Garden lawns require a decent amount of water in order to boast healthy, green grass. However, as the old saying goes, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
This is definitely the case when it comes to lawn water and waterlogging can be a serious issue. Luckily, we have a few tips up our sleeve to help get your lawn out of deep water.
Effects of rain damage to lawns
When it comes to the effects of too much water on your lawn, problems with too much rain range from waterlogging to weed growth.
Here’s are few of the most common problems that can put a serious dampener on your soggy grass.
Weak grass
Heavy rainfall can dilute the soil, washing away much of the nourishing nutrients the grass needs. This can result in stunted roots and weak, frail grass that struggles to grow.
Dead roots
When water fills the gaps in the soil, it blocks the roots’ air supply, effectively suffocating them. Not only can this damage the roots and stunt their growth, it can potentially kill them entirely over time.
Fungus
Excessive water can essentially drown the soil, causing the roots to rot. This can become a breeding ground for fungus, resulting in unsightly yellow grass and lawn disease.
Weeds
While torrential rainfall can damage healthy grass, it can have the opposite effect on weeds. If left, your lawn could see the tide turn over time as healthy grass makes way for unsightly weeds.
How to prevent rain damage
It’s often said that the best form of defence is a good attack. Why wait for rainfall to damage your lawn when you can take pre-emptive action and avoid it altogether?
Here’s a few top tips to keep your garden healthy, even in the event of an impromptu monsoon.
Let it breathe
Aerating the lawn can be a great way to improve drainage and aid the flow of oxygen to the roots. Pierce the affected surface liberally with a fork, taking time to gently wriggle one the spikes are in the ground. For particularly bad waterlogging, use a hollow tine aerator and fill the gaps with horticultural sharp sand to soak up the moisture to speed up the recovery process.
Traffic control
Walking on waterlogged grass can compact the soil and cause irreparable damage to the ground beneath, turning your lawn into a muddy swamp in no time. Avoid damaging your lawn by taking the age-old advice – stay off the grass!
Clear the gutters
A great preventative measure that often goes overlooked is the house guttering. Waterlogging can occur as a result of poor drainage and ensuring your actual drains are clear can help address that issue easily.
Fertilise
One of the best ways to help your lawn recover from bouts of heavy rainfall is to treat the surface with fertiliser. Wintertime often brings with it harsh weather, so efficient fertilisation during spring can make all the difference.
Professional Lawn Care from L&WE
While the above methods can be helpful in breathing life back into your lawn following a damaging spell of rain, perhaps the best course of action to really give your grass a fighting chance of survival is to enlist the aid of the experts.
At Lawn & Weed Expert, we have the knowledge and experience to give your lacklustre lawn a real shot in the arm and nurse it back to health in no time.
Our team of trained professionals come equipped with specialist equipment not available to the general public. This, combined with our horticultural expertise, can help turn your backyard bog into a mean, green grass-kicking machine that can fight back from the worst waterlogging experience.
What’s more, we can not only restore your lawn back to its former glory, but we can make it perform better than it ever has – leaving you with a garden that not only looks radiant and bog-free but also fit and healthy for the future.
For more information on rain damage to lawns or to find out more about our lawncare services, call 0800 111 4958 now or click the button for a FREE lawn survey today.
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