How to Fix a Drought-Damaged Lawn This Autumn
After a long dry spell, plenty of lawns around South East London end up brown, thin and patchy. The good news is that grass is tougher than it looks, and autumn is the ideal time to put things right. Here is how to work out what you are dealing with, and how to bring a tired lawn back.
Dormant or dead? Try the tug test
Brown grass is not always dead grass. In a drought, most lawn grasses go dormant to protect themselves, letting the leaves die back while the crown and roots stay alive. Once the rain returns, dormant grass usually greens up again within a few weeks.
To check, try the tug test. Grab a small handful of brown grass and give it a gentle pull. If it holds firm, the roots are still alive and the grass is most likely dormant. If it comes away easily with little or no root attached, that patch has probably died and will need reseeding.
It is worth waiting for a few decent spells of rain before you decide. The patches that stay brown and bare once the rest of the lawn has recovered are the ones to focus on.
Why autumn is the best time
Early to mid autumn gives grass seed the best possible start. The soil is still warm from the summer, which helps seed germinate quickly, while the cooler air and more regular rain mean young grass is much less likely to dry out. There is also less competition from weeds than in spring, and the new grass has months to build its roots before the next summer comes round.
Step 1: Rake out the thatch
Start by scarifying the lawn, either with a spring-tine rake or a scarifier. This pulls out the layer of dead grass, moss and debris, known as thatch, that builds up at the base of the lawn. After a drought there is usually plenty of dead material to clear. The lawn can look worse before it looks better, but removing it lets air, water and seed get down to the soil.
Step 2: Aerate compacted areas
Dry summers often leave soil hard and compacted, especially where people walk across the lawn, around play areas and anywhere it gets heavy use. Aerating with a garden fork or a hollow-tine aerator opens the soil up so water and roots can get down properly. Push the fork in, rock it back slightly, and work across the compacted areas at regular intervals.
Step 3: Spot-seed the bare patches
For patches that have died off completely, loosen the surface with a rake, sprinkle grass seed evenly over the area and rake it in lightly so the seed makes good contact with the soil. Pick a seed mix that suits how you use the lawn, such as a hard-wearing mix if it gets plenty of use from children and pets.
Step 4: Top-dress and overseed the whole lawn
Once the patches are done, spread a thin layer of sieved topsoil or loam across the whole lawn and work it into the surface with the back of a rake or a lute. Keep it thin so you don't smother the existing grass. This top dressing fills small hollows, improves the soil and gives new seed something to root into.
Then overseed the entire lawn, not just the bare bits. Thickening up the whole lawn helps it look even once it grows in, and a denser lawn is better at holding its own against weeds, moss and future dry spells.
Aftercare: keep it moist and go easy
Keep the seed moist. If the weather turns dry, water lightly and often until the new grass is up and growing.
Hold off mowing until the new grass reaches around 5 to 7cm, then make the first cut with the mower on its highest setting.
Avoid heavy foot traffic while the lawn establishes, and keep children and pets off newly seeded areas where you can.
Be patient. The lawn will keep thickening up through the autumn and into the following spring.
A recent example
We recently did exactly this for a customer whose lawn had suffered badly in the dry weather. We spot-seeded the bare patches, then top-dressed the lawn with topsoil and overseeded the whole area to thicken it back up. None of it is complicated, but the timing and the preparation make all the difference.
Need a hand with your lawn?
South East Green Care is based in Belvedere and works across Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Dartford, Sidcup, Orpington and Chislehurst. We are RHS-trained, fully insured, and we take green waste away and recycle it.
For a free quote, usually the same day, get in touch and send us a photo of your lawn along with your postcode. You can also see more about our landscaping services.
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