We’ve teamed up with our friends, and Garden Machinery and lawn care experts, at MowersUK to look at the damage persistent rain can do to your lawn, and most importantly how to help it!
How Wet Weather Can Damage Your Lawn
Constant moisture can cause the following harm to your lawn:
- Causes waterlogging – which starves grass from oxygen.
- Moss, thatch and fungal disease love a wet lawn!
- Compacts the soil and hardens the ground.
In this blog MowersUK talks us through what you can do to help avoid damage occurring and how to nurse your lawn back to health.
Don’t Walk on Waterlogged Lawns
Where possible avoid walking on soggy grass. If possible use paths and stepping stones.
If your garden floods regularly, think about installing a pathway for future years.
Naturally Improve Lawn Drainage
If your lawn constantly has puddles, which remain for days, it is very likely your soil requires aerating.
You can use an aerator or a garden fork to make holes 5-10 cm deep. Then gently brush sand or fine compost over the holes to improve the airflow and drainage.
If your soil is very clay heavy – you can do this job when the ground is firmer in early spring or late winter.
You can buy or hire aerators from your local garden machinery expert . If you live in or around the Basingstoke / Oxfordshire area we would recommend popping down to MowersUK who have a great range of garden machinery equipment to buy or hire.
Avoid Waterlogged Lawns by Clearing Debris and Moss Regularly
- Rake leaves regularly to allow sunlight to reach the soil.
- When the weather is milder, use a wire rake or moss removal tool to control moss spread.
- If moss is spreading fast you can apply a winter moss killer – but only do this on frost-free days.
Give Your Lawnmower some TLC
Even if you’re not mowing, now is a great time to give your lawn mower some much needed love.
- Clean under the deck with a brush to remove built up grass.
- Sharpen / replace old blades.
- check cables for wear and tear.
- Check and top up oil / fuel.
- Keep your batter charged to around 50%.
Help Damaged Lawns Recover by Planning in Some Spring Recovery
Now the weather is starting to dry it’s time to repair the damage!
- March / April – Apply a light spring feed.
- Reseed those bare patches.
- Don’t forget to keep scarifying and aerating your lawn.
Top Tips from MowersUK for Waterlogged Lawns
✅ Once the ground has drained slightly, use a fork to gently spike the surface to reopen compacted soil.
✅ You can aerate manually or power aerators and scarifies can make the job easier and quicker – which you can buy or hire from garden machinery dealers.
✅ Store your lawnmower in a dry and frost free space.
✅ February is a great month to give your lawnmower some TLC before the spring season starts.
✅ Feed and reseed your lawn in March / April.
✅ Don’t panic, wet weather doesn’t have to be a disaster. You can protect and strengthen your grass with these top tips!
✅ You can book in for a professional service at your local Garden machinery dealer. Local to MowersUK book a service here. Alternatively, enter your postcode to find your closest machinery dealer anywhere in the UK.
This post was written in conjunction with MowersUK you can read their original blog in full here.
