Expert David Hedges-Gower shares his grass survival hints
After the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings, our lawn and grass care methods must take into account extreme weather conditions.
Grasses are naturally very adaptable, but also often appear to suffer most from drought, waterlogging and low temperatures. Good lawn care is about working with, not against, nature. For more on this topic, read the Gardening in a Changing Climate report. Artificial grass is an environmental no-no. So let’s look at weather types:
Grass care during drought
After long dry periods, your lawn can look like a dead wilderness, but it will revive. The key is the soil, as it will shrink during a drought when the air is squeezed out. That is why aeration is so important, following your usual routine or doing it at the same time as scarifying or overseeding.
Don’t worry about watering; leave this to nature. Eventually, natural rainfall will bring the soil moisture back to normal. Here are some expert tips about edging your lawn.
Effects of waterlogging
If your lawn has been flooded, wait. The water will eventually drain away, and you don’t need many rain-free days for the ground surface to become drier. Working on saturated soil can do more harm than good.
When it has dried out, you will need to aerate more regularly than you usually do, as the excess water will have squeezed out the air from the soil. Learn more about aeration and scarification.
Grass care with snow and frozen ground
When the ground is frozen, nothing happens; the air and the water in the soil will still be there, and a blanket of snow isn’t too much of a problem.
However, if snow is lying on non-frozen soil, this can create a warm canopy over the ground, providing the ideal environment for disease pathogens to activate. Once the snow has thawed, keep a vigilant eye out for signs of disease.
Good for the environment
Grass is a plant that takes up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, and if we sequester it, we can help to remove it from the atmosphere.
So, even when you think your lawn has stopped growing, it still does its bit for the environment. Adaptive grasses need no help. Our methods just need to adapt a bit, too.
For more information, visit www.davidhedges-gower.com.
