerate your lawn and ensure that the water drains properly from your garden.
- Make sure your lawnmower knife is always sharp. Otherwise, the grass will be torn out instead of being cut cleanly, and torn grass will be more likely to turn yellow
Once it's sorted and looks new, you can cut the grass. Set the blades to about 3 cm. In dry conditions, raise your mowing blades to 3¾ cm (1½ inches) or more – this is because longer grass stays greener. Put all the grass waste that you have left in your compost heap.
Use a cylinder mower with a roller on the back to achieve conventional stripes instead of using a rotary mower. If you have a rotary mower and your grass is tough and springy, mow it again at right angles. This ensures that any strange, protruding parts that sometimes bounce back after driving over the mower are gone.
If persistent bad weather has caused the water to be at least 6 inches deep, you can use a lining to quickly turn the grass green. Liquid feed is usually the best, since the nutrients are the easiest to absorb for the grass. Liquid lawn forage needs to be diluted and applied through a watering can with a hose, which is fine for smaller areas. Otherwise, there are several soluble feeds that can be applied with a thinner attached to the end of your hose.
By feeding the lawn, it not only becomes greener, but also faster. So you have to be prepared for frequent mowing for at least a while. To maintain the improvement in the color of your lawn, you will need to repeat the treatment every four to six weeks throughout the summer if the soil is moist enough. However, never risk feeding a lawn when the ground is dry or when the grass looks a bit tired due to drought. This will only make it more brownish.
To break it down by season, you need to do the following and when:
Spring: mow the blades as high as possible and lower them to a summer height of 3 cm. Treat moss and then rake it out or use lawnmoss killer products in March or April, depending on the weather. Apply spring, summer, or slow-release lawn feed between late April and late May. If necessary, use a combined lawn feed and weed product. Mow the lawn once or twice a week depending on the growth rate. Use a grass box. In hot, dry weather, increase the cutting height of the blades by half an inch. Avoid feeding lawns in dry conditions, although regular liquid / soluble feeds will keep their color when the soil is thoroughly damp.
Fall: Before you start annual maintenance, wait until the wet weather subsides. If so, cut the grass twice in opposite directions and then rake it well by hand to remove creeping stems, dead stems, and moss. You can do this with a manual or mechanical lawn rake. Apply autumn lawn forage, then apply a thin bandage of soil or bags of lawn dressing with the back of a rake.
Winter: Mow when the weather permits and set the mower blades as high as possible. Do not mow when the grass is wet!
