4 signs that your lawn is suffering from heat stress

The summer months in the UK are both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, the hot, sunny weather brings out all the beautiful blossoms and allows us to enjoy the wonders of our gardens. On the other hand, too much heat can be overwhelming and heat stress on lawns is extremely common.

Yes, you may already know the Signs of heat stress in your plantsmany of us forget what is often the largest plant in our gardens: our lawn. This heat stress can Lawn care efforts in just a few weeks and can cause trouble for even the healthiest lawn.

As Peter Chaloner, Managing Director of cobraexplains: “Grass is known for its resilience, but even this hardy plant can suffer in extreme conditions. The UK is currently experiencing unusually hot weather and your lawn may be showing signs of stress as a result.” So these are the signs of heat stress on a lawn and what you can do to remedy the situation.

(Image credit: Future PLC/Claire Lloyd Davies)

Signs of heat stress on lawns

In most cases, you can tell whether or not your lawn is suffering from heat stress just by looking at it. Here are some signs to look out for:

Change in colour and structure: While yellow lawns are not uncommon in the summer months, Peter says that heat-stressed lawns “often turn yellow and straw-like, going into a survival mode due to reduced soil moisture.”
Lack of growth: According to the Lawn mowing calendarYou should mow your lawn 4-8 times during the summer. However, if you notice that your lawn is not growing as much as it should, this is a sure sign of heat stress in lawns.
Compacted soil: Another sign of heat stress on your lawn is compacted soil, which may require further investigation. To test this, try pushing a garden fork into the soil. If you can push it in easily, your lawn is relatively healthy. If you encounter resistance, it is very likely that it is suffering from heat stress.
It lies flat: If you walk across a healthy lawn, you will notice that the blades of grass immediately spring back as soon as you leave them. However, if your lawn is suffering from heat stress, you will notice that the blades simply lie flat due to lack of moisture.

Lawn area with border planting and small outdoor seating area

(Image credit: Future PLC/Peter Chatterton)

How to treat heat stress on lawns

If you have noticed any of the signs above, it is important to take the right steps to treat your heat-stricken lawn, as prolonged periods of heat can kill your grass.

1. Avoid further damage

Heat stress can come in varying degrees of intensity. And while the hot weather and sunny conditions can indeed make it worse, so can human intervention, so it's important that you do everything you can to prevent further damage.

Peter says: “To aid recovery, avoid the lawn as much as possible. Walking on damaged grass can cause further damage. Also, remove items such as furniture and toys from the grass to avoid dead spots and give the lawn a chance to breathe and recover.”

Of course, you you should not put garden furniture on your lawn anywayso you may just need to stop stepping on it.

2. Do not water too quickly

Garden with green lawn and grape vines

(Image credit: Future PLC)

If you notice signs of heat stress in your lawn, you may assume that watering will solve all the problems. And while a heat-stressed lawn certainly needs water, you need to approach it strategically.

Peter says: “Grass can often recover naturally when rain returns. Over-watering during the heat can be wasteful and unnecessary, and in extreme cases can even burn the grass. And since water companies encourage lower usage during heatwaves, the use of sprinklers or hoses should be avoided. This will help save water and prevent hose bans being imposed.”

However, if you know there is no rain in sight, focus on watering your lawn thoroughly twice a week, using the best methods to Water your lawn during a hose ban. And make sure you know the right time to water your lawn in summer.

3. Finish lawn treatments

Whether you want Remove weeds from your lawn or your Lawn care list for August If lawn care involves late summer fertilization, you should stop lawn care immediately.

“In hot weather, lawn treatments can be too aggressive, so avoid using fertilizers and weed killers,” warns Peter. “They can remove any remaining moisture from the grass and cause additional stress, so wait to treat until the weather cools down again.”

4. Mow the lawn tactically

Yellow lawnmower next to a piece of grass

(Image credit: Getty)

There is nothing better than using one of the best lawn mowers during the summer months. This will help you quickly tidy up your yard and get your lawn in top shape. However, if your lawn is suffering from heat stress, you will need to make some adjustments.

Peter recommends: “Let the grass grow longer. Longer blades of grass provide shade and reduce moisture loss from the soil, so wait to mow and let the grass grow taller than usual. When you do resume mowing, set the blades to the highest setting so the grass is not cut too short, which could worsen moisture loss.”

And you should make the most of it too Leave your grass clippings on your lawntoo. Peter says: “Mulled grass clippings decompose, return important nutrients to the soil and support the recovery process.”

How to prevent future heat stress on lawns

While it's impossible to predict the future, it's safe to assume that we'll have more hot and sunny summers in the coming years. And if you want to prevent future heat stress to your lawn, there are some things you can do to strengthen it for the hot season.

First, you should turn your attention to fall care. Peter says, “As soon as fall arrives, scarify and aerate your lawn to remove dead material and improve soil health. This will prepare your lawn for the next growing season.”

And if you are not sure how to do this, you can check out our instructions on Scarifying And Ventilate to make sure you do exactly what you need to do.

Aeration is especially important because, as Peter explains, “it ensures that your lawn’s soil stays healthy and can retain moisture.” And these water reserves come in extremely handy when it comes to preventing heat stress.

You may also like Fertilize your lawn. John Marshall, landscaping expert at Escapes from Wenningdale says, “For longer-term prevention, a good nutritional plan will help build a strong grass plant that will grow thicker and more resistant to disease. In addition, using seaweed in the grass can help reduce the likelihood of stress and disease.”

A back garden with green lawn and garden furniture

(Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Eltes)

What you need

Green and silver McGregor garden lawn aerator on white background

McGregor Garden Lawn Aerator

Image of Hozelock Rectangular Sprinkler on white background

HOZELOCK – Rectangular oscillating sprinkler

Spear & Jackson motorised scarifier and rake that looks like a lawnmower

Scarifiers and rakes from Spear & Jackson

FAQ

Should I mow the lawn when it is very hot?

Ideally, you should leave your lawn alone during hot weather. The longer blades of grass provide much-needed shade to the soil. Cutting them can cause heat stress and possibly even destroy your lawn.

If you have no choice but to mow your lawn, use the highest setting on your lawn mower to minimize stress.

What is the best fertilizer for heat-affected grass?

If your lawn is suffering from heat stress, you should avoid using fertilizers, as this can ultimately cause even more damage.

However, if you choose to fertilize in the summer (when your lawn is not suffering from heat stress), consider using a lawn fertilizer with low nitrogen content. This will prevent burn and scorch and help your lawn retain water and nutrients during the hot weather.

Is your lawn suffering from heat stress? Hopefully this guide will help you fix your lawn's heat stress.

4 signs that your lawn is suffering from heat stress

Signs of heat stress on lawns

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Signs of heat stress on lawns

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