Published: 26 April 2007
Saving the Lawn
Whether you live in the town, city or countryside, your green and lush gardens can take a bit of a battering through the summer months when a combination of hot summer sun and lack of rainfall can mean plots are left looking more like a bed of straw than an envied emerald carpet.
To counteract this, you might be tempted to use a hosepipe or sprinkler system to ensure lawns are given a good soaking so they look their glorious best surrounded by a riot of colourful plants and flowers.
But this might not be the best idea.
The watering of established lawns is not only wasteful & unnecessary; it can also cause many common lawn problems.
If there is a drought, don't worry if your lawn goes brown - this is the natural survival mechanism of grass stopping all growth until more favourable conditions return.
During any dry spell remember:
· If you use your hosepipe or sprinkler system for one hour you will use as much as one person does on average in a whole week
· Watering encourages shallow rooting, which in turn means the lawn is more at risk during dry conditions - so once you start watering, you can't stop
· Watering increases the chance of disease on your lawn and most lawn diseases thrive in warm, damp conditions
· Damp soils are easily damaged by compaction during heavy use such as playing games on the lawns or holding barbeques
· Watering encourages the spread of weed grass and annual meadow grass
Dame Yve Buckland said:
"Your lawn is more resilient than you think, and as long as you follow a few basic rules, most lawns will recover completely when rain begins to fall again."
The Consumer Council for Water will campaign throughout the spring for consumers to minimise waste, and for the water industry and other agencies to build on their receptiveness by helping them to make savings of 5 to 10 litres a day on their current consumption.
Further information
Use Water Wisely - Consumer Council for Water
RHS Advice
BBC Garden Advice
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